9xb

What 9xb does

9xb is a UK-based B2B eCommerce agency founded in 2004 and headquartered in Leeds, with an additional historical Harrogate office. The firm provides end-to-end eCommerce delivery organised around four service modules — Discovery (consultancy, platform selection, project planning, UX planning), UX & UI (award-winning design), Develop (B2B eCommerce build across Peracto, Shopify and BigCommerce), and Optimise (CRO, SEO, analytics, eCommerce Success Management). Since May 2024, 9xb has operated within the Velstar Group, a Liverpool-based full-service eCommerce group, taking the combined entity to 120+ employees and turnover in excess of £9 million.

The company's core technology is Peracto, a proprietary headless eCommerce platform hosted on AWS Cloud, built around MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless) composable commerce principles. Peracto is positioned for clients with complex data, multi-branch stock, ERP/PIM integrations (Kerridge, SAP, Akeneo, Agility) and trade-specific pricing that exceed the limits of off-the-shelf SaaS. Alongside Peracto, 9xb is an accredited partner of Shopify and BigCommerce, allowing platform selection during discovery engagements. The agency's integration portfolio spans Algolia for AI search, Adyen/Klarna/Opayo for payments, and a range of marketing automation and PIM connectors.

9xb makes money through professional services engagements (project scoping, fixed-cost projects, agile development resources), recurring eCommerce Growth Retainers (monthly subscription), and Application Management Services (AMS) priced as a percentage of initial build cost. Its target customers are UK-based mid-market and enterprise B2B organisations, with strong vertical concentration in parts distribution, builders merchants, plumbing and electrical wholesalers, kitchen and bathroom retailers, manufacturers and D2C brands. Named enterprise clients include Euro Car Parts, Watco, Jigsaw24, Williams Trade & Plumbing, Benchmarx Kitchens, Bathstore and Marks & Spencers. Distribution is direct sales with discovery-led engagements, supported by content marketing, case studies, industry events and a presence on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Rob Burns serves as Co-Founder and Managing Director; Simon Blake is Client Services Director.

Name

9xb

Legal name

9xb Ltd.

Website

https://9xb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

9xb is a UK-based B2B eCommerce agency, founded in 2004 and now part of Velstar Group, delivering platform selection, design, development and optimisation services across its proprietary Peracto platform, Shopify and BigCommerce for mid-market and enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

eCommerce Development Services

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAEAC

Customer Experience (CX) & Digital Experience

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Technology & Digital Consulting

Keywords

• B2B eCommerce development
• Headless commerce platform
• ECommerce agency services
• ERP integration services
• Composable commerce solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Project Scoping: Initial programme of discovery to understand and define requirements and scope of work. Business requirements, UX and technical implementation options are fully explored before committing to larger scale projects. This Agile way of working helps build momentum and derisks big decisions.
2. Professional Services - Project Based Work: Fixed cost for specific deliverables where scope is clearly defined. Budget includes all aspects of delivery by expert in-house team including project management, consultancy, UX design, technical development, testing and deployment. Provides budget certainty and avoids cost overruns.
3. eCommerce Growth Retainers: Rolling programme of continuous improvement with dedicated eCommerce Success Manager (ESM). Quarterly Success Plans packed with innovative ideas to improve store and grow sales, with clearly defined KPIs. Tailored roadmap of onsite improvements focused on conversion and performance.
4. Agile Development Resource: Flexible pre-booked development resources utilized for whatever is most important at the time. Removes admin overhead of project-based work and supports fast decision making and dynamic delivery of new features.
5. Application Management Service (AMS): Charges based on a percentage of initial build cost with tailored packages. Provides dedicated team for maintenance, management, monitoring, support, SLA and escalations. Blends proactive maintenance with ongoing management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

9xb is a UK-based B2B eCommerce agency that designs, builds, and optimises complex online stores for mid-market and enterprise clients. It delivers end-to-end services across Discovery (consultancy and scoping), UX & UI design, custom development, and ongoing optimisation, leveraging its proprietary headless eCommerce platform Peracto as well as partnerships with Shopify and BigCommerce.

