FEBRUARY 21, 2026 // UPDATED FEB 21, 2026

Shopify B2B & Wholesale: Complete Guide to Selling to Businesses

Learn how to set up and optimize a profitable B2B wholesale operation on Shopify. From pricing strategies to customer approval workflows, this guide covers everything you need to know.

AUTHOR

AT

AdsX Team

E-COMMERCE SPECIALISTS

READ TIME

17 MIN

Understanding Shopify B2B Commerce

Before diving into implementation, let's clarify what B2B commerce means on Shopify and why it requires different approaches than B2C.

B2B vs. B2C: Key Differences

Business-to-Business (B2B) selling involves transactions between your company and other businesses. Your customers might be:

Retailers who resell your products in physical stores or online
Distributors who warehouse your products and resell to smaller businesses
Resellers who purchase at wholesale and mark up for their own markets
Wholesalers seeking to stock inventory for distribution
Corporate buyers purchasing products for internal use or to offer clients

Key B2B characteristics:

Factor	B2C	B2B
Order Size	Individual items	Bulk quantities
Pricing	Fixed, published prices	Volume-based tiers, custom quotes
Payment Terms	Immediate (credit card)	Net 30/60/90 days
Sales Cycle	Minutes to days	Weeks to months
Decision Makers	Individual buyer	Multiple stakeholders
Relationships	Transactional	Long-term partnerships
Customization	Limited	High degree of personalization

Why Shopify B2B?

Shopify recognized that merchants needed native B2B functionality, not just workarounds. In 2021, Shopify launched dedicated B2B features:

B2B Edition — A dedicated Shopify plan for merchants prioritizing business-to-business selling
B2B Catalogs — Create separate product catalogs with unique pricing for different customer groups
Company Accounts — Manage multiple locations, departments, and buying contexts within a single customer relationship
Flexible Payment Terms — Support net payment terms instead of requiring upfront payment
Bulk Order Functionality — Customers can order in quantity without adding items individually

Shopify B2B Edition represents the company's strategic focus on wholesale commerce, making it increasingly accessible for merchants of any size to launch and scale wholesale operations alongside—or instead of—direct-to-consumer sales.

Setting Up Your B2B Shopify Store

Step 1: Choose Your Shopify Plan

Most merchants start with Shopify's standard plans but need to consider B2B-specific requirements:

Shopify B2B Edition

Purpose-built for wholesale merchants
Includes B2B catalogs, company accounts, and bulk order tools
Pricing varies based on order volume
Best for: Pure-play wholesale businesses or merchants with 30%+ B2B revenue

Standard Shopify Plans (Starter, Basic, Shopify, Advanced)

Suitable if B2B is secondary to your business
Use apps to add B2B functionality
More flexibility for hybrid B2B/B2C models
Best for: Merchants with mixed sales channels

Pro Tip: Most growing brands use standard plans initially and migrate to B2B Edition as wholesale revenue grows. You can test B2B functionality with apps before committing to the dedicated plan.

Step 2: Optimize Your Product Catalog for B2B

B2B buyers need different product information than consumers.

Product Information for Business Buyers:

Detailed specifications — Materials, dimensions, weights, technical specs
Bulk availability — Minimum order quantities (MOQs), available pack sizes
Lead times — How long before order ships
Compliance documentation — Certifications, safety data sheets (SDS), test results
Pricing visibility — Tiered pricing based on order volume
Inventory status — Stock levels for planning purposes
Product images — Professional photos showing scale, packaging, configuration

Organizing Products for B2B:

Instead of organizing by consumer personas, organize B2B product catalogs by:

Product type/category
Buyer segment (retail, distribution, corporate)
Price tier (premium, mid-market, value)
Use case or industry vertical

Step 3: Create Your Wholesale Pricing Strategy

Pricing is the heart of any B2B operation. Unlike B2C where prices are fixed, B2B pricing is typically negotiated and volume-based.

Common B2B Pricing Models:

Tiered Volume Pricing

1-10 units: $50 per unit
11-50 units: $45 per unit
51-100 units: $40 per unit
100+ units: Custom quote

This incentivizes larger orders while protecting margins on small orders.

