What does building an online shop with nextlevels cost?

It depends heavily on scope. A manageable shop based on Shopware typically starts in the low five-figure range, while complex B2B or headless projects with ERP and PIM interfaces sit above that. On top come running costs for hosting, licenses and maintenance as a separate line item. You get a concrete fixed-price offer after a short discovery in which we clarify requirements, interfaces and data volumes.

How long until my shop goes live?

A clearly scoped shop usually takes from a few weeks to a few months. The range is wide because it depends on the number of interfaces, the complexity of your assortment and the data migration. We work in iterations: you see a working state early and give feedback, rather than only seeing the finished result at the end.

Which shop system do you recommend – Shopware, headless or something else?

Our focus is Shopware, because as an open-source system it is powerful, extensible and well established in the German mid-market. We recommend headless architectures (Shopware as backend, your own frontend) when you need maximum frontend freedom or special performance. We make the decision based on your requirements, not on principle – a simple shop doesn't need a headless setup.

Can you migrate my existing shop?

Yes. We migrate existing shops including product data, customers, order history and URL structure. The URLs and redirects in particular are crucial so your SEO rankings don't collapse during the move. Before migrating we analyze your current shop and plan the move so ongoing operations are disrupted as little as possible.

Do you support B2B, B2C and D2C equally?

Yes. In B2C, conversion, speed and a frictionless checkout matter most. In B2B, requirements such as customer-specific price lists, tiered pricing, order approvals, quotation features and ERP integration come into play. We support D2C brands from brand staging to the logistics interface. We build the shop around your business model, not the other way round.

How do you ensure performance and scalability?

Performance isn't an afterthought for us but part of the architecture. We optimize for good Core Web Vitals, use caching, a CDN and clean database indexes, and test behavior under load. That keeps your shop fast and stable even during load peaks such as sales campaigns or Black Friday.

What about data protection, security and payment processing?

We build shops GDPR-compliant and integrate payments via certified payment providers, so no sensitive card data sits on your server. Updates, secure configuration and a roles-and-permissions concept are standard for us. In e-commerce, security isn't an optional add-on but a prerequisite for trust and conversion.

Who owns the shop – does vendor lock-in arise?

You own everything: code, configuration, data and content. Because we build on open-source technology like Shopware, you're not tied to proprietary systems and could in principle hand operations to another team. We document cleanly – vendor lock-in is not our business model.

E-Commerce: Punchout & Procurement

Punchout &Procurement

Large purchasing organisations order from their own procurement systems — suppliers not integrated there are simply considered less often. We connect your Shopware shop via OCI punchout or cXML to your customers' SAP Ariba, Coupa, or other procurement platforms. The buyer switches seamlessly into your shop, builds their basket, and transfers it back to the approval system.

Request Punchout Integration

Challenges you'll recognise

Large purchasing organisations require an OCI punchout connection as a prerequisite for supplier onboarding, and you currently have no technical solution for this.
Orders from corporate customers come in by email or phone because your shop is not integrated into their procurement systems.
You lose enterprise customer tenders because competitors offer a punchout integration and you do not.

OCI Punchout Implementation

OCI is the standard protocol for integrating supplier shops into SAP procurement systems. We implement the complete OCI punchout flow in Shopware: single sign-on from the procurement system, cart session in the shop, and return transfer of the filled basket via standardised basket transfer. The buyer never really leaves their system.

cXML & Further Protocols

Beyond OCI, many procurement systems support cXML for order transmission and catalogue updates. We implement cXML punchout setups and CIF catalogue transfers so your catalogue in your customers' procurement systems is always current — without manual catalogue uploads.

Customer-Specific Setup

Every punchout customer has their own technical requirements: different protocol versions, specific mandatory fields in the basket transfer, and individual authentication methods. We configure punchout setups per customer, test the complete flow in a test environment, and support acceptance testing by the buyer or their IT team.

Pricing in Punchout

In the punchout context, each customer's individual pricing agreements apply. We ensure the punchout session loads the correct customer conditions — framework agreement prices, special discounts, and approved catalogue — so the buyer sees exactly what their contract entitles them to.

Good to know

Punchout opens enterprise purchasing processes
Many large companies and public sector buyers purchase exclusively through their own procurement systems. A punchout connection is often the prerequisite for being considered an active supplier in their processes at all.
OCI flow must be seamless
A punchout setup that technically works but is clunky to use will be avoided by buyers. Single sign-on without extra login, fast page loads in the shop, and a smooth basket transfer are the minimum requirements for an accepted punchout integration.
Each customer has individual requirements
Punchout standards are framework specifications, not exact specifications. Each procurement system implements OCI or cXML slightly differently. Without customer-side testing and a shared acceptance process, the risk of incompatibilities in production is high.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between OCI and cXML?

OCI (Open Catalog Interface) is an SAP standard for the interactive punchout process: the buyer navigates the supplier shop and transfers the basket back. cXML is an XML-based protocol used for automatic order transmission and catalogue updates among other things. Many enterprise procurement systems support both.

Our key customer requires OCI punchout integration — how long does implementation take?

An OCI punchout implementation including configuration, testing, and acceptance typically takes several weeks, depending on the complexity of the customer's setup and the availability of a test system on their side. We actively coordinate the testing process with your customer.

Can a buyer see their individual prices in the punchout?

Yes, that is a central requirement feature. The punchout session automatically loads customer-specific price lists and catalogue restrictions after authentication. The buyer sees only the products and prices that apply to their contract.

Shopware B2B Suite 2026: Features, costs and why the suite is being phased out

Commerce & Shopware05/24/2026

Shopware B2B Suite 2026: Features, costs, EOL with 6.8 - and the honest decision Suite vs. B2B Components for new projects.

Angular vs React vs Vue: Which frontend framework suits your shop?

Commerce & Shopware04/08/2026

Angular, React or Vue for your shop? A practical comparison for e-commerce and headless shopware with a clear recommendation based on team, SEO and setup.

Subscription commerce with Shopware: How recurring revenue supports your shop

Commerce & Shopware05/29/2026

Subscription commerce turns one-off purchases into predictable, recurring revenue. How this works with Shopware and how to start a subscription model.

Why nextlevels

Success you can measure

With us you're always at the cutting edge of technology and benefit directly from our developer expertise. Together we analyze your shop, identify key areas and develop tailor-made solutions. Your goals and expectations are at the center of our work.

Developers, not resellers
Your shop is built by developers who understand the code — nothing gets passed to subcontractors.
Shopware down to the detail
Architecture, API integration and performance from hundreds of project hours.
One team, every discipline
Development, design and marketing from a single source — no friction at the handoffs.
Built for growth
We build for conversion, load time and revenue — not for gut feeling.
Partner, not vendor
We stay on after launch and keep developing your shop continuously.

Ready for your successful online shop?

Whether it's an improvement or a fresh start — a no-obligation conversation never hurt anyone.

Paul Kalisch
Executive Partner

info@nextlevels.de +49 (0) 2161 539 71 60