How to Set Up Shopify B2B and Wholesale: Complete Guide

Wholesale and B2B selling represents a massive growth opportunity for Shopify merchants. Adding a wholesale channel typically increases total revenue by 30-60% while providing more predictable, higher-volume orders with lower customer acquisition costs than direct-to-consumer sales.

This guide covers every approach to setting up B2B and wholesale selling on Shopify, from basic wholesale setups on standard plans to Shopify Plus's native B2B features.

What Are Your Options for B2B Wholesale on Shopify?

There are three distinct approaches to wholesale on Shopify, each suited to different business stages:

Let us walk through each approach in detail.

How Do You Set Up Wholesale Using Apps on Standard Shopify?

If you are on Shopify Basic, Shopify, or Advanced plans, third-party apps add wholesale functionality to your existing store.

Top Wholesale Apps Compared

Step-by-Step Setup With Wholesale Club

1. Install and configure the app: Install Wholesale Club from the Shopify App Store. Configure your general settings including default wholesale discount percentage and minimum order values.

2. Create wholesale pricing tiers: Set up pricing tiers based on customer tags:

• Tier 1 (Standard Wholesale): 30% off retail — for new wholesale accounts
• Tier 2 (Premium Wholesale): 40% off retail — for established accounts ordering regularly
• Tier 3 (Distributor): 50% off retail — for high-volume distributors

3. Tag wholesale customers: In your Shopify admin, go to Customers and add the appropriate tag (e.g., "wholesale-tier-1") to each approved wholesale customer. The app automatically applies the correct pricing when tagged customers log in.

4. Set minimum order requirements: Configure minimum order values or quantities per tier. Standard wholesale might require $200 minimum, while distributor pricing requires $1,000 minimum.

5. Configure wholesale registration: Set up a wholesale application form on a dedicated page (/pages/wholesale-application). Most apps include a built-in form builder. Collect business name, tax ID, estimated monthly volume, and business type.

6. Enable net payment terms (if supported): Some apps allow you to offer Net-15 or Net-30 payment terms to trusted wholesale customers. Configure payment term eligibility by customer tier.

Creating a Wholesale-Only Section

To restrict certain products or pages to wholesale customers only:

1. Create a collection called "Wholesale Only"
2. Use your wholesale app's access control features to hide this collection from non-wholesale customers
3. Add wholesale-exclusive products, bundles, or case packs to this collection

How Do You Set Up B2B on Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus includes native B2B features that eliminate the need for third-party wholesale apps. These features became available in 2022 and have been significantly expanded through 2025-2026.

Shopify Plus B2B Features

• Company accounts — Create B2B company profiles with multiple buyer accounts, each with their own permissions
• Custom catalogs — Assign product catalogs with wholesale-specific pricing to each company
• Volume pricing — Set quantity-based price breaks within catalogs
• Net payment terms — Offer Net-15, Net-30, Net-60, or custom terms
• Purchase orders — Customers can submit POs that you approve and invoice
• Tax exemptions — Apply automatic tax exemptions for B2B customers with valid tax IDs
• Quick order lists — B2B customers can order by SKU in bulk without browsing individual product pages

Setting Up Shopify Plus B2B

Step 1: Enable B2B in your Shopify admin

Go to Settings > B2B and enable wholesale features. This activates the B2B-specific admin sections.

Step 2: Create company accounts

Navigate to Customers > Companies and create a new company. Add:

• Company name and billing/shipping addresses
• Primary contact and additional buyer accounts
• Payment terms (Net-30 is standard)
• Tax exemption status

Step 3: Build custom catalogs

Go to Products > Catalogs and create a new catalog. Assign products with wholesale pricing:

• Set fixed prices per product
• Configure volume pricing tiers (10+ units at $X, 50+ units at $Y, 100+ units at $Z)
• Choose which products are available to each company

Step 4: Assign catalogs to companies

Link each catalog to the appropriate company accounts. A single company can have multiple catalogs if they purchase across different product categories with different pricing structures.

