Does Orca Commerce include a mobile app?

Yes. Orca Commerce includes mobile access for wholesalers and their B2B customers. Trade customers can use the mobile app to order from their phone, while products, pricing, stock and orders remain connected to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Can wholesale customers order through a mobile app?

Yes. Orca Commerce allows wholesale customers to access mobile ordering through the app store, so they can browse products, view account information, see customer-specific pricing and place repeat orders without relying only on a desktop website.

Is Shopify good for B2B ecommerce?

Shopify can support B2B ecommerce, especially for businesses that want a strong storefront and are comfortable using additional apps or integrations. For complex wholesale pricing, trade accounts and ERP-led ordering, a specialist B2B platform may be more suitable.

Can Shopify integrate with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central?

Yes, Shopify can integrate with Business Central, but the setup usually depends on connectors, third-party apps or custom integration work. Orca Commerce is positioned as an ERP-connected ecommerce option for businesses that want Business Central to remain the operational source of truth.

When should a business choose Orca Commerce instead of Shopify?

A business should consider Orca Commerce when ecommerce needs to reflect ERP data such as products, customer accounts, pricing, stock availability and order history. This is common for wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers.

Is Orca Commerce suitable for small retail websites?

Orca Commerce is not mainly designed as a simple retail website builder. It is better suited to B2B businesses where ecommerce must connect to wider ERP, warehouse and sales operations.

/Orca Commerce vs Shopify

ERP Comparison Guide • Orca Commerce • Shopify

Shopify vs Orca Commerce: Which Is Better for B2B Wholesalers?

Shopify is a strong online store platform for retail and direct-to-consumer brands. Orca Commerce is designed for wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers that need ERP-connected B2B ordering, including mobile app access so trade customers can order from their phone while products, prices, stock and orders stay connected to Business Central.

Read quick answer See mobile app advantage View comparison table

For wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers•10 minute read

Quick answer

Shopify is a strong choice for retail and direct-to-consumer brands that want a polished storefront and marketing tools. Orca Commerce is built for wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers that need ERP-connected B2B ordering, customer-specific pricing and mobile access synchronised with Business Central.

Key difference

Customer mobile ordering app

A key advantage of Orca Commerce is that wholesale customers can access mobile app ordering through the app store, not just a desktop website. Customers can place and repeat orders from their phone while the data remains connected to Business Central.

Who each platform is for Mobile app advantage Feature comparison Pros and cons Best for Decision guide FAQs

Who should use Shopify or Orca Commerce?

The biggest difference is not just features. It is the business model each platform is designed to support.

Shopify

Best for retail-led online selling

Shopify is a good choice for businesses that want a polished online shop, strong marketing tools, product pages, checkout and a wide app marketplace.

check_circle D2C brands
check_circle Retail ecommerce stores
check_circle Simple product catalogues
check_circle Businesses prioritising design and marketing
check_circle Companies willing to build their B2B workflow using Shopify apps rather than building it around the ERP system

Orca Commerce

Best for ERP-led B2B ordering

Orca Commerce is designed for businesses where ecommerce must reflect customer accounts, agreed pricing, stock availability and order history from Business Central.

stars Wholesalers and distributors
stars Foodservice and cash & carry businesses
stars Manufacturers selling to trade customers
stars Businesses using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
stars Teams wanting fewer disconnected systems

Major Orca Commerce advantage

Orca Commerce includes mobile access for wholesalers and their customers.

For B2B wholesale, the mobile experience is not only about internal teams. Orca Commerce helps wholesalers give trade customers a convenient way to browse products, access account information and place and repeat orders from their phone, with commerce activity synchronised through Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

What this means for wholesalers

check_circle Customers can browse and order from their phone
check_circle Customers can view their account information anytime
check_circle Repeat orders become faster and more convenient
check_circle Customer-specific pricing is pulled from Business Central
check_circle Products, stock and orders stay synchronised with your ERP
check_circle A better B2B buying experience without disconnected systems

Shopify vs Orca Commerce feature comparison

A practical view of where each platform fits for wholesale, distribution and ERP-connected ecommerce.

Criteria	Shopify	Orca Commerce
Primary purpose	Retail ecommerce and online stores	B2B ecommerce connected to ERP
Best suited for	D2C brands, retailers and simple online catalogues	Wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers and trade businesses
Business Central integration	Possible through third-party apps or integrations	Built around Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, with integration available for other ERP systems.
Customer-specific pricing	Often requires apps, customisation or higher-tier features	Built-in customer-specific pricing for trade accounts
Live stock visibility	Depends on integration setup	Synced with ERP inventory
Business customer accounts	Possible with extra configuration	Built in for B2B wholesalers
Order flow	Orders may need integration into ERP	Orders flow into Business Central
Design flexibility	Very strong	Practical and business-focused
Customer mobile application	Shopify's mobile app is mainly for store administration and managing the ecommerce business. A customer-facing wholesale ordering app typically requires a separate app solution or custom development.	Includes mobile app access for wholesalers and their B2B customers, helping trade customers place orders from their phone while data stays connected to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Operational complexity	Can increase with multiple apps and integrations	Lower if Business Central is the single source of truth

Pros and cons

Shopify pros

check_circle Easy to launch and manage
check_circle Strong themes and storefront design
check_circle Large app marketplace
check_circle Good checkout experience
check_circle Strong for consumer ecommerce

Shopify cons

cancel B2B features may require apps or custom work
cancel ERP integration can add cost and complexity
cancel Stock and pricing may not always be the single source of truth
cancel Less suitable for complex trade pricing and wholesale workflows

Orca Commerce pros

stars Designed for Business Central integration and other ERP systems
stars Supports mobile ordering for wholesale customers
stars Supports trade accounts and customer-specific pricing
stars Uses ERP data for products, stock and orders
stars Suitable for wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers
stars Reduces duplicate administration between ecommerce and ERP

Orca Commerce cons

cancel Best suited to businesses using or adopting Business Central
cancel May not be the right fit for very small retailers needing only a simple online shop

Which is best for different business types?

Business type	Better fit	Why
Retail brand selling to consumers	Shopify	Strong storefront, themes, checkout and marketing tools.
Food wholesaler selling to trade accounts	Orca Commerce	Needs customer pricing, live stock, ERP orders and account-based buying.
Distributor using Business Central	Orca Commerce	Business Central can act as the single source of truth.
Small business launching first online shop	Shopify	Fast setup and low barrier to entry.
Manufacturer selling to B2B customers	Orca Commerce	Better suited to repeat trade orders, account management and ERP-linked processes.
Hybrid B2B and B2C business	Orca Commerce	Built to support both B2B and B2C on one ERP-connected platform

Decision guide

A quick way to decide which platform is closer to your business model.

Are you mainly selling to consumers?Choose Shopify if your priority is public online sales, brand design, checkout and marketing.

Do you sell to trade customers with different prices?Choose Orca Commerce if customers need agreed pricing, account access, stock visibility and repeat ordering.

Do your customers need mobile access to ecommerce?Orca Commerce is a stronger fit if you want mobile access connected to ERP-led commerce data.

Do you already use Business Central?Orca Commerce is likely a stronger fit because ecommerce can connect directly to your ERP data.

Do you want a standalone online shop?Shopify may be enough if ecommerce does not need to reflect live ERP stock, pricing or account information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Need B2B ecommerce with mobile access?

Orca Commerce helps wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers connect ecommerce activity with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.