Managing inventory visibility on your B2B eCommerce website/portal is more than just displaying stock levels—it’s about providing the right stock levels in a format that provides enough “wiggle room” for your back-end operations while providing accurate information to the right customers from the right location.

Unlike B2C eCommerce, inventory visibility in B2B is far more nuanced. Businesses may need to display inventory in different ways depending on customer type, location, or purchasing agreements. Some may prefer showing exact stock counts, while others use general availability indicators or estimated restock dates to balance transparency with operational flexibility.

Because every company serves different customers with unique needs, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to inventory display. The key is choosing the right method that ensures accuracy while supporting both customer expectations and internal workflows.

B2B eCommerce Inventory Display Options

Exact Quantity Display

Show real-time inventory counts, such as “12 in stock.” This is ideal for high-demand or limited-quantity items where precise availability matters.

Threshold-Based Messaging

Display stock status dynamically based on predefined thresholds:

• “In Stock” for readily available products.
• “Low Stock” or “Limited Stock” when a defined threshold has been met. So, for example, this could appear once total inventory falls to 10 units.
• “Out of Stock” when the item is completely unavailable.

General Availability Status

Use status indicators without revealing exact numbers:

• “Available”
• “Limited Availability”
• “On Backorder”

Lead Time and Expected Restock Dates

For made-to-order or replenished items, it may be appropriate to display estimated shipping or restock dates (e.g., “Ships in 2-3 weeks”). This keeps buyers informed and prevents lost sales due to uncertainty.

Per-Location Stock Levels

For businesses with multiple warehouses, a B2B eCommerce platform should support displaying inventory by location. For example:

• “Warehouse A – 10 in stock”
• “Warehouse B – 5 in stock”

This ensures customers see stock based on their designated warehouse, a shipping region, or a fulfillment preference.

Customer-Specific Inventory Visibility

Different buyers may have different inventory views based on their customer profile. Reserved stock, priority access, or negotiated supply levels should be able to be "flipped on or off" for a personalized experience.

Stock Level Warnings at Checkout

B2B eCommerce platforms should prevent overselling by validating stock in the ERP during checkout. If multiple users are shopping simultaneously, the system can ensure that the orders are placed correctly the first time, with no need to call the customer and apologize and manually change the order.

ERP-Driven Inventory Management with Nomad eCommerce

Nomad pulls live inventory data from your ERP, ensuring accurate, up-to-date stock levels are presented on your website in whatever display manner works best for you. If you operate multiple warehouses, Nomad can aggregate inventory totals or display stock per location (NOTE: we can also provide warehouse-specific pricing as well).

You can choose how much inventory to display—whether exact numbers, percentage-based rounding (e.g., only showing 80%, for example, of inventory for safety stock), or customer status-based indicators.

For backordered items, Nomad integrates with available-to-promise modules to provide estimated restock dates, keeping customers informed and helping to ensure order completion.

With flexible, ERP-synced inventory management, Nomad eCommerce ensures your customers see the right stock levels in a way that fits your business strategy.