See how Celeste reads B2B commerce for your exact vertical.
Every vertical sells differently, so the platform, ERP and connector that fit differ too. Pick your world below and see the operational reality that decides the build, then run your own diagnostic for a scored report.
When does the native integration work, and when does it break?
The question most manufacturers ask first, answered by ERP with diagnostic rigour, not platform advocacy.
Cin7 ecommerce platform fit
Cin7 is inventory and order management, not a full ERP, and that shapes the ecommerce decision. Its native integrations handle DTC and light B2B on Shopify or BigCommerce well, and the seams show once heavier B2B logic, EDI, or scale beyond Cin7 enter. Here is how to tell which lane you are in.
Read the fit reportAcumatica ecommerce platform fit
The most common question in the Acumatica ecommerce space is which platform to put in front of it, and the honest answer is that it depends on how you sell, not on which platform is most capable. Native connectors handle clean, standard deployments well and break down predictably once real B2B complexity enters. Here is how to tell which lane you are in.
Read the fit reportFasteners & fittings
B2B ecommerce for a fastener distributor lives or dies on two things: a parametric catalog that performs at full SKU count, and customer-specific pricing that shows each account its negotiated contract price the moment it logs in. A single bolt carries dozens of variations, so this is a catalog-data and ERP-integration problem, not a theme problem.
See the realityElectronic & electrical components
Engineers buy electronic components on datasheets, application notes and compliance documents (RoHS, REACH, UL, CE) alongside parametric attributes like pin count, operating temperature and package. Lifecycle and obsolescence status must be visible per part, and the catalog has to stay connected to ERP and PLM. Off-the-shelf storefronts struggle here.
See the realityPumps, valves & PVF
Pumps, valves and PVF buying is MRO-urgent: a 24-hour plant cannot wait weeks, so buyers search for emergency stock and fast delivery against real-time, branch-level inventory and lead times. They also need spec sheets, manuals and CAD, configure-to-order assemblies, and account-level approval workflows.
See the realityPower transmission & bearings
In power transmission and bearings, the buying entry point is cross-reference: a buyer arrives with a competitor or OEM part number, not yours. An interchange layer and a bearing-finder-by-size are the make-or-break navigation across a deep catalog of bearings, belts, sheaves, chain, sprockets and gearing.
See the realitySafety & PPE
Safety and PPE distribution is account-management depth far beyond a storefront: compliance-driven catalogs (OSHA, ANSI, NFPA), hierarchical multi-location accounts with site-level programs, per-location budgets and approval workflows, consumable recurring orders, and compliance reporting on who has what protection.
See the realityHydraulics & fluid power
Hydraulics and fluid power is configure-to-order at its core: hose and assemblies built to spec, with cut-length math and the bill of materials consumed by the ERP. It pairs spec-driven selection with MRO urgency, so the platform needs a configurator, accurate component pricing, and real-time availability.
See the realityHVAC/R distribution
HVAC/R distribution turns on matched-system selling and refrigerant compliance. A buyer ordering a condenser needs the AHRI-certified matched coil and air handler, and the catalog has to gate on the A2L refrigerant transition and EPA Section 608 rules, not just list SKUs.
See the realityPlumbing & PVF
Plumbing and PVF buying runs on material traceability and parametric specs. Commercial and industrial jobs require the mill test report and heat number with the order, and buyers search a deep spec catalog by material, schedule, size and connection type.
See the realityRoofing & exteriors
Roofing and exteriors commerce is a units-of-measure problem: buyers order by the square and the bundle with a waste factor applied, and increasingly expect to import an aerial takeoff so the material list matches the actual roof. Rooftop delivery and job-site logistics are part of the product.
See the realityDoors, windows & glazing
Doors, windows and glazing is configure-to-order first. The product is made to spec, so the storefront is a configurator that produces a costed bill of materials, a lead time and dealer pricing, not a shelf of finished SKUs.
See the realityLumber & building materials
Lumber and building-materials dealers sell commodity and dimensional goods in their own units of measure, on house accounts billed to the job. Pricing moves with the commodity market, and the LBM ERP is its own world the storefront has to integrate with.
See the realitySpecialty & gourmet foods
Specialty and gourmet food distribution pairs a wide, fast-changing SKU set with account-specific catalogs and contract price lists, on top of lot, expiry and allergen data that has to follow every item. Each buyer (an independent grocer, restaurant or retailer) sees its own assortment and pricing.
See the realityMeat, seafood & protein
Meat, seafood and protein distribution runs on catch-weight: items are ordered by the case but billed by the actual scanned weight, so the platform has to handle dual units of measure and a cold-chain that condemns a shipment if it breaks.
See the realityCoffee, tea & beverage
Coffee, tea and craft beverage wholesalers transform a green or origin lot through roasting or blending into finished SKUs, then sell both wholesale and direct on recurring, subscription-style orders. Lot identity through that transformation and effortless reordering are the core.
See the realitySupplements & nutraceuticals
Supplement and nutraceutical brands sell on subscription and wholesale at once, under FDA 21 CFR Part 111 cGMP, with lot, expiry and certificate-of-analysis data on every batch. The platform fuses subscription economics with batch-level traceability. (This is the brand-side page; the contract-manufacturing angle lives under Industrial Equipment and Medical.)
See the realityFoodservice / broadline distribution
Broadline foodservice distribution is a punchout and order-guide business: operators order from an account-specific order guide, often through cXML punchout or EDI 832, against GPO-deviated and off-invoice pricing the platform has to compute correctly.
See the realityIngredients & co-packing
Ingredient suppliers and co-packers sell by quote, not cart: buyers request samples and specs, negotiate minimum order quantities, and receipt is gated on a certificate of analysis. The platform is an RFQ and document portal more than a storefront.
See the realityMedical device manufacturing
Medical device manufacturers (Class II/III, ISO 13485) carry UDI and GUDID identity plus both lot and serial traceability down to the order and shipment line, often with configure-to-order catalogs for variants and kits. Traceability is a regulatory backbone, not a feature.
See the realityMed-surg / institutional distribution
Med-surg and institutional distribution enforces layered GPO, IDN and local contract pricing per account, with cXML punchout and EDI order entry into hospital procurement systems. Resolving the contract hierarchy correctly is the hard part.
See the realityLab & diagnostics
Lab and diagnostics distribution lives on cold-chain and expiry: a temperature excursion can void a reagent batch, FEFO allocation prevents shipping short-dated stock, and instruments lock customers into specific reagents and consumables.
See the realityNutraceutical contract manufacturing
Contract and private-label nutraceutical manufacturing is a quote-to-order business: a brand requests a private-label run, the manufacturer configures a batch and minimum order quantity and prices it, under cGMP with lot and expiry records. This is the maker side, distinct from a supplement brand storefront.
See the realityClinic supply (dental & veterinary)
Dental and veterinary clinic supply is small-practice, multi-vendor reordering: practices restock from formulary-style favorites across many vendors through one portal, with DEA and prescription gating on controlled items. Convenience and compliance matter more than enterprise contracts.
See the reality