Distributor Reduces Platform Maintenance and Price Inconsistency

Operational Challenges

Inside the business, NetSuite functioned as the operational system of record for pricing, inventory, and order fulfillment.  But the surrounding eCommerce infrastructure had become difficult to maintain.

Magento 1 required ongoing server management, security patching, and hosting oversight. Platform updates created risk. Infrastructure maintenance consumed time that could otherwise support growth initiatives. At the same time, B2B pricing segmentation and customer account structures required manual workarounds within the platform.

This created several operational challenges:

• Infrastructure maintenance consumed internal resources

• Pricing segmentation required manual management

• B2B account workflows lacked structure

• Growth initiatives were constrained by platform complexity

The ERP foundation was strong. But the commerce platform surrounding it had become a source of technical debt.

Diagnosing the Real Problem

Leadership partnered with The B2B eCommerce Agency to evaluate both the commerce platform and the operational structure surrounding it. Rather than immediately selecting a new platform, the work began by examining how pricing tiers, customer segmentation, and order workflows were structured inside NetSuite.

The team mapped:

• Customer pricing tiers and segmentation rules

• Payment terms and B2B account structures

• Order routing from checkout into NetSuite

• Infrastructure costs and maintenance requirements tied to Magento

This analysis revealed the underlying issue: The company’s ERP environment was stable and well structured.

But the surrounding commerce platform required excessive maintenance and lacked the flexibility needed to support modern B2B functionality. To support continued growth, the business needed a SaaS-based commerce foundation that could extend NetSuite outward while reducing infrastructure complexity.

Designing a Safer Path to Modernization

With the operational dependencies clarified, the focus shifted to designing a digital environment that would reduce technical burden while preserving the integrity of the ERP. The objective was not simply to migrate platforms.  It was to stabilize the operational foundation and remove infrastructure overhead before expanding capabilities.

BigCommerce was selected as the SaaS commerce platform due to its native B2B capabilities and its ability to integrate cleanly with NetSuite and other core systems. The B2B eCommerce Agency led the migration planning, integration architecture, and implementation sequencing to ensure stability throughout the transition.

How the Digital Channel was Built Around NetSuite

The resulting platform centered on BigCommerce integrated directly with NetSuite ERP.  Core capabilities included:

• Structured customer groups and automated pricing segmentation

• Tiered B2B pricing aligned with NetSuite customer records

• Support for Net 30 and account-based payment terms

• Custom shipping rate logic by product class

• Multi-brand management within a unified commerce platform

Orders placed online now flow directly into NetSuite, preserving existing fulfillment, accounting, and reporting workflows. Search and product discovery were enhanced through a personalization-driven search implementation, improving navigation across thousands of SKUs.

To support marketing alignment, a custom HubSpot–BigCommerce integration connected transactional data with automation workflows and reporting systems.  This allowed the business to implement:

• Automated abandoned cart follow-up

• Post-purchase communication workflows

• Behavioral segmentation based on purchase history

• Centralized reporting across commerce and marketing systems

Commerce, ERP, and marketing platforms now operate as a coordinated system rather than isolated tools.

What Changed for the Business

Once the platform architecture was simplified and aligned with NetSuite, operational stability improved quickly.  Infrastructure maintenance and platform patching were eliminated. Internal teams no longer needed to manage servers or platform security updates.

Pricing management became more structured as customer groups and segmentation aligned with NetSuite records. Orders placed online now move directly into NetSuite without reconciliation work, reducing administrative effort and improving accuracy. Marketing teams gained clearer visibility into purchasing behavior through connected systems and shared data.

The company can now support multiple product lines and sub-brands within a single commerce framework, without duplicating systems or creating operational silos.  Internal focus shifted from maintaining infrastructure to supporting growth initiatives.

Why This Approach Worked

This project succeeded because decisions were made in the right sequence. First, infrastructure complexity was reduced. Second, B2B pricing and ERP alignment were stabilized. Third, integrations were layered in to support marketing automation and reporting.

By treating NetSuite as the operational foundation and selecting a SaaS commerce platform designed to integrate cleanly with it, the company reduced technical strain while preserving the integrity of its core systems. The result was not simply a platform migration. It was a modern B2B commerce environment aligned with how the business actually operates.

Operational Impact

Within months of launch, the most significant changes were operational.

• Server maintenance and security patching were eliminated, reducing infrastructure overhead and freeing internal resources.
  
  Orders placed online now flow cleanly into NetSuite, preserving fulfillment and accounting workflows without manual reconciliation.

• Pricing structures in BigCommerce align with NetSuite customer records, reducing overrides and post-order adjustments.

• B2B account management became more structured through consistent customer groups, tiered pricing, and account-based payment terms.

• Marketing and commerce systems now share transactional data, enabling automated customer communication and improved reporting visibility.

As a result, the business can support increased order volume, multiple sub-brands, and expanded B2B programs without increasing operational strain. The digital platform now supports growth rather than consuming internal capacity.