Shopify B2B: The Complete Guide to Selling Wholesale (2026)
Shopify B2B is having a moment. In the last two years, Shopify has invested heavily in wholesale features—but there’s a catch. Most of these features require Shopify Plus, which starts at $2,500/month (or $2,300/month on a 3-year commitment).
So what do you do if you need B2B capabilities but can’t justify a $27,600-30,000 annual platform fee?
This guide covers everything you need to know about selling B2B on Shopify in 2026: what Shopify Plus actually offers, how to get similar functionality without upgrading, and when each approach makes sense for your business.
What we’ll cover:
- What Shopify B2B actually means (and who needs it)
- Shopify Plus B2B features in detail
- How to build B2B functionality without Plus
- Feature-by-feature comparison: Plus vs Apps
- Setting up B2B on standard Shopify plans
- Common challenges and how to solve them
What Is Shopify B2B?
Shopify B2B refers to features that let you sell wholesale or business-to-business through your Shopify store. Unlike selling to consumers, B2B transactions typically involve:
- Different pricing for different customers (tiered discounts, negotiated rates)
- Payment terms like Net 30, Net 60, or Net 90 (pay later, not at checkout)
- Larger order quantities with volume-based discounts
- Company accounts with multiple buyers and approval workflows
- Custom catalogs showing only certain products to certain customers
If you’re selling to retailers, distributors, restaurants, or other businesses, you need B2B functionality.
Who Actually Needs B2B on Shopify?
You need B2B features if:
- Wholesale customers expect different prices than retail customers
- Your buyers need to order now and pay in 30-90 days
- Multiple people at the same company need to place orders
- You sell products that only certain customers should see
- Order minimums and quantity breaks are part of your pricing
You might NOT need full B2B if:
- You offer the same prices to everyone
- All customers pay at checkout
- You have fewer than 10 wholesale accounts
For small-scale wholesale with simple needs, discount codes might be enough. But as you grow, the manual work becomes unsustainable.
Shopify Plus B2B Features (2025-2026)
If you’re on Shopify Plus ($2,300-2,500/month depending on contract length), B2B features are included at no additional cost. Here’s what you get:
Company Profiles
The foundation of Shopify’s B2B system. Each wholesale customer is represented as a “Company” with:
- Multiple contacts: Different employees can log in with their own accounts
- Multiple locations: Separate shipping addresses for different warehouses or stores
- Custom payment terms: Net 30, Net 60, or custom terms per company
- Order history: All orders from the company visible in one place
This is powerful for managing complex B2B relationships—especially if your customers have multiple locations or buyers.
Custom Price Lists
Create different pricing for different customer segments:
- Percentage discounts: 20% off retail for Tier 1, 30% for Tier 2
- Fixed prices: Override specific product prices for specific customers
- Volume pricing: Different prices based on quantity ordered
- Multi-currency: Show prices in each customer’s local currency
Price lists are assigned to Company Profiles, so pricing automatically applies when a buyer logs in.
Custom Catalogs
Control which products each customer sees:
- Hide products from customers who shouldn’t see them
- Create exclusive products visible only to certain buyers
- Regional compliance by showing different products in different markets
- Pre-release access for top-tier customers
This is useful if you have products that require authorization, are region-locked, or are only available to certain customer tiers.
B2B Checkout Experience
When B2B customers check out, they see:
- Their negotiated wholesale prices (not retail)
- Their payment terms (can complete checkout without paying)
- Company billing and shipping addresses
- Purchase order number fields
The checkout experience is seamless—no codes to enter, no workarounds.
Quantity Rules & Volume Pricing
Set minimum and maximum order quantities:
- Case pack quantities: Force orders in multiples of 12
- Minimum order values: Require $500 minimum for Net 30 terms
- Volume discounts: Automatic price breaks at quantity thresholds
Draft Orders & Invoicing
Shopify Plus includes tools for manual order management:
- Create draft orders for phone/email orders
- Generate invoices for Net terms orders
- Track payment status on outstanding invoices
Shopify Flow Integration
Automate B2B workflows:
- Auto-assign payment terms based on company tags
- Send invoice reminders when payments are due
- Notify sales reps when high-value orders come in
- Update customer tiers based on purchase history
What Shopify Plus B2B Lacks
Even with Plus, there are gaps:
- No built-in AR aging reports — You need to track overdue invoices manually or with apps
- Limited payment reminder automation — Flow helps, but it’s not purpose-built
- No credit limit enforcement — You can’t automatically block orders for overdue accounts
- Complex setup — Company Profiles require manual configuration for each customer
Shopify B2B Without Plus
The good news: you don’t need $2,500/month to sell B2B on Shopify. Third-party apps can replicate most Plus B2B features at a fraction of the cost.
