When you decide to set up a B2B portal, one of the first questions is: at what address will the portal live? Will your dealers place orders from an address that carries your own brand, such as dealer.yourcompany.com, or from a ready-made address running on the software provider's infrastructure? This may look like a minor detail at first glance, but it directly affects brand perception, data control, and setup time.
In this article, we put the two approaches side by side and list the questions that will help you decide which one may suit you better.
Two Different Paths: Ready-Made Infrastructure vs. Your Own Server
With Multistok, you can run your portal in two ways. In the first, the portal runs on Multistok's own infrastructure. Server, update, and maintenance work is handled for you. This model is known as SaaS; instead of buying and installing the software, you use it as a service. If the topic is new to you, our article What Is SaaS? is a good place to start.
In the second, the portal runs on your own hosting service or on a dedicated server. You use your own domain, the design is customized to your brand, and you have full control over your data.
One important point is worth highlighting: the portal does the same job on both paths. Dealer-specific pricing, current accounts, ERP integration, and the order flow all work on either infrastructure. The choice is not about what the portal does, but about where it lives, how it looks, and who manages it. That is why it is healthier to make the decision by asking "what is our priority?" rather than "which one is better?"
| Topic | Multistok infrastructure | Your own hosting / dedicated server |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time | 3–5 business days | About 2–3 weeks |
| Domain | On Multistok's infrastructure | Your own domain |
| Design | Ready-made and configurable | Custom design for your brand |
| Server and maintenance | Managed by Multistok | On your hosting or a dedicated server |
| Data control | Compliant with the Turkish Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK), ISO 27001 infrastructure | Full data control stays with you |
You can see which infrastructure is offered in which plan on the plans page.
What Does Your Own Domain Change for Your Dealers?
Your dealers log in to the portal every day to place orders, check their balance, or request quotes. Having that address carry your brand clearly shows that the portal is your official channel. Your own domain makes a difference especially in these situations:
- You want to use a single address in the emails, catalogs, and quote PDFs you send to dealers.
- You see the portal not just as an ordering screen but as your brand's digital storefront.
- The IT teams of your corporate customers expect the address they connect to to belong to you.
- You plan to use multiple languages in the portal and serve dealers abroad as well.
On the other hand, for some companies the real priority is speed. If you want to get dealer orders off the phone and WhatsApp and into an organized system as soon as possible, starting within a few days on the ready-made infrastructure may make more sense.
Your Own Server: Data Control and Security
For some companies, the issue is less about appearance and more about where the data lives. Price lists, dealer-specific discounts, account balances, and order history are sensitive commercial information. If your internal policies require this data to be stored on your own servers, the dedicated server option meets that need.
Choosing the ready-made infrastructure doesn't mean compromising on security. Multistok's infrastructure is KVKK-compliant, built on ISO 27001 standards, and operates with a 99.9% availability target. The difference is who holds the responsibility: on the ready-made infrastructure, Multistok takes care of the server side, while on your own server that control sits with your team.
Questions to Ask Before You Decide
To make the right choice, we recommend discussing these questions with your team:
- How soon does the portal need to go live?
- Is a design customized to your brand a must, or is a clean, ready-made interface enough?
- Do you have an in-house IT team to manage servers, or a hosting company you work with?
- Are there internal or industry rules on data storage that you need to comply with?
- How much will your number of users and field sales reps grow in the coming period?
The answers to these questions usually point the way on their own. If starting fast and reducing the technical burden are the priority, the ready-made infrastructure stands out; if brand consistency and data control are the priority, your own server comes out ahead.
How Does the Setup Process Work?
Whichever path you choose, setup follows the same three steps. First, in the discovery and analysis phase, your way of working, your ERP, and your dealer structure are reviewed. Next comes integration and configuration, where price lists, the catalog, and user roles are defined. In the final step, your dealers are onboarded with training in Turkish. For a portal running on your own server, the domain, server preparation, and custom design are added to this process, so the total can take a few weeks.
If you will be using your own domain, clarifying a few practical matters at the start of the process speeds things up. Decide at which address the portal will live, for example whether it will use a subdomain or a separate domain. Determine who will handle the domain and server settings and who will manage communication between your IT team and your hosting company. Prepare your brand files, such as your logo, corporate colors, and images, in advance for the design. These small preparations keep the setup moving without getting stuck waiting.
Conclusion
Using a B2B portal on your own domain is a strong option for companies that want to showcase their brand and have full control over their data. For those who want to get started quickly, the ready-made infrastructure is the more practical path. If you'd like to compare the two options against your own needs, you can request a demo from the Multistok team.
