As B2B e-commerce continues to experience rapid growth in 2025, platforms like Shopify are becoming essential for businesses looking to manage both retail and wholesale operations efficiently.
Shopify, known historically as a direct-to-consumer (DTC) platform, has quickly evolved into a robust solution for this booming B2B market. But is Shopify for B2B or B2C? The short answer is both, it can power your retail and wholesale operations under one roof. Let’s explore Shopify B2B and what it entails.Â
What is Shopify B2B?Â
Shopify B2B refers to a suite of native features (available on Shopify Plus) that enable merchants to sell to other businesses through the same Shopify admin and storefront used for consumers​.Â
In practical terms, you can run a B2C storefront and a B2B wholesale portal from a single platform, even a single website, instead of managing separate systems. This unified approach is huge for efficiency. You can maintain one product catalog, one inventory, and one admin dashboard while segmenting pricing and content for different customer groups.
Who is Shopify B2B for?Â
It’s ideal for any brand or merchant that sells in bulk or at wholesale rates to other businesses. This could be manufacturers selling to retailers, distributors selling to trade customers, or even consumer brands with a “trade” program (e.g. a furniture store selling to interior designers at bulk rates). Whether you’re a small business starting to take wholesale orders or an enterprise serving multiple large accounts, Shopify’s B2B features can adapt to your needs.
Key features of Shopify B2B
Shopify B2B comes with a wide range of features tailored to the needs of wholesale and B2B businesses. Here are the key capabilities that make Shopify for B2B such a powerful platform:
Custom Pricing & Tiered Pricing
One of the core features of Shopify B2B is its ability to set up custom pricing for individual business customers.Â
You can create tiered pricing based on quantity, allowing for discounts when customers order in larger quantities, thus incentivizing bulk purchases.Â
This feature helps you manage wholesale pricing efficiently while maintaining margins.
Net Terms & Invoicing
Net terms (likeNet 30, Net 60) are essential for many B2B buyers, and Shopify makes it easy to offer them.Â
You can allow customers to place orders and receive products without paying immediately, with invoices due later.Â
This feature is critical for suppliers who work with clients that need more time to settle payments.
Customer Segmentation
Shopify enables customer segmentation at the core, allowing you to categorize wholesale customers into different groups and offer them tailored pricing, discounts, and even different catalogs based on their status (e.g., preferred or regular business customers).Â
Company profiles help organize and manage these customer segments by consolidating accounts under one business umbrella.
Company Profiles
With Shopify B2B, you can create detailed company profiles that link multiple buyers to a single business entity.Â
This is especially useful when a company has several employees who make purchasing decisions, as it provides a unified experience across all buyer accounts while managing their orders centrally.
Flexible Payment Options
Shopify supports a variety of payment options for B2B customers, including credit accounts, which let customers pay later.Â
This flexibility is crucial for companies that need to manage large orders over extended periods.Â
Bulk Ordering
B2B buyers often have specific ordering needs. Shopify allows you to offer quick order forms, bulk purchase options, and even order minimums that make purchasing for business customers as efficient as possible.
Custom Storefronts & APIs
Shopify’s flexibility with custom storefronts and headless commerce capabilities means that B2B merchants can fully customize the customer-facing side of their business, creating unique shopping experiences for business clients.Â
APIs also allow you to integrate Shopify seamlessly with other enterprise software like ERPs, CRMs, and accounting systems.
Advanced Analytics
Shopify’s advanced analytics tools help you track sales data, customer behavior, and inventory trends, which are crucial for B2B operations where managing large inventories and business relationships is key.
By utilizing these features, Shopify B2B enables businesses to streamline their operations, boost efficiency, and offer a seamless experience to their business clients.
Shopify B2B PricingÂ
Shopify's full suite of Shopify B2B features is available only with the Shopify Plus plan, starting at $2,300/month. This plan offers advanced tools for custom pricing, dedicated wholesale storefronts, and more. For merchants not on Shopify Plus, Shopify B2B capabilities can still be accessed through third-party apps or workarounds, though these may lack the seamless integration and customization of Plus features.
