Selling to other businesses works differently from selling to consumers. Your buyers order in bulk, expect negotiated pricing, and often pay on terms rather than upfront. If you run those transactions through a standard retail setup, you end up juggling spreadsheets, manual invoices, and endless email threads.
Shopify now handles wholesale natively. You can build a full B2B wholesale store that offers custom catalogs, tiered pricing, and account-based checkout without bolting on fragile third-party tools. This guide walks you through the entire process, from choosing the right plan to launching and scaling.
What Is a Shopify B2B Wholesale Store?
A Shopify B2B wholesale store sells products to other businesses rather than individual shoppers. Think distributors, retailers, resellers, and corporate buyers who purchase at volume.
These stores differ from retail shops in a few key ways:
- Buyers log in to see pricing and place orders
- Prices vary by customer group or order quantity
- Minimum order quantities often apply
- Payment terms like Net 30 replace instant card checkout
- Catalogs can be customized per customer
Shopify supports all of this through its native B2B features, which live on the Plus plan and, in a lighter form, on lower tiers through apps.
Why Choose Shopify for Your Wholesale Business
Shopify started as a retail platform, but it has grown into a serious option for wholesale. Here is why owners pick it.
One platform for B2B and DTC. You can run wholesale and direct-to-consumer sales from the same admin. No need to maintain two separate systems.
Native B2B tools. Shopify Plus includes company profiles, price lists, and customer-specific catalogs out of the box. That cuts your reliance on apps.
Familiar checkout. Your buyers get the same smooth Shopify checkout experience they trust as consumers.
Strong app ecosystem. When native features fall short, thousands of apps fill the gaps.
If you are weighing your options against a marketplace, our breakdown of Shopify vs Etsy explains why owning your store gives you more control over pricing and customer relationships, which matters even more in B2B.
Shopify Plans and B2B Features
Your plan determines how much B2B functionality you get natively. Here is how the options compare.
| Plan | B2B Capability | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Basic / Shopify / Advanced | Wholesale via apps only | Small wholesale operations |
| Shopify Plus | Full native B2B (companies, price lists, catalogs) | Growing and enterprise wholesalers |
On lower plans, you rely on apps to create password-protected catalogs or discount-based wholesale pricing. On Plus, you get the complete B2B toolkit built in.
Here are the core Shopify B2B features you unlock on Plus:
- Company profiles with multiple buyers and locations
- Price lists for customer-specific pricing
- Payment terms like Net 15, Net 30, or Net 60
- Custom catalogs per company
- B2B checkout with purchase orders and company account billing
- Quantity rules for minimums, maximums, and increments
If you are still deciding whether Shopify fits your needs at all, start with our guide on how to start a Shopify store.
Step 1: Plan Your Wholesale Setup
Before you touch the admin, map out how your wholesale business works.
Answer these questions first:
- Who are your buyers? Retailers, distributors, or both?
- Will you sell wholesale only, or wholesale plus retail?
- Do you need tiered pricing by volume or by customer?
- What payment terms will you offer?
- What minimum order quantities make sense?
Writing these down saves hours of rework later. A clear plan also helps you avoid common Shopify store setup mistakes that cost sales.
Step 2: Choose Your Store Structure
You have two main structures for running B2B on Shopify.
Combined store. Wholesale and retail live under one storefront. Customers log in to see wholesale pricing, while retail shoppers browse normally. This works well if you sell to both audiences.
Dedicated B2B store. You use an expansion store that serves only wholesale buyers. This keeps your B2B experience clean and separate. Shopify Plus merchants can run expansion stores at no extra cost.
For most owners starting out, the combined approach is simpler to manage. You avoid duplicating products and inventory across stores.
Step 3: Set Up Company Profiles
Company profiles are the backbone of Shopify B2B. Each profile represents a business customer, not an individual shopper.
Within a company, you can:
- Add multiple buyers under one account
- Assign different locations or branches
- Set location-specific payment terms
- Control which catalogs each buyer sees
To create one, go to Customers in your admin, then select Companies. Add the business name, contact details, and buyer emails. Each buyer gets their own login tied to the company.
