When Intershop Stops Fitting, What’s Next?
Intershop has been a steady name in the enterprise commerce game—but let’s be honest: in 2025, legacy strength alone doesn’t cut it.
Modern brands don’t just need “an eCommerce platform.” They need modular architecture, real-time sync with their ERP, PIM and OMS that don’t require middleware hacks, and B2B workflows that don’t feel duct-taped onto a B2C base.
If Intershop is starting to feel like more effort than it’s worth—whether from dev-heavy upkeep, clunky UX, or integration pain—you’re not alone. Plenty of growing and enterprise brands are rethinking their commerce stack in favor of faster, composable, API-first platforms that can flex with their business.
Let’s unpack the top alternatives to Intershop—and what makes them better suited for today’s buying behaviors.
1. BetterCommerce — A Composable Alternative That Actually Understands B2B
While many platforms claim “B2B features,” BetterCommerce was designed around them from day one. It’s not a repurposed B2C engine or a bloated monolith—it’s a composable, headless-native suite built for companies that need flexibility, automation, and scale without complexity overload.
Why switch from Intershop to BetterCommerce?
- Modular & API-first: BetterCommerce is composable by design—PIM, OMS, Checkout, and more, all decoupled and API-driven. Swap what you need, scale what you want.
- Built-in B2B tools: From custom pricing and catalog permissions to punchout, approval flows, and email-to-order automation—it’s all natively supported. No plug-ins required.
- Real-time integrations: Native ERP, PIM, and CRM sync ensures that product, price, and stock data is never stale.
- Multi-store, multi-region ready: Manage global operations with localized catalogs, currencies, and languages—without cloning your site five times.
- Modern UX & headless storefront: Offers flexibility for DTC and B2B portals, with a UI that actually respects how buyers want to shop in 2025.
Ideal for:
Mid to enterprise-level businesses scaling fast across B2B and B2C models, —especially those tired of working around platform limitations instead of solving real business problems.
2. Adobe Commerce (Magento) — Flexible, But Heavy on Dev
If Intershop feels dated, Adobe Commerce might look like the shiny, customizable upgrade. It’s open-source at its core and incredibly flexible—but that freedom comes with responsibility (and developer overhead). It’s a fit for businesses that want to build exactly what they need—and have the internal resources to support it.
Where Adobe Commerce shines:
- Full control over storefront, checkout, data models, and workflows
- Strong support for both B2B and B2C, with features like shared catalogs, tiered pricing, requisition lists, and customer-specific terms
- Massive extension marketplace and partner ecosystem
- Advanced product & content management baked in
Where it struggles vs. modern composable platforms:
- Resource-intensive: Requires a dedicated dev team or agency for setup, customization, and ongoing maintenance
- Performance at scale can be a challenge without heavy optimization
- Upgrade cycles and security patches can create friction, especially for multi-store setups
- Cloud offering (Adobe Commerce Cloud) still inherits some monolith limitations
Best for:
Enterprises with in-house tech teams that want total customization and are okay trading agility for control. If your business is dev-heavy and project-led, Adobe gives you the canvas—but you’ll need to paint it yourself.
3. BigCommerce Enterprise — Scalable SaaS with API Flexibility
BigCommerce Enterprise sits somewhere between legacy platforms and fully composable stacks. It’s a SaaS platform that gives you a clean, cloud-native foundation—without locking you out of deep customizations. For businesses outgrowing Intershop’s dev-heavy workflows but not ready for total headless architecture, BigCommerce offers a middle path.
Where it works well:
- API-first with open architecture: Build custom experiences on top of a stable SaaS core
- Multi-storefront support with localized content, languages, and currencies
- Headless compatibility: Supports Next.js, React, or custom frontends via GraphQL
- Strong B2B suite: Tiered pricing, quote management, customer groups, and buyer portals (via B2B Edition)
Where it can fall short:
- Workflow automation is limited compared to fully composable or enterprise stacks
- B2B capabilities are powered by partners (e.g., TradeCentric for punchout), not fully native
- Complex catalogs may require extra dev work or third-party supportCustom ERP/PIM integrations require middleware or APIs—not plug-and-play
Best for:
Mid-sized brands that want more flexibility than Shopify Plus but without the overhead of Magento or Intershop. Ideal if you’re ready to modernize but still want managed infrastructure.
4. Salesforce Commerce Cloud — CRM-Integrated, Omnichannel-Ready
Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC) is a strong alternative to Intershop if you're already embedded in the Salesforce ecosystem. It’s designed to deliver unified B2C and B2B experiences, tightly connected with Salesforce CRM, Service Cloud, and Marketing Cloud. That makes it powerful—but also complex, and not exactly composable.