Customer Segment Pricing Different buyer groups get different pricing:

Authorized distributors: 40% wholesale discount
Retail partners: 35% discount
Resellers/smaller retailers: 30% discount
Corporate buyers: Negotiated per contract

Formula Pricing Base cost + standard markup % allows flexibility:

Retail MSRP: $100
B2B Wholesale: 50% of MSRP = $50 per unit

Dynamic Pricing Some merchants adjust pricing based on:

Inventory levels (discount slow-moving items)
Seasonality (premium pricing before peak season)
Customer credit history (better terms for proven reliable customers)
Market conditions (competitive pricing responses)

Calculating Your B2B Prices:

1. Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
2. Add: Fixed costs allocation (facility, labor, admin)
3. Add: Desired profit margin (typically 20-40% for wholesale)
4. Subtract: Volume discounts as quantities increase
5. Result: Tiered wholesale pricing

Implementation on Shopify:

Native approach: Use Shopify B2B catalogs to create separate product listings with custom pricing
App approach: Wholesale Helper, Bold Pricing Manager, or Orderchamp for pricing flexibility
Manual approach: Create discount codes for each customer tier

Customer Accounts and Approval Workflows

Setting Up B2B Customer Accounts

B2B customers often have complex organizational structures. A single company might have:

Multiple store locations with separate billing addresses
Different departments with authority to order specific products
Approval hierarchies (purchaser requests, manager approves)
Delegated purchasing authority (employees authorized to order up to $X)

Shopify Company Accounts Features:

Company accounts allow you to:

Create accounts for entire organizations (not just individuals)
Add multiple contacts within each company
Assign different permissions to different users
Track order history by company and individual
Manage delegated purchasing authority
Create custom catalogs per company

Setting Up Company Accounts:

Enable company accounts in Shopify Admin
Create customer fields for business information (tax ID, industry, business license)
Configure multi-user permissions and roles
Set up automated email notifications for account creation

Building Your Approval Workflow

Most B2B merchants require approval before customers can place orders. This protects against fraud, ensures payment reliability, and allows you to establish terms.

Typical Approval Process:

1. Prospect registers → Application submitted
2. Internal review → Verify business legitimacy
3. Credit check → Assess payment risk
4. Terms negotiation → Establish pricing, payment terms, MOQs
5. Account activation → Customer can place orders

Shopify Native Approach: Shopify B2B includes basic approval features, but they're limited. Most merchants supplement with apps.

App Solutions for Approval Workflows:

Wholesale Helper — Full approval workflow with document uploads
B2B Essentials — Approvals integrated with catalog management
Zapier Automation — Create custom workflows using Zapier + Shopify
Custom Build — Using Shopify API for fully customized requirements

Best Practices for B2B Approvals:

Clear requirements — Publish exactly what information you need upfront
Fast turnaround — Approve within 1-3 business days to maintain momentum
Transparent communication — Notify applicants of approval status with next steps
Tiered onboarding — Quick approval for low-risk customers, deeper diligence for larger accounts
Automated rejection — Flag obvious disqualifications (unverifiable addresses, fake business names)
Integration with payment terms — Link approval status to available payment terms

Implementing B2B Pricing and Catalogs

Using Shopify B2B Catalogs

If you choose Shopify B2B Edition or add B2B features, catalogs are your primary tool for managing different pricing for different customers.

Catalog Benefits:

Create separate product listings with unique pricing
Control which products are visible to specific buyer groups
Manage catalog pricing independently from retail
Set different descriptions, images, and information per catalog
Automated catalog visibility rules

Example Catalog Structure:

Retail Catalog
├─ All products at consumer-facing prices
├─ Professional product photography
└─ Consumer-oriented descriptions

Distributor Catalog
├─ High-volume packaging options
├─ Tiered pricing (50+ units, 100+ units, etc.)
├─ Technical specifications and certifications
└─ MOQ visibility and lead times

Retail Partner Catalog
├─ Slightly higher MOQs than distributor
├─ Mid-range pricing
├─ Marketing assets for co-op advertising
└─ Seasonal product availability

Corporate Buyer Catalog
├─ Minimum quantities for B2B corporate use
├─ Custom options and configuration services
├─ Custom pricing per customer
└─ Service/support options

Setting Up Catalogs:

Create new catalog in Shopify Admin
Add products and set pricing for this catalog
Create business customer groups or assign by customer
Assign catalogs to specific customer segments
Test visibility and pricing

Bulk Order Functionality

B2B customers hate adding 200 units of a product by clicking "Add to Cart" 200 times. Enable bulk ordering:

Shopify B2B Bulk Order Feature:

CSV upload of order items
Spreadsheet-style order entry
Quick quantity adjustment
Saved order templates for repeat purchases

App Alternatives:

Wholesale Helper bulk order interface
Wholesale Gorilla order templates
Custom Hydrogen storefronts

B2B Checkout Customization

Creating a B2B-Friendly Checkout

B2B checkout differs significantly from B2C:

B2B Checkout Needs:

Multi-user ordering — Delegate purchasing to employees
Payment terms — Net 30/60/90 instead of immediate payment
Bulk pricing transparency — Show tiered pricing clearly
Order history — Quick reorder from previous purchases
Shipping complexity — Multiple locations, freight considerations
Custom fields — Purchase orders, cost centers, project codes
Approval queues — Manager sign-off before checkout

