Getting Started with B2B on Shopify: The Complete Guide

The wholesale and B2B market represents a massive opportunity for businesses, and Shopify has made it easier than ever to tap into this revenue stream. Whether you're already selling direct-to- consumer (DTC) or looking to expand into wholesale, Shopify's B2B features allow you to manage both business models from a single platform.

What is Shopify B2B?

Shopify B2B is a native feature that allows merchants to sell wholesale products directly through their Shopify store. Unlike traditional B2C (business-to-consumer) sales, B2B involves selling products in bulk to other businesses, retailers, or distributors at wholesale prices.

The beauty of Shopify's B2B solution is that you can run both your retail and wholesale operations side-by-side, without needing separate stores or complicated integrations.

Key Benefits of Using Shopify for B2B

Unified Platform: Manage both B2C and B2B sales from one dashboard, eliminating the need for separate inventory systems or storefronts.

Custom Pricing: Set wholesale prices, volume discounts, and customer-specific pricing tiers that differ from your retail prices.

Payment Flexibility: Offer net payment terms, allowing your business customers to pay invoices within 30, 60, or 90 days rather than requiring immediate payment.

Self-Service Portal: Business customers can browse products, reorder, and view/update their accounts independently, thereby reducing administrative overhead.

Professionalism: Offer a polished, branded experience that earns the trust of wholesale buyers.

Prerequisites and Requirements

Before getting started with Shopify B2B, make sure you meet these requirements:

A Shopify Plus plan or a Shopify plan that has B2B features added on.

Clear differentiation between structures of wholesale and retail pricingInsight into your target B2B customers and their buying behavior

Wholesale account approval business verification process

Minimum order quantities or thresholds, if applicable.

How to Set Up B2B on Shopify: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Enable B2B Features

Start by activating B2B functionality in your Shopify admin. Navigate to Settings > Markets, then enable B2B or wholesale channels. Depending on your Shopify plan, you may need to install the B2B app from the Shopify App Store or upgrade your plan.

Step 2: Develop Company Profiles

B2B customers are organized into company profiles rather than individual customer accounts. Set up the company structure that allows you to manage multiple buyers from the same organization, assign locations for shipping, and track orders by company rather than individual users.

Step 3: Establish Wholesale Price

Create price lists specifically for your B2B customers. You can establish different pricing tiers based on customer type, order volume, or specific agreements. Consider creating multiple price lists for different customer segments, such as preferred partners, standard wholesale customers, or volume buyers.

Step 4: Set Up Payment Terms

One of the most critical aspects of B2B is offering flexible payment options. Set up net payment terms that allow business customers to purchase now and pay later. Common terms include Net 30, Net 60, or Net 90, meaning payment is due within that number of days.

Step 5: Set Minimum Order Requirements

Many B2B businesses have minimum order quantities or dollar amounts. Set up these thresholds to ensure that orders meet your profitability requirements and justify wholesale pricing.

Step 6: Develop a B2B Application Process

Develop a vetting process for approving wholesale customers. This typically involves creating an application form where potential customers provide their business information, tax ID, resale certificate, and business references. You can manually review and approve applications before granting B2B access.

Step 7: Personalize the B2B Storefront

While B2B customers may access the same storefront, you can customize their experience with exclusive collections, product visibility rules, and tailored content. Consider creating a dedicated landing page or section specifically for wholesale buyers.

Best Practices for B2B Success on Shopify

Streamline the Onboarding Process: Make it easy for legitimate businesses to apply for wholesale accounts while maintaining verification standards. A friction-filled application process can turn away potential customers.

Provide Clear Product Information: B2B buyers need detailed specifications, bulk pricing, case quantities, and shipping information. Ensure your product descriptions cater to business needs, not just consumer interests.

Offer Volume Discounts: This means that there are higher prices at higher tiers, or vice versa, all in an effort to incentivize larger orders.

Build Strong Relationships: B2B is relationship-driven. Provide dedicated support, account managers for key clients, and personalized communication.

Optimize for Reordering: Make it simple for customers to reorder frequently purchased items. Quick order forms and saved lists can significantly improve the B2B experience.

Clearly state terms and policies: Clearly write down payment terms, return policies, shipping procedures, and order minimums to avoid disputes resulting from misunderstandings.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Managing Inventory Across Channels: Use Shopify's inventory tracking to ensure you don't oversell products. Set aside dedicated inventory for B2B customers if needed, or use inventory buffers.

Pricing Complexity: Keep pricing simple. Add complexity over time when you learn what works. Leverage Shopify's price lists feature to manage different tiers in an organized way.

Payment Collection: While offering net terms is attractive to buyers, it introduces cash flow challenges. Consider using Shopify's built-in payment tracking, third-party financing options, or requiring deposits for new customers.

Minimum Order Enforcement: Transparency about the minimums, use the Shopify draft order feature for exceptions when needed.

Advanced B2B Features to Explore

Once you master the basics, consider the following advanced capabilities:

Customer self-service reordering portals where their customer can access their purchase history.

Custom catalogs that show different products to different customer segments Automated reorder reminders by purchase pattern Integration with EDI Electronic Data Interchange for larger retailers Multilocation-inventory management for customers with more than one shipping address Measuring B2B Success Track these key metrics to judge your B2B performance: Average order value for B2B versus B2C Customer Acquisition Cost for Wholesale Customers Repeat purchase rate and customer lifetime value Payment terms adherence and days sales outstanding (DSO) Product performance in wholesale versus retail channels Conclusion Shopify's B2B capabilities provide a powerful, cost-effective way to expand into wholesale without the complexity of managing separate systems. By following this guide, you can establish a professional B2B operation that complements your existing retail business and opens new revenue streams. Start small, test your processes with a handful of trusted customers, and scale as you refine your approach. The key to B2B success is building strong relationships, providing excellent service, and continuously optimizing your wholesale operations based on customer feedback and performance data. Are you ready to take your Shopify store to the next level? Enable the B2B feature today and start capturing this wholesale market opportunity.