Where it works well:
- Deep Salesforce integration: Customer data, behavior, and buying history inform personalized storefronts
- Strong omnichannel capabilities: Unified experience across web, mobile, social, and store
- B2B and B2C hybrid support: Features like contract pricing, account hierarchies, and self-service portals
- AI-powered personalization with Salesforce Einstein
Where it falls short vs. modern headless platforms:
- High TCO (total cost of ownership): Licensing, implementation, and customization are all premium
- Longer implementation timelines, especially for B2B custom flows
- Less composable than advertised: Extending the platform often requires certified Salesforce partners
- Not ideal if you’re not already in the Salesforce world
Best for:
Enterprise brands with complex CRM-driven sales and marketing ecosystems. If customer data orchestration is your core advantage, SFCC can deliver—just be prepared for cost and complexity.
4. Salesforce Commerce Cloud — CRM-Integrated, Omnichannel-Ready
Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC) is a strong alternative to Intershop if you're already embedded in the Salesforce ecosystem. It’s designed to deliver unified B2C and B2B experiences, tightly connected with Salesforce CRM, Service Cloud, and Marketing Cloud. That makes it powerful—but also complex, and not exactly composable.
Where it works well:
- Deep Salesforce integration: Customer data, behavior, and buying history inform personalized storefronts
- Strong omnichannel capabilities: Unified experience across web, mobile, social, and store
- B2B and B2C hybrid support: Features like contract pricing, account hierarchies, and self-service portals
- AI-powered personalization with Salesforce Einstein
Where it falls short vs. modern headless platforms:
- High TCO (total cost of ownership): Licensing, implementation, and customization are all premium
- Longer implementation timelines, especially for B2B custom flows
- Less composable than advertised: Extending the platform often requires certified Salesforce partners
- Not ideal if you’re not already in the Salesforce world
Best for:
Enterprise brands with complex CRM-driven sales and marketing ecosystems. If customer data orchestration is your core advantage, SFCC can deliver—just be prepared for cost and complexity.
5. SAP Commerce Cloud — Enterprise Power, Enterprise Complexity
SAP Commerce Cloud (formerly Hybris) is built for large-scale businesses juggling complex supply chains, multi-brand catalogs, and multiple go-to-market models. If your organization is already deep in the SAP ecosystem, Commerce Cloud offers tight integration—but outside that bubble, it can feel rigid and resource-heavy.
Where it works well:
- Designed for enterprise complexity: Multi-site, multi-language, multi-currency, and B2B/B2C hybrid support
- Strong product content and catalog management at scale
- Native ERP integration with SAP S/4HANA or ECC for real-time data sync
- Omnichannel and punchout support for procurement-heavy workflows
Where it falls short:
- Lengthy implementation cycles—often 6–12 months with heavy systems integrator involvement
- High cost of ownership, especially if not already using SAP
- Limited agility: Customizations can require significant development effort
- Not composable-first: Feels monolithic compared to modern API-first alternatives
Best for:
Large, global enterprises already running SAP ERP, CRM, or procurement systems—and who need everything tightly integrated. Not ideal for agile, digital-native teams or mid-market players.
6. Sana Commerce — ERP-Native B2B Commerce for Dynamics and SAP
Sana Commerce is a niche but capable player—especially if your business runs on Microsoft Dynamics or SAP. Unlike platforms that sync to ERP systems, Sana is built directly into them, offering real-time product, pricing, inventory, and order visibility without middleware.
Where it works well:
- ERP-driven architecture: All product and pricing data is pulled live from your ERP (no duplication)
- Fast time to market: Prebuilt for Microsoft Dynamics and SAP Business One
- Native B2B functionality: Customer-specific pricing, ordering history, credit limits, and approvals out of the box
- Low maintenance for IT teams: One system to manage product and order data
Where it falls short:
- Limited frontend flexibility: More transactional than experiential—UX feels basic
- Not ideal for multi-ERP or multi-channel complexity
- Less extensible for headless or composable architectures
- Lacks advanced personalization or marketing tools
Best for:
Manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors already using Microsoft Dynamics or SAP who want a tightly integrated, no-fuss B2B portal—and don’t need a flashy front end.
7. Shopify Plus — Fast, Polished, But Not Built for Complexity
Shopify Plus is often the first name that comes up when brands outgrow basic eCommerce and want something enterprise-ready. It delivers on simplicity, speed, and a sleek frontend—but starts to show limits when you need deep B2B features, multi-brand catalogs, or tight ERP control.