Here’s a breakdown of the Shopify B2B pricing features available at different levels:
Feature
Shopify Plus
Other Shopify Plans
B2B Pricing
Fully integrated with Shopify Plus
Requires third-party apps or workarounds
Custom Pricing for Wholesale
Yes, with volume-based pricing, specific customer pricing, and tiered discounts
Limited functionality through apps
Wholesale Storefront
Dedicated, customizable B2B storefront
Can be created using apps like Wholesale Gorilla or B2B/Wholesale Solution
Customer Segmentation
Advanced segmentation and customer groups based on spending habits
Available with some apps but requires manual setup
Bulk Ordering Features
Built-in support for bulk ordering
Quick Order apps and custom order forms required
Advanced Reporting
Access to advanced reports tailored for B2B transactions
Basic reports unless using apps like Analytics and Reporting
Dedicated Support
24/7 priority support
Limited support, reliant on app support
Setting up Shopify B2B
Getting started with Shopify B2B involves a few key steps in your Shopify admin:
Enable B2B Features: If you're on Shopify Plus, you can enable B2B features in your store settings.
Create Company Profiles: For each of your business customers, you’ll create a Company Profile. These profiles allow you to manage your B2B accounts effectively.
Define Price Lists: Within each Company Profile, you can define custom wholesale prices by setting up price lists for different B2B customers.
Set Payment Terms: You can set net payment terms (such as Net 30, Net 60) for each company, providing them with flexible payment options.
Assign Customer Accounts: Assign customer accounts that are tagged as B2B to the appropriate Company Profile. Shopify will recognize these tagged accounts as B2B buyers.
Grant Special Pricing and Terms: Whenever these B2B customers log in and shop, they’ll be automatically granted the special pricing and payment terms you’ve set up for them.
This process makes it easy for Shopify to support B2B sales by offering personalized pricing and terms tailored to each business customer.
Must-Have Shopify B2B Apps to Scale Your Store
To effectively scale your Shopify store for B2B operations, integrating specialized apps can significantly enhance functionality and streamline processes. Here are some top-rated Shopify B2B apps to consider:
1. SparkLayer B2B & Wholesale Solution
SparkLayer transforms your existing Shopify store into a comprehensive B2B platform. It offers features like custom pricing, quick order forms, and net payment terms, catering to both B2B and B2C customers. SparkLayer supports multi-currency and multi-language, making it suitable for international businesses. ​
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2. BSS Commerce: B2B & Wholesale Solution
BSS Commerce provides a robust suite of B2B features, including custom pricing, volume discounts, and VAT management, essential for international sales. It integrates seamlessly with Shopify, offering a user-friendly interface and reliable performance. ​
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3. Wholesale Pricing Discount B2B
Wholesale Pricing Discount B2Bapp allows you to set advanced discounting rules, customer-specific pricing, and bulk order incentives. It ensures a smooth experience for both B2B and B2C customers, enhancing your store's versatility.
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4. Wholesale Gorilla
Wholesale Gorilla enables wholesale pricing, minimum order requirements, and custom discounts for B2B customers. Perfect for businesses needing an easy way to manage wholesale sales on Shopify.
Building a customized B2B store
Finally, success in B2B e-commerce isn’t just about flipping on features, it’s about crafting an experience that fits business buyers.Â
That might mean using a specialized Shopify B2B theme optimized for bulk ordering, adding helpful content (line sheets, FAQ, support info) for your wholesale customers, and perhaps tweaking your storefront to require a login to view pricing.Â
Shopify gives you the tools, but it’s up to you to shape them into a smooth, branded wholesale storefront.Â
Key Differences Between B2C and B2B Ecommerce on Shopify
Price Lists and customer-specific pricing on Shopify Plus
Accounts and Users
Single user accounts
Multi-user accounts, company accounts with several staff logins and roles (e.g., manager approval)
Company profiles with multiple contacts and user roles
Payment and Checkout
Paid via credit card, PayPal, etc.
Use of purchase orders, bank transfers, or deferred payment terms (e.g., Net 30)
B2B features for deferred payment and invoicing (mark orders as "Payment due later")
Ordering Process
Simple, one-time purchases
Large, repetitive orders with potential bulk purchases, quick reorders, or CSV uploads
Quick order forms, CSV imports, and one-click reorders via Shopify apps
Customer Verification
Open to all shoppers
Requires customer vetting (e.g., only approved retailers can buy wholesale)
Customer tags, themes that hide prices, and apps for wholesale sign-up and approval
This table highlights the major differences between B2C and B2B ecommerce, and how Shopify’s features, particularly in Shopify Plus, cater to the unique needs of B2B ecommerce.
What Makes Shopify a Powerful B2B Ecommerce Platform
Shopify’s strength for B2B in 2025 comes from a combination of native wholesale features and the overall flexibility and ecosystem that the platform offers. Here are the top reasons Shopify stands out as a B2B ecommerce solution:
Unified Platform for Retail and Wholesale
As discussed, Shopify lets you run retail and wholesale in one place.Â
You can maintain a single product database and simply assign different prices or access levels to B2B customers.
