ERP Software for Wholesale Distribution
Wholesale distributors operate on thin margins in a high-velocity environment, managing thousands of SKUs, complex customer-specific pricing, EDI compliance with retail trading partners, and time-critical fulfilment. The right ERP system transforms distribution operations by automating order processing, optimising warehouse pick paths, enforcing contract pricing, and providing the demand visibility needed to reduce carrying costs without sacrificing fill rates.
Compare ERP Systems for Wholesale Distribution
Select up to 4 ERP vendors to compare side by side. Filtered to show systems with strong wholesale distribution capabilities.
Key Challenges for Wholesale Distribution
Managing thousands of customer-specific price lists, contract rates, and volume discount structures
Maintaining high order fill rates while minimising excess inventory and carrying costs
Processing high-volume EDI orders from retail trading partners with zero tolerance for errors
Coordinating multi-warehouse pick, pack, and ship operations across geographically dispersed DCs
Tracking lot numbers, expiry dates, and serial numbers for compliance and recall readiness
Managing complex freight, routing, and carrier selection to protect delivery margin
Providing real-time available-to-promise commitments to customers on inbound sales calls
Best Wholesale Distribution ERP for SMBs
Recommended for companies with $10M–$250M revenue and 10–200 employees.
NetSuite ERP
mid-rangeCloud-native ERP with strong wholesale distribution capabilities including advanced inventory, customer-specific pricing, and EDI integration via SPS Commerce.
Best for: Growing wholesale distributors seeking a scalable cloud platform
Epicor Eclipse
mid-rangePurpose-built distribution ERP with deep expertise in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and industrial distribution with sophisticated pricing and counter-sales capabilities.
Best for: Trade distributors in electrical, industrial, and building supplies
Acumatica Distribution Edition
mid-rangeFlexible cloud ERP with strong distribution modules including advanced inventory, purchase orders, and carrier integration with unlimited-user pricing.
Best for: Mid-size distributors seeking modern cloud ERP without per-user fees
Sage X3
mid-rangeMid-market ERP with strong distribution and multi-entity capabilities, flexible pricing rules, and international trade support.
Best for: Multi-entity distributors with international sourcing and trading
Cin7 Core
budgetCloud inventory and order management platform with B2B portal, 3PL integration, and strong purchasing capabilities at an accessible price point.
Best for: Small wholesale businesses and importers managing B2B orders
Unleashed Software
budgetCloud inventory management with strong B2B sales portal, customer-specific pricing, and purchasing tools for small to mid-size distributors.
Best for: Small distributors needing strong inventory and B2B order management
Best Wholesale Distribution ERP for Enterprise
Recommended for companies with $250M+ revenue and complex multi-site operations.
SAP S/4HANA
enterpriseEnterprise-grade distribution ERP with advanced warehouse management, global trade compliance, and sophisticated supply chain planning for large distributors.
Best for: Large, multi-DC distributors with complex global trade requirements
Infor Distribution (CloudSuite Distribution)
enterprisePurpose-built distribution ERP with deep domain expertise in wholesale trade, advanced pricing, warehouse management, and route delivery.
Best for: Large wholesale distributors across industrial, food service, and jan-san
Oracle ERP Cloud
enterpriseComprehensive cloud ERP with order management, global logistics, multi-currency financials, and supply chain planning for enterprise distributors.
Best for: Enterprise distributors with complex multi-country and multi-entity structures
Blue Yonder (JDA)
enterpriseAdvanced supply chain planning and warehouse management platform that complements core ERP with AI-driven replenishment and fulfilment optimisation.