Where it works well:
- Lightning-fast deployment: Launch a storefront in weeks, not months
- Beautiful themes and UI: Built-in design polish for DTC and retail
- Robust ecosystem: Thousands of apps and integrations, including ERP connectors
- Growing B2B toolkit: Shared catalogs, net terms, company profiles (still evolving)
Where it falls short:
- Limited native B2B functionality: Many enterprise B2B needs still require apps or workarounds
- Custom pricing and catalogs need dev effort or app layering
- Not composable in a pure sense—your frontend options are boxed in
- ERP/PIM integrations can get fragile without middleware
Best for:
High-growth DTC brands or hybrid B2B2C players who want speed and frontend polish more than backend control. Great if you're okay staying inside the Shopify ecosystem.
8. NetSuite SuiteCommerce — Commerce Tied Directly to Finance and Ops
If your business is already using NetSuite for ERP, SuiteCommerce can look like a natural next step. It’s not trying to compete on frontend flash—instead, it focuses on tight integration with finance, inventory, and customer data. Think commerce as an extension of your back office, not a standalone channel.
Where it works well:
- Natively connected to NetSuite ERP: No syncing, no middleware—real-time inventory, order, and pricing data
- Unified data model across commerce, CRM, finance, and inventory
- Ideal for B2B and hybrid models: Credit terms, contract pricing, and purchasing workflows supported
- Low IT overhead: Streamlined for teams who don’t want to manage separate systems
Where it falls short:
- Frontend flexibility is limited: Customizing the user experience can be rigid
- Lacks advanced PIM or OMS tools unless layered in
- Not a composable platform: Monolithic by design
- Implementation and licensing can get expensive, especially if you're not already a NetSuite user
Best for:
Mid-sized B2B companies already on NetSuite ERP who want commerce baked into their operations—not bolted on. Not ideal for content-heavy, experiential commerce.
9. Kentro — Ops-First Commerce for Modern B2B Brands
Kentro isn’t just another storefront engine—it’s a backend-first platform designed to handle the messy stuff: inventory, orders, fulfillment, customer ops, and 3PL. It’s built for brands that care more about operational efficiency than flashy front ends, and want to unify commerce and supply chain.
Where it works well:
- Inventory-centric architecture: Built to handle SKUs, warehouses, stock levels, and backorders at scale
- Integrated 3PL, order routing, and fulfillment logic
- Customer and channel management tools: Includes portal features for B2B buyers
- Simplified admin for sales ops, not just marketing teams
Where it falls short:
- Not a polished marketing/eCom CMS: You’ll need to bring your own frontend or marketing tools
- Limited ecosystem compared to bigger players
- Early-stage in some areas like internationalization and punchout workflows
Best for:
Modern B2B or omnichannel brands with a heavy operational focus—especially those struggling with fragmented backend systems. Great for those who want to consolidate ops, not just launch a prettier site.
10. BQUADRO — Lightweight B2B Portal for Supply Chain & Sales Coordination
BQUADRO positions itself less as an eCommerce storefront and more as a digital collaboration hub for B2B sales, marketing, after-sales, and fulfillment. If Intershop feels too bulky for your needs—and you’re focused more on streamlining internal processes than creating a “shopper experience”—BQUADRO offers a lean alternative.
Where it works well:
- Streamlined supply chain collaboration: Manage orders, quotes, inventory, and customer support in one interface
- Sales rep portals and distributor tools built in
- Digital office tools for managing documents, orders, and fulfillment with less friction
- Lightweight footprint: Easy to deploy and run for smaller B2B teams
Where it falls short:
- Not a full-scale commerce engine: Lacks advanced storefront and merchandising tools
- Limited scalability for complex catalogs or DTC use cases
- Minimal ecosystem or integrations compared to mainstream platforms
Best for:
Smaller manufacturers or distributors that need a practical B2B portal—not a marketing-first eCommerce platform. Great for simplifying communication and operations, less so for scaling global digital commerce.
Conclusion: Intershop Got You Here—But It Might Not Get You There
Intershop was built for the first wave of digital commerce—but today’s buyers, business models, and backend realities demand more. Whether you’re managing complex B2B workflows, expanding internationally, or moving toward composable architecture, your platform should accelerate growth—not slow it down.
From composable suites like BetterCommerce, to ERP-native tools like Sana or NetSuite, to ops-first solutions like Kentro—the landscape in 2025 is rich with smarter alternatives. The best fit comes down to how you sell, how your teams operate, and how fast you need to move.
If Intershop is making you work harder than your buyers want to shop—it’s time for a rethink.
“By 2026, 70% of B2B brands will replatform toward composable or API-first commerce solutions to keep up with buyer expectations.”
— Gartner B2B Commerce Trends Report, 2024