Magento and Shopware for B2B: what implementation looks like and what comes after

Magento and Shopware have appeared in conversations with serious B2B companies for years now. Not because they are fashionable, but because they genuinely hold up where smaller solutions quickly hit their limits. Over the past several years we have built and run stores on both platforms, so we know what it means to choose one and what happens after.

Magento (Adobe Commerce) in B2B commerce

Magento, now sold as Adobe Commerce, is an environment for companies with complex sales processes that need a platform to support them rather than force them into a simpler shape. Catalogues with thousands of variants, individual pricing for each contractor, bulk orders, ERP integrations and managing several storefronts from one place.

Building on Adobe Commerce requires an experienced team, because the platform gives a lot of room but demands the knowledge to use that room safely and efficiently. A poorly designed Magento architecture shows up in performance and maintenance costs for years.

The B2B platforms on Magento we run for clients typically integrate with ERP, PIM or CRM systems. These are not set-and-forget projects. They are living environments that grow alongside the business.

More about what we can build in this technology is on the Magento (Adobe Commerce) page.

Shopware: flexibility for B2B and B2C stores

Shopware has built a strong position in Europe, especially among companies that want to combine a modern frontend with solid B2B logic. Its API-first architecture and native content handling make Shopware a good fit for both retail-facing online stores and B2B projects with a dedicated logged-in zone for contractors.

The Shopware implementations we deliver often include custom views for customer groups, integrations with wholesalers and logistics systems, and extended order modules. Shopware moves faster in the initial build than Magento, and makes up for it in customisation options and an active extension ecosystem.

Technical details and our projects on this platform are described on the Shopware technology page.

What implementation actually looks like

Both a Shopware online store and a Magento B2B platform require the same kind of upfront work: process analysis, data model, integration architecture and only then development.

At Endora we do not start from a template. We start by asking how the company buys, sells and reconciles orders, because that determines what we need to build. Once we have that picture, we plan the scope and either choose a platform or confirm the client’s existing choice.

The build itself is split into phases so that each one ends with something working, not just a longer list of things in progress. We describe this in more detail in the B2B sales platforms section.

Maintaining a Magento or Shopware store

This is the subject companies tend to discover too late. Implementation is a one-time cost and a one-time effort. Maintenance accompanies the store throughout its entire life and often represents a larger share of the total project budget than the initial build.

Magento maintenance covers security updates, performance monitoring, server environment management and incident response. Shopware store maintenance looks similar, though the platform ships smaller updates more frequently and requires a different working rhythm.

Beyond basic upkeep, B2B stores are constantly evolving: new features, new integrations, conversion optimisation. We run these projects as continuous development, where every sprint ends with production changes rather than backlog growth.

Read more about how e-commerce platform maintenance and development works at Endora.

Integrations that B2B platforms cannot do without

Neither Magento nor Shopware operates in isolation. A B2B store is usually an environment where orders flow into ERP, stock levels sync with the warehouse and invoices are generated automatically. The smoother that works, the less manual effort the order management team carries.

In the projects we run, integrations with external systems are often a core part of the build rather than a late addition. We cover this in the context of e-commerce platform integrations and automation on the services page.

When it makes sense to talk to Endora

If you are planning an online store on Shopware or looking for an agency to run a Magento (Adobe Commerce) project, we can talk through what you actually need to build. If you already have a platform and are looking for a new partner for maintenance or further development, we are equally happy to talk.

If you are not yet sure which platform is right, read our comparison of Magento, Sylius and WooCommerce for B2B. Or start with an e-commerce audit to see what actually needs to change.