Shopify B2B Checkout Features

Native B2B Checkout Includes:

Company account selection
Multiple delivery addresses per account
Order templates and quick reorder
Tiered pricing display
Payment term options
Bulk order entry

Custom Checkout with Hydrogen

For merchants needing fully custom B2B experiences, Shopify's Hydrogen framework enables:

Custom payment term workflows
Integration with ERP systems
Advanced approval routing
Custom pricing logic
Branded checkout experience

Use Custom Checkout When:

Payment terms are complex or negotiated
Approval workflows are sophisticated
Integration with backend systems is required
You're targeting enterprise accounts
Your B2B checkout is your primary store

Estimated Investment: $5,000-$25,000+ for custom development

Essential Shopify B2B Apps

Beyond native Shopify features, apps extend B2B functionality significantly.

Top B2B Apps

Wholesale Helper

Tiered pricing and volume discounts
Customer approval workflow with document uploads
Catalog management
Bulk order interface
Contact management
Price: $99-$299/month

Bold Pricing Manager

Dynamic pricing rules
Volume/quantity discounts
Customer group pricing
Discount rules builder
Price: $99-$299/month

Wholesale Gorilla

B2B customer portal
Company and contact management
Tiered pricing
Order templates and quick reorder
Order minimum enforcement
Price: $99-$399/month

B2B Essentials by Shopify

Catalogs and pricing management
Customer management
Order management
Analytics
Built on Shopify infrastructure
Price: Included with B2B Edition

Orderchamp

Full B2B ordering platform
Can replace entire Shopify checkout
Inventory management
Approval workflows
ERP integration
Price: $500-$2,000+/month

Shift

B2B sales platform
Territory management
Sales rep tools
Customer management
Advanced analytics
Price: $200-$1,000+/month

App Selection Criteria

Choose B2B apps based on:

Feature requirements — What specific functionality do you need?
Existing integrations — Does it connect to your ERP, accounting, shipping?
Scalability — Can it handle your projected growth?
Ease of use — Can your team implement without extensive development?
Cost vs. benefit — Does ROI justify the monthly fee?
Support quality — Will they help you troubleshoot implementation?
Migration path — Can you scale to more advanced tools later?

Payment Terms and Collections

One of the biggest differences between B2B and B2C is payment timing. Most B2B transactions don't use credit cards—they use invoice-based payment terms.

Offering Payment Terms

Common B2B Payment Terms:

Net 30 — Payment due 30 days after invoice
Net 60 — Payment due 60 days after invoice
2/10 Net 30 — 2% discount if paid within 10 days, otherwise due at 30 days
COD — Cash on delivery (less common, higher risk)
Prepaid — Payment before shipment (unusual for established relationships)

Payment Terms Impact:

Net terms dramatically improve cash flow for your customers, which is often make-or-break for closing deals. However, they create cash flow challenges for you.

Managing Payment Risk

Offering net terms requires credit management:

Credit evaluation — Before offering terms, assess customer creditworthiness
Credit limits — Cap the amount customers can order on terms
Credit references — Check with other suppliers about payment history
D&B checks — Use Dun & Bradstreet or similar for risk assessment
Collections process — Have clear procedures for late payment

Payment Solutions for B2B

Bill.com

B2B invoicing and payment
Integrates with Shopify
Automates payment reminders
Collections workflow
Accepts multiple payment methods

Stripe Billing

Create recurring or one-time invoices
Automatic payment retries
Dunning management
Revenue recognition
Shopify integration

QuickBooks Online

Invoice integration
Automatic customer record creation
Payment tracking
Accounting integration
Works with most payment gateways

Marketing Your B2B Business

B2B marketing differs fundamentally from B2C. Business buyers research extensively, value education, and make collaborative decisions.

B2B Content Marketing

Develop content that helps business buyers understand your value:

High-ROI B2B Content:

Product catalogs and spec sheets — PDFs downloadable from product pages
MOQ guides — Explain minimum order quantities and why they exist
Pricing and terms pages — Be transparent about wholesale pricing (encourages inbound)
Case studies — Show how other businesses used your products successfully
Webinars — Educate customers about category trends, best practices
Email nurture sequences — Multi-touch campaigns for longer sales cycles
Comparison guides — Help buyers understand quality, value, differentiation

B2B Email Marketing

B2B email marketing through platforms like Klaviyo, Omnisend, or ActiveCampaign should be highly segmented:

Segment by industry — Retail vs. distribution vs. corporate
Segment by product category — Different messages for different categories
Segment by customer stage — Prospects, active customers, at-risk customers
Personalize with company data — Reference their specific purchase history

