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Server Hub: the B2B commerce and quoting platform we built in-house

Server Hub's B2B commerce and quoting platform was built in-house by Arke Technologies (Pty) Ltd in Johannesburg to run our own hardware division. It carries a catalogue of more than 26,000 products, backs every priced quote line with a dated source, takes PayFast and Yoco payments and uses AI-assisted sourcing.

Discuss your projectVisit Server Hub  (opens serverhub.co.za)

The platform at a glance

ItemDetail
OperatorServer Hub, the hardware trading division of Arke Technologies
Built byOur own software team, in-house
CatalogueMore than 26,000 products
PricesIn rand, VAT included
Quote turnaroundTypically within a few business hours
Channelsserverhub.co.za and Google Merchant
Trading sinceAugust 2026

This is a case study of our own business, and part of our work. We built the platform to run Server Hub, and it is the clearest example we can show of how we approach custom software development: the rules that matter to the business are built into the system, not left to memory.

The problem: a displayed price is not a procurable price

IT hardware prices and stock move daily. A price shown on a listing is not necessarily a price anyone can deliver, and a quote built on stale data costs the buyer time and the seller its credibility. Procurement officers and bid committees need more than a number: a rand price with VAT included, a date, and confidence that the item can be supplied at that price when the purchase order arrives.

We designed the platform around that problem. Behind every priced quote line sits a dated, verifiable source, recorded when our team checked price and availability, so a quote is built on a confirmed price rather than on whatever a listing displayed.

Rows of server racks with red and blue patch leads behind perforated doors.
An engineer checks a tablet beside glass-fronted server racks.

What the B2B commerce and quoting platform does

  • A catalogue of more than 26,000 products

    Servers, storage, networking, AI workstations and supercomputers, components and business software.

  • Evidence-backed quoting

    Each priced line is backed by a dated source held on the quote record.

  • AI-assisted sourcing

    AI tools help our team find and compare sources for each line; the person handling the deal decides what is quoted.

  • Google Merchant integration

    Catalogue data flows to Google Merchant, so products can appear in Google's shopping results.

How the AI is governed

The assistant's three modes put our AI governance into practice. Our Emergent Intelligence framework sets five principles for AI that supports human judgement rather than replacing it: agency preservation, transparency, governance and auditability, progressive enhancement and ethical boundaries. Three of them shape the assistant directly.

  • Agency preservation. AI recommends; people decide. In draft mode, a member of staff approves each reply before it reaches a customer.
  • Progressive enhancement. Start low-risk and expand as confidence builds. The assistant can be off, in draft or automatic, so it can be introduced one step at a time.
  • Ethical boundaries. Clear limits on what the AI may do and what data it may see.

Choosing how to build a B2B commerce platform

ApproachSuitsWatch for
Off-the-shelf online storeStandard catalogues and card checkoutQuote-led selling, account terms and approval steps often need add-ons or workarounds
Custom B2B platform, like Server HubLarge catalogues, quote-led selling, rules on pricing and evidenceNeeds a clear scope, an owner and support after launch
ERP with a connected storefrontStock and pricing already governed in an ERPIntegration quality decides whether the web price matches the ERP

If your prices and stock are already governed in an ERP, start with ERP and accounting integration rather than a new platform. If you sell on quotes, with rules a standard store cannot express, a custom build is worth scoping. For the storefront side, see IT for retail and e-commerce.

How we build commerce platforms

  1. Discovery

    Catalogue sources, pricing and quoting rules, approval steps, payment methods and the documents your buyers need.

  2. Data model before code

    Products, prices, sources, quotes and orders are modelled first, because the data model decides what the system can be trusted to do.

  3. Additive delivery

    Each release is designed not to break what already works, so the platform keeps trading while it grows.

  4. Integration

    Payment gateways, accounting and ERP systems, and channels such as Google Merchant, through API development and integration.

  5. Documentation and support

    We document the platform and hand it over, or run and support it under a service-level agreement.

A platform like this is quoted per project after scoping, and the proposal fixes scope, milestones and price before work starts. Our guide to app and software development cost explains what moves the price.

Security, governance, procurement and ownership

  • POPIA. Customer and order records are personal information, so each field needs a lawful purpose, access controls and audit logging. We design for data minimisation and encryption in transit and at rest.
  • Card data. Use the gateway's hosted payment pages, so card numbers never pass through your own servers and your PCI DSS scope stays small.
  • Governance and reporting. Agreed milestones and change control during the build; once live, support under a service-level agreement with incidents prioritised P1 to P4 and a monthly service review and report.
  • Procurement. Arke Technologies is a Level 1 B-BBEE contributor, giving 135% procurement recognition (sworn affidavit available on request); company documents, CSD supplier number and SARS tax compliance status are available on request. Buy through a proposal and purchase order, or a tender response with the standard bidding documents (SBD forms) completed.
  • Ownership and continuity. You own your data, credentials and documentation, during the build and at exit, and the documented platform can be run by your own team or another provider.

Related work

Frequently asked questions

What is a B2B commerce and quoting platform? Show answer

A B2B commerce and quoting platform is software that lets a business sell to other organisations through both online checkout and formal quotations, with the catalogue, pricing, quotes, payments and orders in one system. Server Hub's platform backs every priced line with a dated, verifiable source, recorded when price and availability were checked, so a quote rests on a confirmed price rather than a displayed one.

How does Server Hub's customer assistant use AI? Show answer

It drafts or sends answers to customer questions on the storefront, in whichever of three modes the business sets: off, draft or automatic. In draft mode it prepares replies and a member of staff approves each one before it is sent, which keeps people in charge of what a customer is told while the assistant does the drafting. The modes follow our AI governance principles.

Which payment gateways can you integrate? Show answer

We integrate PayFast, Yoco, Paystack, Peach Payments and Stripe, and Server Hub itself takes payments through PayFast and Yoco. The right choice depends on the payment methods your customers use and your settlement needs, and in every case the integration should mark an order paid only when the gateway confirms the payment, never on the customer's return to your site.

How much does it cost to build a platform like Server Hub? Show answer

There is no standard price: a platform like Server Hub is priced on its scope, and published South African rates for IT project work run from about R550 to R750 an hour ex VAT (matnet.co.za, September 2026). Scope is set by catalogue size and sources, pricing and quoting rules, payment, accounting and ERP integrations, AI features, and hosting and support. We quote per project after scoping.

Can we buy hardware through Server Hub? Show answer

Yes. Server Hub sells to organisations across South Africa at serverhub.co.za, with every price in rand including VAT and quotes typically within a few business hours. Every unit carries a local warranty: 12 months on new and certified refurbished equipment and 90 days on pre-owned, always in addition to your rights under the Consumer Protection Act.

Discuss your commerce or quoting platform

Tell us how you sell today and where your quotes go wrong, and we will scope a platform, an integration or both. Talk to us, email info@arketechnologies.com or call 010 447 2445; for hardware, visit serverhub.co.za  (opens serverhub.co.za).

Discuss your project