Today’s B2B buyers expect seamless experiences with custom pricing, quick reordering, and self-service account management. Shopify B2B wholesale features deliver exactly that, whether you’re adding wholesale to an existing retail store or building a dedicated B2B channel.
With the B2B eCommerce market projected to reach $47.54 trillion by 2030, now is the time to establish your wholesale presence. This guide covers choosing the right plan, implementing customer-specific catalogs, and setting up payment terms that drive repeat business.
Summary
- Shopify B2B Capabilities: Native features enable custom pricing, company accounts, bulk ordering, and payment flexibility for wholesale operations
- Setup Process: Launch in 9 strategic steps covering planning, design, customer management, and pricing configuration
- Key Features: Company profiles, tiered pricing, net payment terms, automated workflows, and ERP integration support
- Cost Considerations: Investment ranges from standard Shopify plans to Shopify Plus, with options for custom development starting at $15,000
- Best Practices: Combine retail and wholesale channels, leverage registration forms, and utilize apps to extend functionality
What Is Shopify B2B Wholesale and How Does It Work?
Understanding B2B Wholesale on Shopify
Shopify b2b wholesale transforms your eCommerce store into a complete wholesale platform. Unlike traditional retail operations, B2B wholesale focuses on selling products to other businesses—distributors, retailers, and resellers who purchase in volume for their own operations.
The platform enables you to create distinct experiences for different customer types. While retail shoppers browse your standard catalog, wholesale customers log in to access custom pricing, bulk order capabilities, and business-specific payment terms. This dual-channel approach means you can serve both markets from a single storefront.
Core B2B Capabilities
Shopify B2B wholesale centers on company accounts with multiple user roles, custom pricing and catalogs for different customer tiers, and flexible payment options including Net 15, 30, 60 payment terms alongside traditional methods.
Why Choose Shopify for B2B Wholesale Operations?
Shopify scales from 10 to 10,000 wholesale accounts without custom development. The cloud-based architecture means no server management or software updates.
The platform’s API ecosystem connects with NetSuite, QuickBooks, ShipStation, and other business systems, eliminating double-entry and providing real-time visibility. Shopify Plus ERP integrations ensure seamless data flow for complex operations.
Run retail and wholesale in one installation. Retail customers shop standard catalogs while wholesale buyers see custom pricing—all managed from one admin panel. This simplifies inventory management, reduces costs, and provides unified analytics.
Essential Shopify B2B Wholesale Features for Your Business
Self-Service Capabilities
Shopify’s shopify b2b wholesale features enable customers to access complete order history, track shipments in real-time, download invoices, manage shopping lists for reorders, and request quotes. These tools reduce support tickets by 60% on average.
Shopify Plus vs Standard Plans for B2B Wholesale
Standard Shopify plans ($39-$399/month) include all essential B2B features—company accounts, custom pricing, net terms, and bulk ordering. These work well for businesses with 5-200 wholesale accounts.
Shopify Plus ($2,300+/month) adds unlimited staff accounts, advanced automation with Shopify Flow, 4x higher API limits, and dedicated support. It becomes cost-effective for businesses with 200+ accounts, complex multi-location operations, or heavy ERP integration needs.
Step-by-Step: Launching Your Shopify B2B Wholesale Store
Step 1: Strategic Planning
Define your target wholesale segments: small retailers (1-2 locations), regional chains (3-10 locations), national distributors (11+ locations), and private label partners. Create a pricing matrix showing how discounts vary by customer tier and volume. Establish credit policies determining which customers qualify for net terms and their credit limits.
Step 2: Choose Your Shopify Plan
Select Basic ($39/mo), Shopify ($105/mo), Advanced ($399/mo), or Plus ($2,300+/mo) based on your wholesale account volume and feature needs. You can upgrade as your business grows.
Step 3: Setting Up Company Accounts
Navigate to Shopify Admin > Customers > Companies to create wholesale accounts. Required information includes company legal name, primary contact details, billing and shipping addresses with tax information, payment terms (Net 30, etc.), and assigned catalog tier.
Add multiple users under each company with different permissions: Order Only (can place orders), Location Admin (manages specific locations), or Company Admin (full access). This hierarchy matches how businesses actually operate.
Step 4: Catalog and Pricing Configuration
Go to Products > Catalogs > Create Catalog. Choose to show all products or specific collections. Configure pricing rules with fixed amounts off, percentage discounts, or exact B2B prices per product.
Add quantity breaks with minimum order quantities and volume tiers. The system automatically applies the best price as customers adjust cart quantities.
Step 5: Website Design
Add a “Wholesale Login” link in your header and create a dedicated landing page explaining the benefits. Display volume pricing tables prominently on product pages with clear MOQ and pack sizes. Enable guest checkout for samples, add PO number fields, and include shipping instruction fields. Consider professional Shopify development services for custom themes.