This structure mirrors how real businesses buy. A regional manager and a head office buyer can both order under the same company, with different permissions.
Step 4: Create Price Lists and Catalogs
Pricing is where B2B gets interesting. Shopify lets you build catalogs and price lists that show different prices to different customers.
A catalog is a collection of products with its own pricing. You assign catalogs to companies, so each buyer sees only what applies to them.
You can set pricing in a few ways:
| Pricing Method | How It Works | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed price | Set a specific price per product | Widget at $8 for Retailer A |
| Percentage off | Discount off retail price | 30% off all items |
| Volume-based | Price drops at quantity tiers | $10 each, $8 at 100+ units |
To set this up, go to Products, then Catalogs, and create a new catalog. Add your products, apply your pricing rules, and assign the catalog to a company.
This is the heart of your Shopify wholesale setup. Get your pricing logic right here, and the rest falls into place.
Step 5: Configure Quantity Rules and Minimums
Wholesale buyers rarely order a single unit. Set quantity rules to enforce realistic order sizes.
Shopify lets you define three rules per product:
- Minimum quantity a buyer must order
- Maximum quantity allowed per order
- Increment the quantity must follow (for example, cases of 12)
You apply these within your catalog. A buyer who tries to order below the minimum gets a prompt to adjust. This prevents tiny orders that eat into your margins.
Step 6: Set Up Payment Terms
Businesses expect to pay on terms, not always upfront. Shopify B2B supports flexible payment options.
You can offer:
- Immediate payment by card at checkout
- Net terms like Net 15, Net 30, or Net 60
- Deposits with the balance due later
Assign payment terms at the company level. A trusted long-term buyer might get Net 60, while a new account pays upfront until they build history.
When you offer net terms, you invoice the buyer and they pay within the agreed window. Pairing this with a clean accounting workflow matters. Our Shopify Xero integration guide shows how to sync orders and invoices automatically so your books stay accurate.
Step 7: Customize the B2B Checkout
The B2B checkout differs from retail. Your buyers need features that match how businesses purchase.
Shopify B2B checkout supports:
- Purchase order numbers entered at checkout
- Company billing tied to the account
- Pre-filled shipping to saved business locations
- Multiple ship-to addresses for different branches
Make sure your checkout collects the data your finance team needs. A clear purchase order field alone saves hours of reconciliation.
Step 8: Control Access to Your Store
Many wholesalers do not want the public seeing their prices. You have a few ways to lock things down.
Password protection. Hide the entire store behind a password. Simple but restrictive.
Customer login requirement. Show the store publicly but hide wholesale pricing until a buyer logs in.
Account approval. Require new buyers to apply, then approve them manually before they see pricing.
The login approach works best for most B2B stores. It lets prospects browse while keeping your negotiated prices private.
Step 9: Design a Store That Works for Buyers
B2B buyers want efficiency, not flashy design. Your store should make reordering fast and finding products easy.
Focus on these elements:
- Fast reorder buttons for repeat purchases
- Bulk order forms so buyers add many items at once
- Clear product specs with SKUs, dimensions, and units
- Order history that buyers can access anytime
While your design should prioritize function, do not ignore conversion. The same principles that help a high-converting clothing store apply here: clear navigation, fast load times, and strong product pages.
Before you launch, run through our Shopify store setup checklist to make sure you have covered the essentials.
Step 10: Set Up Taxes Correctly
Tax handling in B2B can get complex. Many wholesale sales are tax-exempt because buyers resell the goods.
You need to:
- Collect resale or exemption certificates from eligible buyers
- Mark exempt customers as tax-exempt in their profile
- Apply correct tax rules for taxable sales
Getting this wrong invites audits and penalties. Our detailed walkthrough on Shopify tax setup covers US, UK, and international rules in depth.
Step 11: Plan for International Buyers
Wholesale often crosses borders. If you sell to buyers in other countries, prepare for it early.
Consider:
- Displaying prices in local currencies
- Showing your store in multiple languages
- Handling duties and import rules clearly
Shopify Markets handles much of this. Our guides on Shopify international expansion and multilingual and multi-currency setup walk you through the steps.
Step 12: Automate and Integrate
Manual work kills efficiency as you grow. Automate what you can from day one.