Step 5: Configure the B2B checkout experience

Shopify Plus B2B checkout automatically:

• Applies company-specific pricing
• Shows net payment terms instead of requiring immediate payment
• Accepts purchase order numbers
• Applies tax exemptions where configured

B2B and DTC on the Same Store

One of Shopify Plus's strengths is running B2B and DTC from the same store. When a B2B customer logs in, they see their custom catalog and wholesale pricing. When a retail customer visits, they see standard retail pricing. No separate store required.

This is controlled by the customer's account type—B2B company accounts trigger the wholesale experience automatically.

How Do You Set Up a Separate Wholesale Shopify Store?

Some merchants prefer complete separation between their DTC and wholesale channels. This approach works well when:

• Your wholesale product assortment differs significantly from DTC
• You want a completely different brand experience for wholesale buyers
• You need full control over every aspect of the wholesale customer journey
• You are not on Shopify Plus and want a clean wholesale experience

Setup Steps

1. Create a second Shopify store on its own plan (even Basic Shopify works)
2. Use a subdomain like wholesale.yourstore.com for clear branding
3. Password-protect the store using Shopify's built-in password page or a Locksmith-style access control app
4. Import products at wholesale prices — no need for tagging or discount apps since all prices are already wholesale
5. Simplify the product catalog — Remove DTC-oriented marketing copy and focus on specifications, case pack sizes, and bulk ordering efficiency
6. Add quick-order functionality using an app like Wholesale Order Form or Quick Order Printer

Managing Inventory Across Two Stores

If running separate stores, inventory synchronization is critical. Options include:

• Shopify's native multi-location inventory — If both stores draw from the same warehouse
• Inventory sync apps — Apps like Syncio or Multi-Store Sync Power keep inventory aligned across stores in real-time
• ERP integration — Connect both stores to your ERP or inventory management system (TradeGecko/QuickBooks Commerce, Cin7, or SKULabs)

How Do You Price Products for Wholesale?

Wholesale pricing must balance competitive rates that attract B2B buyers with margins that keep your business profitable.

Standard Wholesale Pricing Framework

Volume-Based Price Breaks

Layer volume discounts on top of base wholesale pricing:

Ensure your lowest price tier still covers COGS, shipping contributions, and a minimum 15-20% margin.

How Do You Attract and Manage Wholesale Customers?

Finding Wholesale Buyers

1. Create a wholesale landing page on your main site explaining your B2B program, minimum order requirements, and application process
2. Attend trade shows in your industry—still the highest-converting channel for B2B customer acquisition
3. List on wholesale marketplaces like Faire, Tundra, or Bulletin
4. Reach out to retailers carrying complementary (non-competing) products
5. Leverage your DTC brand — Strong consumer demand makes retailers want to carry your products

Wholesale Customer Onboarding

Build a structured onboarding process:

1. Application review — Verify business legitimacy (business license, tax ID, website)
2. Credit check — For net payment terms, verify creditworthiness
3. Welcome kit — Send a digital or physical wholesale kit including line sheets, pricing, MOQs, ordering instructions, and brand guidelines
4. First order support — Personally guide first-time wholesale customers through their initial order
5. Ongoing communication — Monthly emails with new products, restock reminders, and seasonal buying guides

Managing Payment Terms

Net payment terms are standard in B2B. Manage risk with these practices:

• Start new accounts on prepayment or Net-15
• Graduate to Net-30 after 3 successful orders
• Offer 2% early payment discounts (2/10 Net-30 terms)
• Use invoicing tools like Sufio or QuickBooks integration for professional invoicing
• Set credit limits per account based on order history

B2B and wholesale selling on Shopify has matured significantly. Whether you use apps on a standard plan or Shopify Plus's native features, the platform now supports sophisticated wholesale operations that previously required enterprise platforms.

For strategies on making your products discoverable to B2B buyers through AI-powered search and recommendation engines, explore how AdsX helps brands optimize visibility across both consumer and business purchasing channels.