Shopify B2B: How to Set Up Wholesale on Shopify Plus

Business-to-business ecommerce is experiencing explosive growth, with global B2B online sales projected to exceed $20 trillion by 2027. For brands that have built successful direct-to-consumer businesses on Shopify, adding a wholesale channel represents one of the most significant revenue growth opportunities available. Shopify Plus has responded to this demand by building robust B2B capabilities directly into the platform, eliminating the need for clunky third-party solutions or entirely separate wholesale systems.

This comprehensive guide walks you through everything you need to know about setting up and operating a B2B wholesale business on Shopify Plus, from initial configuration to advanced strategies for managing a hybrid DTC and B2B operation.

The B2B Ecommerce Opportunity

Before diving into the technical setup, it is worth understanding why B2B ecommerce deserves your attention and investment.

Market Growth

• B2B ecommerce is growing at approximately 18 percent year over year, significantly outpacing B2C growth rates
• Over 70 percent of B2B buyers now prefer to order online rather than through traditional sales representatives
• The average B2B order value is five to ten times higher than the average B2C transaction
• B2B buyers expect the same seamless digital experience they enjoy as consumers, creating a massive opportunity for brands that deliver modern purchasing experiences

Why Shopify Plus for B2B

Historically, brands had to choose between running their DTC and B2B operations on separate platforms or using cumbersome workarounds. Shopify Plus changes this equation by offering native B2B features within the same platform you already use for DTC:

• Unified platform: Manage both DTC and B2B from a single Shopify admin
• Shared product catalog: Maintain one product catalog that serves both channels with different pricing
• Integrated inventory: Real-time inventory synchronization across DTC and B2B channels
• Familiar interface: Your team already knows how to use Shopify, reducing training and adoption costs
• Scalable infrastructure: Shopify Plus handles B2B order volumes without performance degradation

Shopify B2B Channel Overview

Shopify Plus offers two primary approaches to B2B selling, and understanding the differences helps you choose the right path for your business.

Approach 1: B2B on Shopify (Native)

Shopify's native B2B features are built directly into the Shopify Plus platform and allow you to sell wholesale from your existing online store or a dedicated expansion store:

• Company accounts: Create and manage B2B customer accounts with company profiles
• Custom catalogs: Assign unique product catalogs with custom pricing to each company
• Payment terms: Offer net 30, net 60, or custom payment terms
• Volume pricing: Set quantity-based pricing tiers
• Draft orders: Create custom orders for complex wholesale transactions
• Checkout customization: Customize the B2B checkout experience using Checkout Extensibility

Approach 2: Wholesale Channel (Legacy)

The original wholesale channel creates a separate, password-protected storefront for wholesale customers. While still functional, Shopify is investing primarily in the native B2B features:

• Separate wholesale storefront with its own URL
• Simple percentage-based discounts off retail prices
• Basic customer management
• Limited customization options

For most brands starting or expanding their B2B operations, the native B2B on Shopify approach is the recommended path forward.

Setting Up Company Accounts

Company accounts are the foundation of B2B selling on Shopify Plus. They represent your wholesale customers and contain all the information needed to manage the relationship.

Creating Company Profiles

Navigate to Customers > Companies in your Shopify admin to create and manage company accounts:

• Company name: The legal business name of your wholesale customer
• Company contact: The primary contact person with their email and phone number
• Locations: A company can have multiple locations, each with its own shipping address, billing address, and tax registration
• Tax exemptions: Configure tax-exempt status for resellers with valid tax certificates
• Payment terms: Assign specific payment terms to each company
• Catalog assignments: Assign custom catalogs with unique pricing to each company

Company Account Features

• Multiple contacts per company: Add multiple team members from the same company, each with their own login credentials
• Location-based ordering: Different locations within a company can have different shipping addresses, catalogs, and payment terms
• Company-specific checkout: When a B2B customer logs in, they see their assigned pricing, catalogs, and payment options automatically
• Order history: All orders placed by any contact at a company are consolidated under the company profile for easy reference

Onboarding Wholesale Customers

Create a streamlined onboarding process for new wholesale accounts:

1. Define your minimum order requirements and qualifying criteria
2. Create an application form on your website or a dedicated landing page
3. Review applications and verify business credentials
4. Create the company profile in Shopify with appropriate pricing and terms
5. Send login credentials and a welcome packet with ordering instructions
6. Follow up personally to ensure the first order goes smoothly

Custom Pricing and Catalogs

Custom pricing is at the heart of B2B selling. Shopify Plus lets you create detailed catalogs with unique pricing for different customer tiers.