How It Works
Instead of Company Profiles, apps use customer tags to identify wholesale buyers:
- Tag customers (e.g.,
wholesale-tier-1,wholesale-distributor) - Create price lists tied to those tags
- When tagged customers log in, they see their pricing at checkout
This approach works on any Shopify plan—Basic, Shopify, or Advanced.
What Apps Can Do
| Feature | Shopify Plus | Third-Party Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Customer-specific pricing | Company Profiles + Price Lists | Customer tags + Price rules |
| Net 30/60/90 terms | Built-in | App-based (varies) |
| Volume discounts | Native | Native or app-based |
| Custom catalogs | Built-in | Limited (some apps) |
| Multi-buyer accounts | Native | Not typically supported |
| Payment tracking/AR | Basic | Better in specialized apps |
Popular B2B Apps Compared
BSS Commerce B2B & Wholesale ($25-100/month)
- Comprehensive features: tiered pricing, quantity breaks, wholesale forms
- Challenges: Complex setup, support in Asian timezone, theme conflicts reported
- Best for: Budget-conscious merchants willing to invest setup time
SparkLayer ($49-299/month)
- Separate B2B portal with dedicated storefront
- Enterprise plans available from $499/month
- Best for: Businesses wanting a distinct B2B experience
Wholesale Gorilla ($35-150/month)
- Solid pricing features, good support
- Net terms available on Advanced ($70) and Premium ($150) plans
- Best for: Established wholesale operations with varied needs
effizient Wholesale ($39/month)
- Tag-based pricing, Net 7-90 terms, AR tracking
- Built with Shopify Functions (checkout-native)
- Best for: All-in-one solution with US/EU support
For a detailed comparison, see our Best Shopify Wholesale Apps review.
Setting Up B2B on Standard Shopify Plans
Here’s a step-by-step approach to building B2B functionality without Shopify Plus:
Step 1: Enable Customer Accounts
Go to Settings > Customer accounts and enable the new customer accounts feature. This lets B2B customers log in with email verification.
Step 2: Install a Wholesale App
Choose an app based on your needs:
- Need Net 30 terms? Look for apps with payment term support
- Need volume pricing only? Simpler apps may suffice
- Need AR tracking? Look for invoice management features
Step 3: Create Customer Tags
Organize customers by pricing tier:
wholesale-bronze— 20% discountwholesale-silver— 30% discountwholesale-gold— 40% discount
Or by customer type:
wholesale-retailer— Standard wholesale pricingwholesale-distributor— Deeper discounts, longer terms
Step 4: Configure Price Lists
In your wholesale app, create price lists for each tag:
| Price List | Customer Tag | Discount | Payment Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retailer Pricing | wholesale-retailer | 25% off | Net 30 |
| Distributor Pricing | wholesale-distributor | 40% off | Net 45 |
| VIP Accounts | wholesale-vip | 50% off | Net 60 |
Step 5: Set Up Payment Terms
If your app supports Net terms:
- Configure terms (Net 30, Net 45, etc.) per price list or customer tag
- Set up invoice generation (automatic or manual)
- Configure payment reminders
If your app doesn’t support terms, you’ll need a separate invoicing solution.
Step 6: Create a Wholesale Registration Flow
Options for onboarding new B2B customers:
- Manual approval: Customers email you, you add tags manually
- Registration form: Use a form app to collect business info, then approve and tag
- Automatic tagging: Some apps auto-tag based on registration fields
Step 7: Test the Customer Experience
Create a test account with your wholesale tag and:
- Verify correct pricing shows at checkout
- Confirm payment terms work as expected
- Check that order confirmations include Net terms details
- Test the reordering experience
When to Choose Plus vs Apps
Choose Shopify Plus B2B When:
- You have many B2B accounts with complex needs (multiple locations, approval workflows)
- Multiple buyers per company need separate logins with their own permissions
- You need custom catalogs (product visibility by customer)
- Your wholesale revenue is high enough that Plus costs become a rounding error
- You need Plus-exclusive features (checkout extensibility, Shopify Scripts, etc.)
