A wholesaler's decision to move to digital ordering is usually made in a moment of fatigue: a wrongly written order, a wrongly applied discount or phones that never stop ringing at the start of the season. The decision is right, but the idea of "let's set up a B2B portal and dealers will use it" often ends in disappointment. The portal goes live, a small share of dealers log in a few times, then everyone goes back to the phone.
The problem is usually not the software but how the transition is planned. In this article we walk through moving wholesalers and distributors to digital ordering, in the order that works in the field. You can find the portal's features on our B2B dealer portal page.
Is your data ready first?
A digital ordering screen is only as good as the data behind it. Before opening the portal, the answers to these questions should be clear:
- Are product records clean? Is the same product registered under two different codes, are descriptions clear, are the unit and case quantity correct?
- Are pricing rules written down? Which dealer buys from which list, which product groups have extra discounts, how do volume discounts work? In many companies, some of these rules exist only in the sales manager's head.
- Is stock information reliable? A product that shows "in stock" on screen but is not in the warehouse costs you the dealer's trust in the first week.
- Are there images? A dealer who orders by phone knows the product, but a new employee or a new dealer gets lost on a screen without images.
This preparation is tedious, but if it is skipped, dealers will brand the portal "the system that shows the wrong prices." Having data flow automatically from the ERP prevents manual updates in two places; that is an integration topic.
Win over your sales reps and sales team
The least discussed but most decisive part of the transition is the sales team. A field sales rep or regional representative may worry that the portal will take away their job or affect their commission. If that worry is not addressed, it is only natural for them to tell dealers, "Never mind that, just call me as usual."
The approach that works:
- Orders placed through the portal are also credited to the relevant rep's sales.
- The rep can enter orders in the portal on the dealer's behalf; they are the one who first introduces the screen.
- As routine order work shrinks, the rep has time left for finding new dealers and handling problem accounts.
When the sales team sees the portal as their own tool, they present it that way to dealers too.
Start with a pilot dealer group
Rather than announcing to all dealers on the same day, it is safer to start with a pilot group of 10 to 20 dealers. The pilot group should include different profiles: a young, digitally minded business, a long-standing dealer you have worked with for years, and a large customer who orders many line items.
During the pilot, listen to where dealers get stuck. The problems are often in unexpected places: the search box does not recognize the product name the dealer uses, there is no favorites list, there is no button to repeat the last order. Once these are fixed, the general announcement is accepted much more easily.
Answer the dealer's question: why should I use the portal?
Dealers change habits only when they see their own benefit. These benefits usually are:
- Being able to order outside business hours, in the evening or on weekends
- Seeing current stock and their own price instantly
- Seeing their account balance, invoices and order history without calling
- Repeating the last order with one tap
For dealers who are often on the move, a simple ordering screen that works on the phone also matters; we cover this in our article on the dealer ordering app.
What should you watch in the first months?
| Metric | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Share of orders coming through the portal | Whether the transition is really happening |
| Number of dealers who used the portal at least once | How far the rollout has reached |
| Number of dealers using it regularly | Whether the habit is taking hold |
| Corrections needed on portal orders | Accuracy of data and pricing rules |
| Number of routine questions arriving by phone | Time freed up for the sales team |
If the numbers are not what you expect, the problem is usually not the dealer but somewhere in the data or the screen. Calling dealers one by one and asking why they don't use it gives you the most valuable feedback.
How we do it at Globya
In wholesale projects, we first review your product and pricing data together with your ERP and identify what needs cleaning up. We run the portal, the ERP connection and the pilot process as a single point of contact, and mature the screen based on dealer feedback. For our industry-specific approach, see our wholesale and B2B distribution page.
Frequently asked questions
Some of our dealers don't use digital tools at all. What should we do?
You don't need to force them. Your rep enters phone orders into the portal, so all orders end up in the same system and reporting stays intact.
How long does the transition take?
Setup time depends on your data preparation and ERP connection. Getting dealers used to it usually takes longer than setup, which is why it is important to allow time for the pilot phase.
Is a portal the same as an e-commerce site?
No. Retail e-commerce shows everyone the same price; in a B2B portal, each dealer sees their own prices, account status and terms. If needed, both can run together on the same platform.
How do we get started?
You can call us at +90 850 432 55 13 or write to us via our contact page. Pricing follows a written proposal after the discovery call. Describe your needs now in 3 minutes
The Globya assistant is online 24/7; it answers right away and passes your question to the team if needed.