Product overview

9xb is a B2B eCommerce agency offering a portfolio of service modules (Discovery, UX & UI, Develop, and Optimise) that work together as a comprehensive eCommerce solution. The core technology offering includes Peracto, 9xb's proprietary headless eCommerce platform, alongside partnerships with Shopify and BigCommerce. Peracto removes constraints of off-the-shelf solutions by supporting complex data management, automated workflows, and custom integrations for enterprise-level B2B requirements. Additional service modules include strategic consultancy, UX design, development, and ongoing optimisation through dedicated eCommerce Success Managers. The agency also offers engagement options including project-based work, eCommerce Growth Retainers for continuous improvement, Agile Development Resource for flexible access, and Application Management Service (AMS) for ongoing maintenance and support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Discovery Technical and strategic consultancy service combining project scoping, platform selection, tech consultancy, project planning, and UX planning for businesses evaluating or launching eCommerce initiatives.
• UX & UI Design Award-winning UX and UI design services that include UX audit, optimised journeys, information architecture, digital design, multi-device responsive design, and on-site SEO for B2B eCommerce stores.
• Develop Flexible eCommerce development service built around custom B2B requirements, supporting Peracto, Shopify, and BigCommerce platforms with complex integrations and bespoke functionality.
• Optimise eCommerce optimisation services covering trading and merchandising, creative and marketing services, CRO, SEO audits, analytics setup, and competitor benchmarking, delivered through dedicated eCommerce Success Managers.
• Peracto A proprietary headless eCommerce platform created by 9xb that removes the constraints of off-the-shelf solutions, supporting complex data, ERP/PIM integrations, intelligent onsite search, and custom functionality for B2B retailers and distributors.
• eCommerce Growth Retainers Rolling programme of continuous improvement with a dedicated eCommerce Success Manager (ESM) creating quarterly Success Plans packed with innovative ideas and clearly defined KPIs to grow store sales.
• Agile Development Resource Flexible pre-booked development resources utilised for whatever is most important at the time, removing admin overhead of project-based work and supporting dynamic delivery of new features.
• Application Management Service (AMS) Dedicated team focused on maintaining a secure, stable, and compliant eCommerce store, blending proactive maintenance with ongoing management and SLA-backed support, priced as a percentage of the initial build cost.

Quantifiable outcome

• Euro Car Parts achieved 73% increase in revenue with 500,000 product SKUs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers37 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration36 records

AI capability11 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• VelstarflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2024Velstar, a fast-growing full-service eCommerce group based in Liverpool and specialist Shopify Plus partner, acquired 9xb. This merger enables expansion of service offerings and better scaling of resources. Combined companies boast turnover in excess of £9 million and headcount of over 120 people. 9xb complements Velstar with its focus on complex eCommerce projects within the B2B sector.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationAs an accredited Shopify Partner, 9xb creates Shopify stores and provides training and support. Shopify is ideal for businesses without complex requirements - quick to market solution with powerful tools.
• BigCommercecoreTechnology or IntegrationAs an accredited BigCommerce Partner, 9xb leverages the core capabilities of this trusted all-in-one eCommerce solution to launch new eCommerce stores quickly and efficiently. Multiple configuration tools supporting B2C and B2B markets with predictable flat rate pricing.
• AWScoreTechnology or IntegrationPeracto platform uses fast and reliable AWS Cloud hosting for scalable state-of-the-art serverless cloud hosting that scales in real time to meet peaks in customer demand.
• PeractocoreTechnology or Integration9xb's proprietary headless eCommerce platform. Powers some of the UK's leading B2B brands. Removes constraints of off-the-shelf solutions with bespoke functionality, complex data support, and integration readiness. No tie-ins, no transaction fees, fast AWS Cloud hosting.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Space48: UK-based commerce agency specializing in Magento, Shopify, and Adobe Commerce implementations for B2B and B2C brands. Highly comparable to 9xb in client base (mid-market and enterprise), delivery model (multi-platform implementation + optimization retainers), and ERP/PIM integration depth.
• Realise: UK-headquartered B2B eCommerce agency delivering enterprise replatforming, ERP integrations, and composable commerce projects. Direct competitor for the same complex B2B RFPs 9xb targets, with similar discovery-to-retainer engagement structure.
• Make:able: UK eCommerce agency delivering Shopify and Shopify Plus builds with UX/UI design, integrations, and growth services. Comparable in size, Shopify-partner status, and project-based + retainer model to 9xb's Shopify line of business.
• MMT Digital: UK digital commerce agency delivering complex enterprise eCommerce, CMS, and integration projects. Overlaps with 9xb on platform-agnostic consulting, integration-heavy engagements, and mid-market to enterprise client base.
• Push Group: UK Shopify Plus agency providing design, build, and growth services for retail and DTC brands. Comparable on platform-partner model and engagement structure though with less B2B ERP/PIM integration depth than 9xb.

Broad incumbents

• Velstar: Liverpool-based full-service eCommerce group and Shopify Plus partner that acquired 9xb in May 2024. Now 9xb's parent; historically focused on DTC brands, providing a combined B2B+B2C service portfolio that 9xb alone did not offer.
• Visualsoft: UK eCommerce platform and agency serving hundreds of mid-market retailers across Shopify and Visualsoft's proprietary platform. Comparable as a UK-centric commerce partner offering design, build, and optimization services across B2B and B2C.
• Astound Commerce: Global commerce agency delivering enterprise replatforming, composable commerce, and B2B digital transformation. Broader geographic reach than 9xb but operates in the same complex B2B and DTC enterprise RFP space.
• Dept Agency: Large global digital agency delivering end-to-end commerce, design, and engineering services for enterprise clients. Overlaps with 9xb at the high-complexity B2B end and increasingly competes for composable commerce mandates globally.

Emerging players

• SwiftOtter: US-based commerce agency specializing in Adobe Commerce (Magento) implementations with strong B2B and complex integration experience. Comparable technical depth on the Magento ecosystem; geographic complement to 9xb's UK focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/9xb
• Facebookfacebook.com/9xbdigitalagency
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/903164

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 9xb