B2B Partnerships and Referrals

Many B2B relationships come through referrals and partnerships:

Distributor partnerships — Wholesale to distributors who resell to retailers
Affiliate programs — Pay commissions for referred wholesale customers
Industry associations — Join groups relevant to your customer base
Trade shows — Physical presence in your industry
Co-marketing — Partner with complementary products

Measuring B2B Performance

Key B2B Metrics

Financial Metrics:

Average Order Value (AOV) — Typically 5-20x higher in B2B
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) — Often $50,000-$500,000+ for B2B
Gross Margin — Often lower than B2C (30-40% vs. 60-70%) due to volume discounts
Cash Conversion Cycle — Time from order to payment received

Operational Metrics:

Approval Time — Average time to approve new customers
Order Fulfillment Speed — Time from order to shipment
Return Rate — B2B returns are typically much lower than B2C
On-time Delivery Rate — Critical for B2B relationships

Growth Metrics:

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) — Cost per new wholesale customer
Revenue per Customer — B2B customers typically generate much higher revenue
Reorder Rate — Percentage of customers making repeat purchases
Expansion Revenue — Revenue from increasing order size with existing customers

Reporting and Analysis

Set up Shopify reports or use analytics apps to track:

By customer segment — How is each customer type performing?
By product category — Which products drive the most wholesale revenue?
By sales channel — If you have both B2B and B2C, compare performance
By time period — Understand seasonality and growth trends
Customer cohorts — Group customers by acquisition date and track retention

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Pitfall 1: Unclear Pricing

Problem: Business buyers get confused about pricing, leading to friction and lost deals.

Solution: Publish your pricing structure openly. Create a dedicated pricing page explaining tiered discounts, MOQs, and how to get custom quotes.

Pitfall 2: Slow Approval Process

Problem: Prospects lose interest while waiting for approval; deals die in review.

Solution: Set aggressive approval SLAs (1-3 business days). Automate routine approvals. Flag only high-risk applications for manual review.

Pitfall 3: Poor Order Experience

Problem: Clunky ordering process causes customers to ask for custom quotes or find competitors.

Solution: Test your B2B checkout with actual business buyers. Use bulk order tools. Provide quick reorder options.

Pitfall 4: Inadequate Support

Problem: B2B customers expect dedicated support; generic responses damage relationships.

Solution: Assign account managers to key customers. Provide direct contact information. Respond quickly to B2B inquiries.

Pitfall 5: Underestimating Fulfillment

Problem: Bulk orders exceed your fulfillment capacity, causing delays and shipping failures.

Solution: Use fulfillment partners (ShipBob, Deliverr, 3PLs) that can handle bulk orders. Set realistic lead times.

Pitfall 6: Ignoring Payment Risk

Problem: Net terms create bad debt; customers don't pay.

Solution: Do credit checks before offering terms. Set credit limits. Have clear collections procedures. Use payment platforms with automated reminders.

Scaling Your B2B Operation

As your wholesale business grows, you'll need to evolve your processes.

Early Stage (0-10 wholesale customers)

Manual processes are acceptable
Personal relationships and direct communication
Use basic Shopify features or lightweight apps
Manage approval and pricing with spreadsheets

Growth Stage (10-50 customers)

Implement approval workflows and B2B apps
Create customer segmentation and tiered pricing
Assign dedicated B2B support resources
Implement bulk order functionality
Set up collections process

Scale Stage (50+ customers)

Full B2B Edition or enterprise platform
ERP/inventory system integration
Sales team and account management
Advanced pricing optimization
Automated collections and credit management
Dedicated B2B marketing

Key Takeaways

B2B selling is fundamentally different from B2C — Business buyers want bulk pricing, payment terms, complex approvals, and professional support
Shopify provides native B2B features — B2B Edition and catalogs enable professional wholesale operations without custom development
Pricing is critical — Develop clear, tiered pricing that incentivizes larger orders while protecting margins
Approval workflows protect you — Verify customer legitimacy and assess payment risk before extending terms
Payment terms are expected — Net 30-60 day terms are standard in B2B and often essential for closing deals
Apps extend functionality — Wholesale Helper, Bold Pricing, Wholesale Gorilla, and others fill gaps in native Shopify capabilities
B2B relationships are long-term — Focus on customer success, not transaction optimization
Execution matters more than technology — Good processes and customer focus beat fancy apps

Ready to launch or scale your B2B wholesale operation on Shopify? The market opportunity is enormous—and Shopify's commitment to B2B commerce makes this the ideal time to build.

Get a free audit of your Shopify B2B setup, or contact our team to discuss a strategy for scaling your wholesale business.