This unity means less overhead and a more consistent brand experience.Â
No more forcing your wholesale clients to use an outdated portal; they get the same modern, user-friendly interface as retail customers.
Native B2B Features in Shopify Plus
 If you’re on Shopify Plus, the built-in B2B toolkit is robust.Â
You have customer segmentation through Company accounts, custom catalogs/price lists, net payment terms, and even the ability to offer exclusive products to certain buyers.Â
These features cover most typical wholesale scenarios without needing extra apps or custom code.Â
Shopify has essentially productized the common requirements of B2B selling. Setting tiered pricing or offering a custom checkout flow for wholesale is now as easy as a few clicks in the admin.
Customization via Themes and LiquidÂ
Every B2B business has its own processes.Â
Shopify’s theme system (Liquid) and extensibility means you can customize the user experience to fit your buyers. Want to hide prices until a customer logs in and is approved? You can absolutely do that with a small Liquid tweak or an app.Â
Need to add an “Order Again” button or a form for quote requests? Liquid and Shopify’s API make it possible. For more advanced needs, Shopify Plus allows checkout customizations (with Checkout Extensibility) so you can even adapt the wholesale checkout with extra fields (like PO number fields or customer notes for internal reference).
Headless and API flexibility
Larger B2B operations sometimes prefer a headless commerce approach, using Shopify as the backend but a custom frontend interface (for example, a custom ordering portal or mobile app for your dealers). Shopify’s robust APIs enable this.Â
You can tap into Shopify’s GraphQL API to fetch product data, customer-specific prices, and inventory, and then build a tailor-made front-end that suits your business buyers. This way, if the default Shopify theme experience doesn’t meet a niche need, you aren’t stuck; you have the power to build what you want on top of Shopify’s reliable backend.
Reliability and Security
B2B orders are often high value, and your business clients expect a reliable system.Â
Shopify’s cloud infrastructure scales effortlessly, meaning even if one of your B2B customers suddenly places a $100,000 order or you have a rush of wholesale traffic, the platform can handle it.Â
Security features like PCI compliance, SSL, fraud analysis, and user permissions are built in. You can confidently onboard your largest enterprise clients to Shopify, knowing the tech foundation is solid (sometimes even more so than older legacy B2B systems).
Integration with ERP and Systems
Most established B2B sellers rely on ERP (enterprise resource planning) or accounting systems like SAP, NetSuite, or QuickBooks Enterprise to manage inventory and orders.Â
Shopify doesn’t operate in isolation; it offers integrations and APIs to seamlessly sync with these systems.Â
For example, you can use a connector app or Shopify Flow to push orders to your ERP, update inventory levels in real-time, or sync customer data.Â
If you already have established processes, Shopify can typically integrate smoothly through these connections without requiring a complete system overhaul.
Picking the Perfect Shopify B2B Theme
Design and user experience matter in B2B e-commerce just as much as in B2C. Choosing the right Shopify theme (or customizing one) can greatly enhance your B2B site’s usability. Here’s what to consider when picking a Shopify B2B theme:
Why Shopify B2B UX Matters
A well-designed B2B storefront can shorten the ordering time, reduce errors, and increase order frequency. Think of features like an easy-to-navigate catalog (so customers can quickly find SKUs), a layout that accommodates large order quantities (tables or lists instead of big image grids), and prominent account/order links.Â
Features of B2B-ready Shopify themes
Customer Accounts: Easy login and accessible account menus for repeat B2B buyers. Look for dropdown login options for convenience.
Table/List Views: B2B buyers prefer compact product lists with smaller images and more items per page. Quick order lists or quantity selectors on collection pages are beneficial.
Catalog Mode/Hide Prices: Themes that allow hiding prices and add-to-cart buttons until login are ideal for approved customers. Look for built-in solutions or simple customization options.
Mega-Menu: A robust mega-menu helps display large catalogs, offering multi-column dropdowns for easy navigation across categories and subcategories.
Search & Filtering: Themes that enhance search bar visibility, integrate with instant search apps, and provide good filtering options help B2B buyers quickly find products.
Responsive & Desktop-Optimized: While mobile ordering is growing, many B2B buyers prefer desktop. Ensure the theme works well on desktops with complex layouts while being responsive on mobile.
Performance: Fast-loading themes with lightweight code improve browsing efficiency, crucial for B2B sites, especially those with login restrictions. Choose a theme known for good performance.