A few high-value integrations:
- Accounting sync to push orders into your books
- ERP or inventory sync to keep stock accurate across channels
- POS connection if you also sell in person
If you run a physical location alongside your online store, our Shopify POS integration guide shows how to sync both.
For developers who want custom automation, Shopify webhooks let you trigger actions when orders are placed, inventory changes, or customers sign up. This is powerful for syncing B2B data with external systems.
Step 13: Market Your Wholesale Store
Marketing B2B differs from retail, but email and retention still drive most of your revenue.
Email automation. Set up flows that welcome new accounts, confirm orders, and prompt reorders. Our Shopify email flows guide shows exactly how to build these.
Customer retention. In B2B, repeat buyers are everything. A single account can order for years. Our customer retention strategy guide helps you keep them loyal.
SEO. Even wholesale buyers search Google. Use Shopify’s built-in SEO features to rank for the products your buyers look for.
AI assistance. Writing product descriptions for a large catalog takes time. Learn how to write product descriptions with AI to speed things up without sacrificing quality.
Common Wholesale Setups Compared
Not every wholesale business needs the same structure. Here is a quick comparison.
| Business Type | Recommended Setup | Key Feature Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Pure wholesale | Dedicated B2B store | Login-gated catalogs |
| Wholesale plus retail | Combined store | Customer-specific pricing |
| Multi-location buyers | Company profiles | Multiple ship-to addresses |
| Subscription supply | Recurring orders | Payment terms plus auto-reorder |
If recurring orders are central to your model, our guide on Shopify subscription businesses explains how to set up recurring billing.
Should You Build It Yourself or Hire Help?
B2B setup is more involved than a standard store. You configure company profiles, pricing logic, catalogs, tax rules, and integrations.
If you have time and enjoy the technical side, you can build it yourself with this guide. If you would rather launch fast and get it right the first time, consider the trade-offs in our article on whether to hire someone to build your Shopify store.
A professional setup pays off when your pricing logic is complex or your integrations are mission-critical.
Avoiding Common B2B Mistakes
A few mistakes trip up new wholesale stores. Watch for these.
- Overcomplicating pricing. Start with simple tiers, then refine.
- Ignoring buyer experience. Slow reordering frustrates business customers.
- Skipping tax exemptions. Collect certificates before you launch.
- No automation. Manual invoicing does not scale.
- Weak onboarding. Make it easy for new accounts to get approved and start ordering.
If you are migrating from another platform, our guides on Squarespace to Shopify migration and Wix to Shopify migration cover how to move cleanly without losing data.
Final Thoughts
Building a Shopify B2B wholesale store is more accessible than ever. Native tools on Shopify Plus handle company accounts, custom pricing, payment terms, and B2B checkout without the fragile app stacks of the past.
Start by planning your buyers, pricing, and structure. Then set up company profiles, catalogs, and quantity rules. Lock down access, configure taxes, and automate your workflows. Finally, market to your buyers with email flows and retention strategies that keep them ordering for years.
Take it one step at a time, and you will have a wholesale store that scales with your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Shopify Plus for a B2B wholesale store?
You need Shopify Plus for native B2B features like company profiles and price lists. On lower plans, you can run basic wholesale using third-party apps instead.
Can I sell both wholesale and retail on the same Shopify store?
Yes. A combined store lets retail shoppers browse normally while wholesale buyers log in to see custom pricing. This is the simplest setup for most owners.
How do I offer Net 30 payment terms on Shopify?
Shopify B2B lets you assign payment terms like Net 15, 30, or 60 at the company level. You invoice the buyer and they pay within the agreed window.
Can I hide wholesale prices from the public?
Yes. You can require buyers to log in before showing pricing, or protect the entire store with a password. Login-gated pricing is the most common approach.
How do I handle tax-exempt wholesale buyers?
Collect resale or exemption certificates, then mark eligible customers as tax-exempt in their profile. Shopify will skip tax on their qualifying orders.
Can I set minimum order quantities for wholesale?
Yes. Shopify lets you set minimum, maximum, and increment quantity rules per product within a catalog, so buyers order realistic volumes.