Creating Catalogs

Navigate to Products > Catalogs to build custom B2B catalogs:

• Catalog name: Give each catalog a descriptive name, such as "Gold Tier Wholesale" or "Regional Distributor"
• Product selection: Choose which products from your main catalog to include in each B2B catalog
• Pricing strategy: Set pricing for each catalog using one of several methods

Pricing Methods

Shopify Plus offers flexible B2B pricing options:

• Percentage discount: Apply a blanket percentage discount off the retail price across all products in the catalog. For example, 40 percent off retail for Tier 1 wholesalers
• Fixed prices: Set specific wholesale prices for individual products that override the retail price
• Volume pricing: Create quantity-based price breaks where the per-unit price decreases as the order quantity increases

Volume Pricing Configuration

Volume pricing is essential for encouraging larger orders:

• Quantity breaks: Define price tiers based on quantity. For example, 1 to 11 units at $20 each, 12 to 47 units at $17 each, 48 to 95 units at $14 each, and 96 or more units at $12 each
• Minimum quantities: Set minimum order quantities per product to ensure orders are profitable
• Case pack quantities: Require orders in specific increments, such as multiples of 12, to align with your packaging and shipping efficiency

Catalog Assignment

Assign catalogs to companies to control who sees what pricing:

• A single company can have multiple catalogs assigned, and Shopify will display the best price available across all assigned catalogs
• Different locations within a company can have different catalogs if needed
• Catalogs can be updated at any time, and changes take effect immediately for all assigned companies

Payment Terms and Invoicing

Unlike DTC transactions that require immediate payment, B2B relationships often involve deferred payment terms. Shopify Plus supports this natively.

Setting Up Payment Terms

Configure payment terms at the company level:

• Net 15, Net 30, Net 60, Net 90: The customer has 15, 30, 60, or 90 days from the order date to pay the invoice
• Due on receipt: Payment is expected immediately upon invoice delivery
• Due on fulfillment: Payment is expected when the order is shipped
• Custom terms: Create custom payment term durations for specific arrangements

Invoice Management

When a B2B customer places an order with deferred payment terms:

1. The order is created in Shopify with a payment status of "Payment pending"
2. Shopify generates an invoice that can be sent to the customer
3. The due date is calculated based on the assigned payment terms
4. You can track payment status and send reminders for overdue invoices
5. When payment is received, mark the invoice as paid in Shopify

Payment Processing for B2B

In addition to deferred terms, B2B customers may also pay immediately at checkout using:

• Credit card payments with B2B-specific rates
• Bank transfer or wire payment with manual payment marking
• Purchase orders that reference the customer's internal PO number
• Check payments with manual reconciliation

Managing Credit and Risk

Extending payment terms means extending credit, which carries risk:

• Set credit limits for each company to cap outstanding balances
• Monitor aging reports to identify overdue accounts
• Establish clear policies for late payment penalties or account suspension
• Consider requiring prepayment for new accounts until a payment history is established
• Use B2B credit checking services to evaluate new wholesale applicants

Draft Orders for Complex Transactions

B2B transactions are often more complex than standard DTC orders. Draft orders give you the flexibility to handle these scenarios.