Choose Third-Party Apps When:
- Your B2B operation is still growing (most merchants under 50-100 accounts)
- Single buyer per company is sufficient
- You need Net terms and pricing but not complex catalogs
- Budget is a primary concern
- You want faster setup (apps typically deploy in hours, not weeks)
The Math
Shopify Plus: $2,300-2,500/month = $27,600-30,000/year
Third-party app: $39-150/month = $468-1,800/year
Savings: $25,000-29,000/year
For most growing wholesale operations, apps cover the core B2B needs—pricing, net terms, volume discounts—at a fraction of the Plus cost. Where Plus pulls ahead is multi-buyer accounts and custom catalogs.
Common Shopify B2B Challenges (And Solutions)
Challenge: Managing Cash Flow with Net Terms
Offering Net 30 means financing your customers’ inventory. At scale, this creates cash flow pressure.
Solutions:
- Start with shorter terms (Net 15) for new accounts
- Require deposits on first orders
- Set credit limits based on order history
- Use AR aging reports to catch overdue accounts early
- Cut off ordering for accounts 60+ days past due
Challenge: Price List Complexity
As you add more customer tiers and products, managing pricing becomes complex.
Solutions:
- Use percentage discounts (easier to maintain than fixed prices)
- Limit the number of pricing tiers (3-4 is usually sufficient)
- Document your pricing logic for team members
- Use apps that support CSV import/export for bulk updates
Challenge: Customer Segmentation
Deciding which customers get which pricing tier isn’t always clear.
Solutions:
- Base tiers on annual purchase volume
- Use objective criteria (revenue thresholds, payment history)
- Review and adjust tiers quarterly
- Communicate tier benefits clearly to encourage upgrades
Challenge: Reordering Friction
B2B customers want to reorder quickly. Friction kills repeat orders.
Solutions:
- Enable “reorder” functionality (one-click repeat orders)
- Offer subscription/standing orders for regular customers
- Provide a customer portal with order history
- Send proactive reorder reminders based on purchase cycles
Challenge: Integration with Existing Systems
B2B often requires integration with ERPs, accounting software, or fulfillment systems.
Solutions:
- Check app integrations before choosing (QuickBooks, Xero, etc.)
- Use Shopify Flow or Zapier for simple automations
- For complex needs, budget for custom development
- Consider apps built on Shopify Functions (more native integration)
Getting Started
If you’re new to Shopify B2B, here’s a 30-day roadmap:
Week 1: Foundation
- Audit your current B2B process (what’s manual, what’s painful?)
- Define customer tiers and pricing logic
- Choose an app that fits your requirements
Week 2: Setup
- Install and configure your wholesale app
- Create price lists and customer tags
- Set up payment terms (if applicable)
Week 3: Migration
- Import existing customers and tag appropriately
- Communicate changes to current B2B buyers
- Test the customer experience end-to-end
Week 4: Optimization
- Collect feedback from first orders
- Adjust pricing or terms based on real usage
- Set up reporting/tracking for B2B metrics
Ready to Add B2B to Your Shopify Store?
If you’re looking for a straightforward way to add wholesale pricing and Net terms without Shopify Plus, effizient Wholesale handles the essentials: tag-based pricing, Net 7-90 payment terms, volume discounts, and AR tracking—all for $39/month.
Start your 14-day free trial →
Related Guides
- Best Shopify Wholesale Apps (2026) — Detailed comparison of all options
- Setting Up Net 30 Payment Terms — Step-by-step tutorial
- Multi-Tier Pricing on Shopify — How to configure customer tiers
- Basic Wholesale Pricing Setup — Getting started with wholesale
About the author: Michael Wallbaum has built custom e-commerce systems for Shopify merchants since 2019. He’s the founder of effizient and creator of effizient Wholesale—a wholesale pricing app for Shopify merchants who’ve outgrown manual processes but don’t need Shopify Plus.