Sana Commerce

What is Sana Commerce

Sana Commerce is an e-commerce platform designed specifically for B2B companies, such as manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors. Its main function is to integrate directly with Microsoft Dynamics and SAP ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems. This unique approach uses the ERP as the central engine for the web store, ensuring that complex business logic, customer-specific pricing, inventory levels, and order information are always accurate and in real-time. The company was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Sana Commerce aims to help businesses simplify their online sales processes, reduce manual work for their teams, and provide a better online experience for their B2B customers.

Sana Commerce Features

Sana Commerce offers a range of features built for the complexities of B2B e-commerce:

• Real-time ERP Integration: Connects directly with your SAP or Microsoft Dynamics system. This means all data like product information, inventory, pricing, and customer details are always synchronized without manual updates.
• B2B Self-Service Portal: Provides customers with a personal online account where they can view their order history, track shipments, manage invoices, and place reorders easily. This reduces the support workload on your sales team.
• Complex Pricing Management: Handles customer-specific price agreements, volume discounts, and tiered pricing directly from the ERP. Each customer sees their correct, personalized price.
• Advanced Order Management: Customers can place complex orders, request quotes, and convert quotes into orders. The system also supports quick ordering by SKU and order templates for repeat purchases.
• Product Catalog Management: Manages large and complex product catalogs with ease. It supports product variants, kits, and customer-specific assortments, showing only the products a specific customer is authorized to buy.
• Search & Merchandising: Includes powerful search functions to help customers find products quickly. It also allows for merchandising rules to promote specific products or brands.
• Integrations and App Center: Offers over 100 add-ons and integrations with other business systems like Payment Service Providers (PSPs), shipping carriers, PIM (Product Information Management), and CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) software.

Sana Commerce Pricing Plans

Sana Commerce provides several pricing tiers to fit different business sizes and needs. Pricing is not publicly listed and requires a direct quote.

• Essential: This plan is designed for businesses that are new to e-commerce or have straightforward requirements. It includes the core ERP integration and essential features to run a B2B web store.
• Pro: Aimed at growing businesses, this plan includes all features from Essential plus more advanced capabilities for marketing, personalization, and customer experience management.
• Advanced: This is the top-tier plan for large enterprises with complex global operations. It offers the full suite of features, extensive customization options, and dedicated support for complex integrations and business processes.

Sana Commerce Free Plan

Sana Commerce does not offer a free plan. As an enterprise-level solution, its focus is on deep integration with complex ERP systems, which requires a custom implementation process. However, prospective customers can request a personalized demo to see the platform in action and discuss their specific business requirements with the Sana Commerce team.

How to use Sana Commerce

Getting started with Sana Commerce involves a structured implementation process:

1. Request a Demo: The first step is to contact Sana Commerce for a demonstration. During this phase, you will discuss your business needs, existing ERP setup, and goals.
2. Project Scoping: Sana Commerce experts will work with your team to define the project scope, timelines, and integration requirements.
3. ERP Integration: The core of the setup process is connecting Sana Commerce Cloud to your SAP or Microsoft Dynamics ERP. This ensures all data flows correctly between the two systems.
4. Storefront Design and Configuration: You will customize the look and feel of your web store. This includes setting up your product catalogs, navigation, and content pages using the built-in content management system.
5. Testing: Before going live, the entire system is tested to ensure that orders, pricing, and customer data are working as expected.
6. Launch: Once testing is complete, your B2B e-commerce store is launched, allowing your customers to start placing orders online.

Pros and Cons of Sana Commerce

Pros:

• Deep ERP Integration: Its main strength is the seamless, real-time connection to SAP and Microsoft Dynamics, which ensures data accuracy and reduces manual work.
• Designed for B2B: The platform is built from the ground up to handle B2B complexities like contract pricing, bulk ordering, and customer-specific catalogs.
• Improved Efficiency: Automates many processes, freeing up sales and customer service teams to focus on more valuable tasks.
• Better Customer Experience: The self-service portal empowers customers to manage their accounts and orders 24/7.

Cons:

• Limited ERP Support: It is specifically designed for SAP and Microsoft Dynamics. Businesses using other ERP systems cannot use this platform.
• High Cost: As an enterprise solution, it can be a significant investment compared to simpler e-commerce platforms.
• Complex Implementation: The implementation process can be lengthy and complex, requiring technical resources from both the customer and Sana Commerce.

Sana Commerce integrations

Sana Commerce is built to be the central part of your commercial technology stack, integrating with various systems:

• ERP Systems: Native, real-time integration with SAP (including SAP S/4HANA, SAP ECC) and Microsoft Dynamics (including Dynamics 365 Business Central, Finance & Operations, AX, and NAV).
• Payment Service Providers: Integrates with dozens of payment gateways like Stripe, Adyen, PayPal, and Authorize.Net to facilitate secure online transactions.
• Shipping & Logistics: Connects with shipping providers to offer real-time shipping rates and tracking information.
• PIM Systems: Integrates with Product Information Management systems to manage rich product content.
• CPQ Software: Connects with Configure, Price, Quote tools for businesses that sell complex, configurable products.
• Marketing Automation: Works with email marketing and CRM platforms to support marketing campaigns.

Sana Commerce Alternatives

• Magento (Adobe Commerce): A highly flexible and powerful e-commerce platform. It is known for its extensive customization options but requires more technical expertise to manage. Its ERP integration is typically done through third-party connectors.
• BigCommerce B2B Edition: A leading SaaS platform that offers strong B2B features out of the box. It is easier to manage than Magento but its ERP integrations are not as deep as Sana's native connection.
• Shopify Plus: A popular and user-friendly platform that has been adding more B2B functionality. It is great for high-growth businesses but may require multiple apps and workarounds to handle complex B2B logic.
• OroCommerce: An open-source platform built exclusively for B2B e-commerce. It offers a wide range of B2B features and is very flexible, but it has a smaller ecosystem compared to the others.

Sana Commerce API

Yes, Sana Commerce provides a comprehensive API that allows developers to extend the platform's functionality and build custom integrations. The API enables connections to third-party applications, custom front-end experiences, or other business systems not covered by the standard app library. Access to the API documentation and keys is typically provided to customers as part of their license and implementation project. You would need to be a Sana Commerce customer to gain access.

Example API Usage (Conceptual):

// This is a conceptual example of how one might fetch a product
const SANA_API_ENDPOINT = 'https://api.sana-commerce.com/v1/';
const API_KEY = 'YOUR_SANA_API_KEY';

async function getProduct(productId) {
  const response = await fetch(`${SANA_API_ENDPOINT}/products/${productId}`, {
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${API_KEY}`
    }
  });
  const productData = await response.json();
  console.log(productData);
  return productData;
}

getProduct('PROD123');

Sana Commerce Affiliate program

Sana Commerce does not have a public affiliate program in the traditional sense for content creators or influencers. Instead, they operate a Partner Program focused on collaboration with implementation partners, technology partners, and digital marketing agencies. These partners work together with Sana Commerce to deliver complete e-commerce solutions to customers. If you are an agency or technology provider interested in collaboration, it is best to contact their partnership team directly through their official website to explore potential opportunities.