Step 6: Registration Form and Approval
Create a wholesale application form collecting business name, tax ID, estimated order volume, and business references. Configure auto-approval for low-risk applications or manual review for high-value accounts. Set up email notifications for new applications and confirmation emails for approved customers.
Step 7: Payment and Integration Setup
Configure net payment terms (Net 7, 15, 30, 60, 90) in Shopify admin. The system tracks outstanding invoices and prevents orders exceeding credit limits. Connect Shopify to your inventory management, accounting systems (QuickBooks, Xero), and shipping carriers for automated data sync and label generation.
Step 8: Testing and Launch
Create test company accounts for each customer tier. Place orders verifying pricing, discounts, payment terms, and notifications work correctly. Train your team on accessing company information, processing orders, and troubleshooting issues. Begin with trusted customers, gather feedback, and refine before full rollout.
Combining Retail and Wholesale Channels
Most successful operations maintain both retail and wholesale channels on one platform. Use Shopify’s location features to allocate inventory, reserving percentages for retail to prevent stockouts. Leverage retail traffic to identify wholesale prospects by monitoring high-quantity purchases and business email domains. Maintain minimum 40% gaps between retail and wholesale pricing to protect both channels.
Cost Analysis
Initial costs include Shopify plans ($39-$2,300/month), themes ($0-$15,000), apps ($50-200/month), and optional setup services ($2,000-50,000). Most businesses achieve ROI within 6-12 months through time savings (15-20 minutes per order) and reduced errors.
Security and Compliance
Shopify maintains PCI DSS Level 1 compliance. Enable two-factor authentication and set user permissions. For GDPR, obtain consent and provide data export/deletion. CCPA requires data disclosure and opt-out options. Configure automatic tax collection and upload exemption certificates.
Growing Your B2B Channel
Monitor retail analytics for high-quantity purchasers and business email domains. Use QR codes at trade shows linking to applications. Create wholesale buying guides and case studies. Optimize for “[product] wholesale distributor” searches. Offer $500 referral credits.
Measuring Success
Track Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Average Order Value by tier, Customer Lifetime Value, and net payment performance. Monitor order processing time reduction (automated B2B averages 20 minutes vs. 60-75 for manual), error rates (target <2%), and self-service adoption (goal: 80%+ within 6 months).
Future-Proofing Your Business
Prepare for AI features like predictive reordering. Optimize for mobile ordering. Document sustainability practices as B2B buyers increasingly demand this information. Scale infrastructure as volume grows: Advanced plan for 1-100 monthly orders, Plus with apps for 100-500, Plus with ERP for 2,000+.
Key Takeaways
- Shopify B2B wholesale provides enterprise-grade capabilities at accessible price points, enabling businesses to launch sophisticated wholesale channels without massive upfront investment
- Company accounts and custom pricing form the foundation of successful B2B operations, giving buyers the personalized experience they expect while automating complex pricing rules
- Integration with existing business systems eliminates double-entry and ensures accurate, real-time data across inventory, accounting, and fulfillment operations
- Start with standard Shopify plans and upgrade to Plus as volume grows, rather than over-investing before proving your wholesale model
- Self-service capabilities reduce support costs by 60% while improving customer satisfaction through 24/7 ordering access and order history visibility
Conclusion
Shopify b2b wholesale provides the company account management, custom pricing, and net payment terms modern wholesale buyers expect. Whether launching your first wholesale channel or migrating from outdated systems, the platform handles technical complexity while you focus on building relationships and growing revenue.
Ready to transform your wholesale operations? Connect with Folio3’s Shopify experts to develop a B2B strategy aligned with your business goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Shopify B2B and Shopify wholesale?
They’re the same. Both terms describe Shopify’s features for selling to businesses with bulk pricing.
Do I need Shopify Plus to sell wholesale?
No. All Shopify plans include B2B features. Plus is only needed for 200+ accounts or advanced automation.
Can I run retail and wholesale from the same Shopify store?
Yes. Retail customers see standard pricing; wholesale customers see their custom pricing when logged in.
How do I set up different prices for different wholesale customers?
Create price lists under Products > Catalogs, assign to company accounts. Customers see only their assigned pricing.
What payment options work for B2B customers in Shopify?
Net terms (7, 15, 30, 60, 90 days), credit cards, ACH, and purchase orders. Configure per company.
How do I prevent retail customers from seeing wholesale prices?
Prices only show for logged-in approved accounts. Use the Wholesale Lock Manager app for extra protection.
Can I enforce minimum order quantities or values?
Yes. Set minimum quantities per product and minimum values per customer in catalog settings.
How do volume discounts work in Shopify B2B?
Set quantity breaks in price lists. Pricing updates automatically as customers change cart quantities.
What apps do I need for Shopify B2B wholesale?
Start with native features. Add apps only for specific needs like advanced pricing or quote management.
How do I handle tax exemptions for wholesale customers?
Upload exemption certificates in the company account settings. Shopify applies exemptions automatically to orders.
