The growth of B2B e-commerce has transformed how businesses interact with their clients, making ordering products and services easier and more efficient. If you’re managing a B2B e-commerce store, you’re likely searching for the best platform to meet your business needs. Two top contenders are BigCommerce B2B Edition and Shopify Plus. While both platforms come with robust features, the right choice between BigCommerce B2B Edition vs Shopify Plus depends on your specific requirements.
Read Also: BigCommerce’s B2B Edition Buyer Portal Open Source
What is BigCommerce B2B Edition?
BigCommerce B2B Edition is a specialized version of BigCommerce designed specifically for B2B merchants. It offers features that enhance the B2B buying experience, like custom pricing, advanced payment options, and account management tools. It’s an excellent fit for businesses that need a scalable platform to handle large orders, complex pricing models, and intricate customer relationships.
What is Shopify Plus?
Shopify Plus is Shopify’s enterprise-level solution designed for high-volume businesses. While it’s better known for B2C, it now offers native B2B features, making it a suitable choice for B2B businesses as well. Shopify Plus allows companies to manage both B2C and B2B sales under one platform, making it a flexible choice for businesses with mixed business models. Additionally, third-party apps and integrations can further extend its B2B capabilities.
BigCommerce B2B Edition vs Shopify Plus: Feature Comparison
Let’s explore the differences between BigCommerce B2B Edition vs. Shopify Plus in terms of key features that matter to B2B businesses.
1. Custom Pricing and Customer Segmentation
- BigCommerce B2B Edition: This platform excels in offering custom pricing for different customer segments. Businesses can offer tailored pricing to individual clients, which is crucial for B2B transactions involving bulk orders and tiered discounts.
- Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus now offers native custom pricing features, allowing businesses to create custom price lists and discount structures.
Winner: Both platforms offer robust custom pricing features.
2. Payment Flexibility
- BigCommerce B2B Edition: It offers B2B-specific payment methods such as purchase orders, wire transfers, and credit terms—essential for B2B clients who may need more than just credit card payments.
- Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus now supports B2B payment methods like purchase orders, credit terms, and bank transfers.
Winner: Both platforms offer robust payment flexibility.
3. Order Management
- BigCommerce B2B Edition: BigCommerce provides advanced order management features, including tools to manage large orders, multiple shipping options, and fulfillment processes.
- Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus also offers advanced order management features, including support for large orders and multiple shipping options.
Winner: Both platforms offer robust order management features.
4. B2B Account Management
- BigCommerce B2B Edition: It offers advanced account management features, including the ability to create multiple buyer roles, set custom access controls, and build detailed account hierarchies.
- Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus now offers native B2B account management features, including custom buyer roles and access controls.
Winner: Both platforms offer robust account management features.
5. Ease of Use
- BigCommerce B2B Edition: Despite its robust feature set, BigCommerce maintains a relatively user-friendly interface.
- Shopify Plus: Shopify is known for being one of the easiest ecommerce platforms to use, and Shopify Plus continues this trend.
Winner: Shopify Plus is generally easier to use.
6. Customization and Flexibility
- BigCommerce B2B Edition: BigCommerce offers extensive customization options, allowing businesses to create custom workflows through its open API.
- Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus offers customization options through its proprietary coding language, Liquid, and a growing app ecosystem.
Winner: BigCommerce B2B Edition offers more flexible customization options.
7. Scalability
- BigCommerce B2B Edition: BigCommerce is built for scalability, making it ideal for growing B2B businesses with large catalogs and high-volume orders.
- Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus is also scalable and suitable for growing B2B businesses.
Winner: Both platforms are highly scalable.
Read Also: BigCommerce B2B Edition: Why Is It Best for B2B Business
8. Advanced B2B Product Configuration
- BigCommerce B2B allows for advanced product configuration options, including customizable product fields, variant pricing, and tiered pricing.
- Shopify Plus: Limited, only allows for basic product variations and pricing rules.
Winner : BigCommerce B2B offers more advanced product configuration options, including customizable product fields and tiered pricing.
