Skip to main content
Back to E-commerce Dictionary

Punchout Catalog

Channel managementIntermediate Level

A punchout catalog is a supplier's webshop that a B2B buyer opens from their procurement system; the cart returns to that system as a purchase request.

Image by · CC BY 4.0

What is Punchout Catalog?

A punchout catalog is a supplier's online store that a business buyer opens from inside their own procurement system. The buyer shops on the supplier's site, then the cart is sent back to the procurement system as a purchase requisition, instead of being paid online. The connection uses standards such as cXML or OCI. In B2B ecommerce, punchout sits between two other options: a hosted catalog, where the supplier sends a product file that lives inside the buyer's system, and a normal B2B webshop, where the buyer orders outside procurement. With punchout, the buyer always sees live prices, contract assortments and stock, while their company keeps its own purchasing controls. That only works if the supplier's product data is complete: clear titles, units, prices per customer and identifiers. The PIM guide for distributors covers how to keep that data in shape.

Why Punchout Catalog matters for e-commerce

Large B2B buyers often may only order through their procurement system. If a supplier does not offer punchout or a hosted catalog, the buyer has to request a quote or place an order outside the system, which many purchasing departments discourage. For suppliers, punchout keeps one webshop and one catalog in charge. Contract prices, assortments and stock come from the same source as the public webshop. The quality of that product data then decides how easily buyers find the right item.

Examples of Punchout Catalog

  • 1Buyer: Hospital purchasing team, Procurement system: SAP Ariba, Supplier: Medical supplies distributor, Standard: cXML
  • 2Buyer: Manufacturing plant, Procurement system: SAP, Supplier: Industrial tools wholesaler, Standard: OCI
  • 3Buyer: University, Procurement system: Coupa, Supplier: Office and lab supplies webshop, Standard: cXML
  • 4Buyer: Facility services company, Procurement system: Ivalua, Supplier: Cleaning products distributor, Standard: cXML
Image by · CC BY 4.0

How WISEPIM Helps

  • Keep titles, units, identifiers and specs for your B2B catalog complete in one place.
  • Push product data to the webshop platform that hosts your punchout, such as Magento 2 or Shopify.
  • Use Quality Guard rules to flag products without an EAN, unit or price before buyers see them.

Common mistakes with Punchout Catalog

  • Long, marketing-style titles that get cut off in the buyer's procurement system.
  • Missing units of measure, so buyers order a single item instead of a box.
  • Contract prices that differ between the punchout session and the invoice.

Tips for Punchout Catalog

  • Ask your biggest customers which procurement system and standard they use.
  • Write short, specific titles with brand, type and size.
  • Test the full flow with a buyer before going live: login, cart return and order.

Trends around Punchout Catalog

  • Punchout modules built into B2B ecommerce platforms instead of custom connectors.
  • Guided buying in procurement systems that steers buyers to punchout suppliers.
  • Richer product data, such as sustainability attributes, in B2B catalogs.

Tools for Punchout Catalog

  • WISEPIM: Keeps the product data behind a B2B webshop complete and pushes it to connected platforms.
  • Procurement systems such as SAP Ariba, Coupa and Ivalua: Where buyers start a punchout session.
  • Punchout connectors such as PunchOut2Go or TradeCentric: Link B2B webshops to procurement systems.

Related Terms

Digital Shelf IntelligenceDirect-to-Consumer (DTC) SyndicationProduct Feed Optimization (PFO)Retail Media Network (RMN) IntegrationRetail Media OptimizationWhere-to-Buy Integration

Also Known As

Punchout cataloguePunch-out catalogB2B punchoutcXML punchoutOCI catalog

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a B2B webshop that supports punchout: a buyer opens it from their procurement system, such as SAP Ariba or Coupa, fills a cart and sends it back for approval in their own system. The supplier keeps one webshop and one product catalog, but serves procurement buyers through it.

A hosted catalog is a product file the supplier sends to the buyer, which is loaded into the buyer's procurement system and only changes when a new file arrives. A punchout catalog stays on the supplier's site, so prices, stock and assortment are always current. Hosted catalogs are simpler; punchout suits large or frequently changing assortments.

Punchout catalog software, often a module of a B2B ecommerce platform or a separate connector, handles the cXML or OCI messages between the supplier's webshop and the buyer's procurement system. It logs the buyer in, shows their contract prices and returns the cart in the right format.

Start in your own procurement system: SAP Ariba, Coupa and similar platforms list suppliers that already offer punchout. You can also ask current distributors directly, since many offer punchout on request for larger accounts. Check which standard they support, cXML or OCI, before you plan the connection.

Both are standards for exchanging punchout data. OCI (Open Catalog Interface) is common with SAP systems, while cXML is used by platforms such as SAP Ariba and Coupa. They define how the buyer logs in, how the cart returns and which product fields are sent.

Still have questions?

Can't find the answer you're looking for? Please get in touch with our team.

Contact Support

Keep exploring

Hand-picked next steps to go deeper.