When to Use Draft Orders

• Custom quotes: Create a tailored quote with special pricing for a large or unusual order
• Phone or email orders: Enter orders manually when customers place orders through traditional channels
• Complex configurations: Build orders with custom line items, special discounts, or unique terms that cannot be accommodated through the standard checkout
• Sample orders: Create sample orders with reduced or zero pricing for prospective wholesale customers
• Recurring orders: Manually create repeat orders based on a customer's standing order pattern

Creating Draft Orders

1. Navigate to Orders > Drafts > Create order
2. Select the customer or company
3. Add products, adjust quantities, and apply any custom pricing or discounts
4. Add custom line items for services, fees, or non-catalog products if needed
5. Configure shipping and tax settings
6. Send the invoice to the customer for payment or mark as paid if payment has already been received

Converting Draft Orders

Draft orders can be converted to regular orders in several ways:

• Send a payment link to the customer via email for online payment
• Mark as paid when you receive a check, wire transfer, or other offline payment
• Convert to an order with deferred payment terms matching the company's assigned terms

Quantity Rules and Volume Pricing

Managing minimum order quantities, maximum quantities, and case pack increments is essential for B2B operational efficiency.

Quantity Rules

Set rules that control how B2B customers can order products:

• Minimum quantity: The smallest number of units a customer must order for a specific product. Prevents unprofitable small orders
• Maximum quantity: The largest number of units a customer can order in a single transaction. Useful for limiting exposure during promotions or managing inventory allocation
• Increment: Require orders in specific multiples, such as packs of 6, cases of 12, or pallets of 48. This aligns with your packaging and shipping operations

Implementing Volume Pricing

Volume pricing rewards larger orders with better per-unit pricing:

• Define price breaks in your catalogs based on quantity thresholds
• Display volume pricing tables on product pages so customers can see the incentive to order more
• Combine volume pricing with minimum quantities to ensure all orders are profitable
• Use Shopify's built-in volume pricing display to show customers how much they save at each tier

Example Volume Pricing Structure

Consider a product with a retail price of $50:

• Tier 1 (1 to 23 units): $30 per unit (40% off retail)
• Tier 2 (24 to 99 units): $25 per unit (50% off retail)
• Tier 3 (100 to 499 units): $22 per unit (56% off retail)
• Tier 4 (500+ units): $19 per unit (62% off retail)

This structure incentivizes larger orders while maintaining healthy margins at every tier.

B2B Checkout Customization

The B2B checkout experience has different requirements than DTC checkout. Shopify Plus allows you to customize it accordingly using Checkout Extensibility.

B2B-Specific Checkout Elements

• Purchase order numbers: Add a PO number field that B2B customers can use to reference their internal procurement systems
• Payment terms display: Show the assigned payment terms and due date at checkout so customers know exactly when payment is expected
• Tax exemption indicators: Display tax-exempt status and the applied exemption certificate number
• Shipping account numbers: Allow B2B customers to enter their own carrier account numbers for third-party shipping billing
• Order notes: Provide a detailed notes field for special instructions related to delivery, packaging, or handling
• Minimum order validation: Display warnings or block checkout if the order does not meet minimum quantity or value requirements

B2B Checkout Flow

The B2B checkout flow differs from DTC in several key ways:

1. Customer logs into their company account
2. Selects the location they are ordering for (if the company has multiple locations)
3. Adds products with their custom catalog pricing automatically applied
4. Proceeds to checkout with B2B-specific fields and options
5. Selects payment method (immediate payment or deferred terms)
6. Enters purchase order number if required by their organization
7. Completes the order and receives an invoice or order confirmation

Shopify Plus B2B Features Deep Dive

Beyond the core B2B functionality, Shopify Plus offers advanced features that support sophisticated wholesale operations.

B2B API Access

Shopify Plus provides comprehensive API access for B2B operations:

• Company API: Programmatically create, update, and manage company accounts
• Catalog API: Build and manage B2B catalogs with custom pricing through integrations
• Order API: Create and manage B2B orders, including draft orders and invoicing
• Price List API: Manage complex pricing rules across multiple catalogs and customer tiers

B2B Automation with Shopify Flow

Use Shopify Flow to automate B2B operations:

• Automatically tag companies based on order volume or spending thresholds
• Send automated reminders for invoices approaching their due date
• Notify your sales team when a B2B customer places their first order or exceeds a spending milestone
• Automatically upgrade customers to higher pricing tiers based on cumulative purchase volume
• Flag overdue accounts and pause ordering privileges until payment is received

B2B Reporting and Analytics

Track B2B performance with Shopify's built-in reporting:

• Revenue by company and location
• Average order value for B2B versus DTC
• Payment terms utilization and aging reports
• Product performance by wholesale channel
• Customer lifetime value for B2B accounts
• Reorder frequency and trends

Third-Party B2B Apps

While Shopify Plus's native B2B features are robust, third-party apps can extend functionality for specific use cases.