9. B2B Quote Management
- BigCommerce B2B: offers advanced quote management features, including customizable quote templates, quote versioning, and quote history tracking.
- Shopify Plus: No, does not have built-in quote management features
Winner: BigCommerce B2B offers advanced quote management features, including customizable quote templates, quote versioning, and quote history tracking. Shopify Plus does not have built-in quote management features
10. B2B Account Management
- BigCommerce B2B: offers advanced account management features, including the ability to create multiple buyer roles, set custom access controls, and build detailed account hierarchies.
- Shopify Plus: Limited, only allows for basic customer accounts and pricing rules.
Winner: BigCommerce B2B offers advanced account management features, including customizable account fields, account hierarchies, and account-level pricing. Shopify Plus has limited account management features.
11. Customizable B2B Checkout
- BigCommerce B2B: allows for customizable checkout processes, including custom fields, terms and conditions, and payment options.
- Shopify Plus: Allows for customizable checkout processes, including custom fields, terms and conditions, and payment options.
winner BigCommerce B2B allows for customizable checkout processes, including custom fields, terms and conditions, and payment options. Shopify Plus has limited checkout customization options.
12. B2B Product Bundling
- BigCommerce B2B: allows for advanced product bundling options, including customizable product bundles and tiered pricing.
- Shopify Plus: Limited, only allows for basic product bundling.
Winner: BigCommerce B2B allows for advanced product bundling options, including customizable product bundles and tiered pricing. Shopify Plus has limited product bundling options.
13. B2B API Access
- BigCommerce B2B: provides API access for B2B integrations, allowing for custom integrations with ERP, CRM, and other systems.
- Shopify Plus: Yes, provides API access for integrations, but with limitations.
Winner BigCommerce B2B provides API access for B2B integrations, allowing for custom integrations with ERP, CRM, and other systems. Shopify Plus has limited API access for B2B integrations.
14. Advanced B2B Security
- BigCommerce B2B: offers advanced security features, including custom user roles, IP restrictions, and two-factor authentication.
- Shopify Plus: Limited, only offers basic security features
Winner BigCommerce B2B offers advanced security features, including custom user roles, IP restrictions, and two-factor authentication. Shopify Plus has limited security features.
BigCommerce B2B Edition vs Shopify Plus: Which Should You Choose?
Consider the following factors to make an informed decision:
- B2B Focus: If your business is primarily B2B, BigCommerce B2B Edition might be the better choice due to its native B2B features and advanced functionality.
- Mixed Business Models: If you manage both B2B and B2C sales, Shopify Plus could be a better fit, offering a flexible platform for both business model
- Ease of Use: If you prioritize ease of use and a straightforward setup, Shopify Plus might be the way to go.
- Customization and Flexibility: If you need advanced customization options and flexibility, BigCommerce B2B Edition could be the better choice.
- Scalability: Both platforms are highly scalable, but BigCommerce B2B Edition might have a slight edge for large and complex B2B operations.
Ultimately, the choice between BigCommerce B2B Edition and Shopify Plus depends on your specific business needs and priorities. Take the time to evaluate your requirements and choose the platform that best aligns with your B2B e-commerce goals
Conclusion
When deciding between BigCommerce B2B Edition or Shopify Plus, it’s crucial to assess the specific needs of your e-commerce store. In the comparison of BigCommerce B2B Edition or Shopify Plus (BigCommerce B2B Edition vs Shopify Plus) both platforms offer unique strengths: BigCommerce B2B Edition is better suited for complex B2B operations, while Shopify Plus shines in ease of use and B2C and B2B, especially if you’re managing B2C sales.
Read Also: Top 5 Emerging Trends In B2B BigCommerce For 2024
At Folio3, we specialize in helping businesses choose the right e-commerce platform. Whether you select BigCommerce B2B Edition or Shopify Plus. Folio3 is a Tech partner of BigCommerce and a Shopify Plus partner. Our team can guide you through the process to ensure your e-commerce store reaches its full potential and can also provide customization as per your business requirements.