Best for: Large distributors seeking best-of-breed WMS and supply chain planning
Essential ERP Capabilities for Wholesale Distribution
Customer-specific pricing with contract rates, volume tiers, and promotional override management
Real-time available-to-promise across all warehouse and DC locations
EDI 850/855/856/810 transaction processing for retail trading partner compliance
Multi-warehouse order allocation and inter-DC transfer management
Lot, batch, serial, and expiry date tracking with forward and backward traceability
Freight management with carrier rating, route optimisation, and freight cost allocation
Vendor managed inventory (VMI) and automated supplier replenishment
Demand forecasting and safety stock optimisation across SKU and location combinations
B2B customer self-service portal for order placement, tracking, and invoice management
Returns and debit memo management with automated restocking and credit processing
Wholesale Distribution ERP Cost Ranges
SMB
$20,000 – $90,000
5–30 users
Implementation: $20,000 – $80,000
Mid-Market
$75,000 – $400,000
30–150 users
Implementation: $100,000 – $600,000
Enterprise
$350,000 – $3,000,000+
150+ users, multiple DCs
Implementation: $500,000 – $5,000,000+
Implementation Considerations
EDI trading partner setup is time-intensive; identify your top 10 EDI partners early and allocate dedicated EDI testing time with each before go-live.
Customer pricing data migration is typically the most complex data task — deduplicate, validate, and gain customer pricing sign-off before import to avoid billing disputes post-launch.
Warehouse slotting and pick-path configuration in the ERP or WMS must be completed and tested in a staging environment before physical go-live to avoid fulfilment delays.
Carrier and freight rating integration requires coordination with logistics providers; ensure shipping API credentials and rate tables are validated before the first live shipment.
Legacy system parallel-run for at least 2 billing cycles is strongly recommended for distributors with complex contract pricing to catch any discrepancies before full cutover.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a distribution ERP different from a generic ERP?
Distribution ERP is purpose-built for the speed and complexity of wholesale trade, offering capabilities like customer-specific contract pricing, EDI transaction processing, counter-sales POS, freight management, lot traceability, and available-to-promise that generic ERP platforms require heavy customisation to replicate. Purpose-built platforms like Epicor Eclipse and Infor CloudSuite Distribution encode decades of distribution best practice into their core workflows.
How does ERP manage customer-specific pricing in wholesale distribution?
Distribution ERP maintains a pricing matrix that can combine base price lists, customer-specific contracts, volume break discounts, product-category multipliers, and time-limited promotional rates. When a sales order is created, the system applies the correct price automatically based on the customer, product, quantity, and date, eliminating manual price lookup and reducing billing disputes.
What EDI standards do wholesale distributors need to support?
The most common EDI transactions for wholesale distributors are 850 (Purchase Order), 855 (PO Acknowledgement), 856 (Advance Ship Notice), and 810 (Invoice). Retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Home Depot have specific EDI compliance requirements with financial chargebacks for non-compliance. Most ERP vendors support EDI via certified trading network partners such as SPS Commerce, TrueCommerce, or DiCentral.
How does ERP improve order fill rates for distributors?
ERP improves fill rates through demand-driven replenishment that calculates safety stock based on lead times, demand variability, and service-level targets for each SKU-location combination. Automated purchase order generation, supplier lead time tracking, and back-order management together reduce the stockouts that damage fill rates and customer relationships.
Can distribution ERP handle both warehouse and route-delivery operations?
Yes. Platforms like Infor CloudSuite Distribution and Epicor Eclipse include route management, delivery scheduling, and driver mobile applications alongside standard warehouse management. Route-delivery ERP manages load planning, proof of delivery, returns collection, and customer invoice settlement at the point of delivery — all integrated to the core inventory and financial modules.
How do distributors manage lot traceability and product recalls in ERP?
ERP records lot or batch numbers at every inventory movement — from purchase order receipt through warehouse transfer to customer shipment. In the event of a supplier recall, the system can instantly identify which lots were received, which remain in stock, and which customers received affected product, typically completing a full trace in minutes rather than the hours required with manual records.
What is the difference between Epicor Eclipse and Epicor Prophet 21?
Epicor Eclipse is optimised for electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and industrial distribution with deep counter-sales, pricing, and branch-network capabilities. Epicor Prophet 21 (P21) targets broader durable goods distribution with stronger manufacturing and job management features. Both are strong mid-market platforms, and the best choice depends on your vertical and operational model.
How long does it take to implement ERP for a mid-size distributor?
A mid-size distributor with 2–5 warehouse locations implementing a platform like NetSuite, Acumatica, or Epicor typically goes live in 6–12 months. EDI trading partner setup, pricing data migration, and warehouse management configuration are the most time-intensive work streams. Adding a phased rollout by location can extend the timeline but significantly reduces operational risk.
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