Popular B2B Apps for Shopify

• SparkLayer: A comprehensive B2B solution that adds features like quick order forms, CSV order upload, sales agent ordering, and advanced pricing rules on top of Shopify
• Wholesale Club: Enables wholesale pricing through customer tags without requiring Shopify Plus, suitable for simpler B2B needs
• Bold Custom Pricing: Provides advanced pricing rules including customer-specific, quantity-based, and tiered pricing
• Order Desk: A powerful order management tool that handles complex B2B fulfillment workflows, routing, and automation
• QuickBooks and Xero integrations: Sync B2B invoices and payments with your accounting system for streamlined financial management

When to Use Third-Party Apps

Consider third-party B2B apps when you need:

• Quick order forms that allow B2B customers to add multiple products and variants rapidly without navigating product pages
• CSV or spreadsheet order upload for customers who prefer to submit orders via Excel files
• Sales representative portals where your sales team can place orders on behalf of customers
• Advanced pricing rules that go beyond what Shopify's native catalogs support
• Integration with specific ERP, CRM, or accounting systems

DTC Plus B2B Hybrid Strategies

One of the biggest advantages of running B2B on Shopify Plus is the ability to operate both DTC and B2B from a unified platform. Here is how to manage this hybrid model effectively.

Single Store vs. Expansion Store

You have two options for structuring your hybrid operation:

Single store approach: Run both DTC and B2B from the same Shopify store. B2B customers log into their company account to see wholesale pricing, while DTC customers see retail pricing. This approach is simpler to manage but may have limitations for heavily customized B2B experiences.

Expansion store approach: Create a dedicated expansion store for B2B wholesale. This gives you complete control over the B2B experience, including a separate theme, unique navigation, and a fully tailored checkout. Your main store remains focused on DTC. Both stores share the same Shopify Plus subscription.

Inventory Management Across Channels

Summary of Shopify B2B & Wholesale Resources

Below is a concise reference list of the key resources and concepts mentioned, organized for quick navigation and implementation.

Core Documentation & Guides

1. Shopify B2B Documentation

Official guide for:

• Enabling B2B on Shopify Plus
• Creating and managing Company profiles
• Setting up B2B catalogs and assigning them to companies
• Configuring wholesale pricing, payment terms, and order rules

Link: help.shopify.com/en/manual

1. Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel

Legacy/alternative wholesale solution (for Shopify Plus):

• Password-protected wholesale storefront
• Separate ordering experience from your main online store
• Useful if you want a distinct wholesale portal rather than blended B2B/B2C

Link: help.shopify.com/en/manual

1. Shopify B2B Pricing and Catalogs

Detailed how‑to for:

• Creating custom catalogs
• Setting percentage-based or fixed price adjustments
• Defining quantity rules, minimum order amounts, and volume discounts
• Assigning catalogs to specific companies or locations

Link: help.shopify.com/en/manual

1. Shopify B2B API Reference

Developer documentation for custom integrations:

• GraphQL Admin API objects like Company, CompanyLocation, CompanyContact
• Automating catalog assignment, pricing, and account provisioning
• Building custom B2B portals, ERPs, or middleware

Link: shopify.dev/docs/api

Related Platforms & Marketplaces

1. BigCommerce B2B Edition Comparison

Use this to:

• Compare Shopify B2B vs. BigCommerce B2B Edition
• Evaluate features like account hierarchies, quotes, and price lists
• Inform platform selection for complex B2B requirements

Link: bigcommerce.com/solutions/b2b-ecommerce

1. Handshake Wholesale Marketplace

Shopify’s curated wholesale marketplace:

• Connects brands with retailers
• Streamlines B2B discovery and ordering
• Can complement your own B2B store by driving new wholesale leads

Link: handshake.com