Deploying Commerce Cloud B2B is a multi-month project that spans data model design, storefront customization, pricing configuration, integration with ERP and Sales Cloud, and content authoring. The walkthrough below covers the standard high-level sequence; each step has multiple sub-tasks that depend on the specific business requirements.
- Define the data model and Account hierarchy
Map the B2B customer hierarchy: parent companies, subsidiaries, departments, and individual buyers. Decide which Account level carries which commercial terms (contract pricing at parent Account, shipping addresses at subsidiary, individual approval limits per buyer). Document the standard taxonomy and confirm it matches what Sales and Service Cloud already use. Misaligned hierarchies create endless integration friction down the road.
- Configure Price Books and product catalogs
Build the Price Books that the B2B site will use. Set up account-specific Price Books for customers with negotiated rates. Configure product catalogs with the full SKU set, attributes, variants, and category hierarchy. Tie specific catalogs to specific Account types or roles so buyers see only the products they are authorized to purchase. This configuration work usually takes weeks for a meaningful catalog and benefits from a product information management (PIM) tool feeding Salesforce.
- Build the storefront with LWR
Design the storefront branding, navigation, and key page templates: home page, category pages, product detail pages, cart, checkout, account dashboard, order history. Implement using the Lightning Web Runtime components provided by Salesforce, customizing where needed. Integrate Einstein Search for the search experience. Implement the approval workflow UI for buyers whose orders need supervisor sign-off. Test the storefront with a small group of pilot customers before broader rollout.
- Integrate with ERP, OMS, and Sales Cloud
Set up the integrations that B2B commerce typically needs: inventory feed from ERP, order export to the order management system (OMS), payment processing through the certified payment gateway, shipping carrier integration for rate quoting and tracking. Confirm that Sales Cloud reps see B2B orders in the unified customer view. Test end-to-end order flows from web order placement through OMS fulfillment, including approval routings, payment processing, and order status updates back to the buyer.
- Account hierarchy decisions made early are hard to change later. Invest in the data model design before building anything.
- Account-specific Price Books proliferate quickly. Plan a maintenance and audit process from day one rather than retrofitting one after pricing drift becomes a problem.
- Approval workflows often need customization beyond what the standard configuration provides. Budget time for Flow Builder or Apex customization in the project plan.
- Search relevance for B2B is harder than for B2C. Part numbers, technical specifications, and industrial terminology require ongoing tuning of Einstein Search and synonym lists.
- ERP integration is the most common source of project delay. Confirm the ERP team's availability and the integration approach early in the project.