Recommended B2B Shopify ThemesÂ
The Shopify Theme Store has a few themes and styles that cater well to wholesale needs. Here are some top picks:
This is a free theme built specifically for wholesale businesses. It features a clean, professional design and highlights like optimized layouts for B2B and an included quick order list feature​. Trade is great for large catalogs, and being a Shopify-made theme, it’s very stable. It even notes that Plus merchants can set up quantity rules and volume pricing displays easily​. If you want a no-frills, purpose-built wholesale theme, Trade is a fantastic starting point.
Xtra is a premium theme that offers multiple styles, one of which is explicitly “Wholesale”. It’s praised for its flexibility and has a 99% positive rating​. The Wholesale preset likely includes design elements suitable for B2B. Xtra boasts fast performance and lots of customization options​. Xtra is a good candidate if you want a theme you can tweak to your heart’s content and ensure it will scale.
Athens is known for its versatility and sophisticated look, but it’s also a solid choice for B2B. It has features like slide-out carts and robust filtering that benefit wholesale users​. It’s a paid theme (around $300 one-time), but it offers an unlimited free trial so you can test it. Athens’ design is clean and modern, giving a polished face to your B2B portal without sacrificing functionality.
This theme provides a minimalist, high-performance design. Bullet’s features include quick buys and sticky cart which are useful for bulk add-to-cart scenarios​. It’s built to handle large catalogs with ease and has great mobile optimizations as well, if your buyers do use phones. It’s another premium theme (~$360) worth considering for a sleek B2B interface.
Expanse is often recommended for stores with large inventories, which aligns with many B2B needs. It has an intuitive sidebar filter, a clean grid that can pack products densely, and built-in promotion sections for things like bulk deals​. Many Plus merchants use Expanse for its reliability. Price is ~$400, and it’s well-supported.
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Other Notables
‍Canopy (by Clean Canvas) has a wholesome design that can work for B2B, North and Habitat (by Fuel Themes) are modern and could be tailored to wholesale, and Warehouse (by Maestrooo), as the name suggests, is built for large catalogs and could serve a wholesale store well.
How to Find a Shopify B2B Theme?Â
When browsing the Shopify Theme Store, use filters or search terms like “Wholesale” or “Large catalog” or “B2B”. Read the theme descriptions; some explicitly mention catering to wholesale or high-volume stores.Â
Remember you can always customize a theme. If a theme is 80% perfect, you or a Shopify developer can tweak the code to add that missing piece (be it showing SKU codes in listings, or adding an order-by-number form). Many merchants opt for a mix: choose a theme for the general style and structure, then customize it for specific B2B features.
A great theme will ensure your site doesn’t just function for wholesale but truly delights your B2B customers with how easy it is to use.Â
Limitations of Shopify for B2B and Smart Workarounds
Shopify, while a powerful platform for B2B e-commerce, does have limitations when it comes to complex B2B requirements. Here are some potential gaps and workarounds:
Complex Pricing: Shopify Plus covers many B2B pricing scenarios, but extremely complex rules might be challenging. For example, managing negotiated prices for thousands of SKUs for multiple customers can be cumbersome. Workaround: Use apps like BSS’s Wholesale Solution for bulk pricing management via CSV or integrate an ERP.
Draft Orders or Quotes: Shopify’s draft order system may not be ideal for high-volume B2B quote requests. Workaround: Apps like Quick Quote or CRM integrations can enhance the quoting experience, allowing for modifications and follow-ups.
Customer Login UX: Shopify’s passwordless login may confuse some customers. Workaround: Educate customers, or continue using classic accounts if the new login method is a deal-breaker. Shopify is expected to improve this feature.
100-Variant Limit: Shopify caps product variants at 100, which can be restrictive for B2B products with many options. Workaround: Use apps to extend variants or structure products differently to stay within the limit.
Credit Limit Management: Shopify lacks native credit limit management. Workaround: Use accounting software or apps like Apruve to manage credit accounts and outstanding balances.
Content Segmentation: Shopify doesn’t offer native user-role-based content segmentation. Workaround: Use Liquid conditions or duplicate templates to display different content for B2B customers.
International B2B Complexity: Shopify Plus offers Shopify Markets for internationalization, but managing multi-currency pricing and localized catalogs can be complex. Workaround: Consider separate stores for different regions or currencies.
Despite these limitations, Shopify’s ecosystem of apps and integrations can typically solve most issues. If your B2B needs grow, upgrading to Shopify Plus can simplify operations and reduce reliance on multiple apps. For smaller B2B needs, a basic Shopify plan with the right apps may suffice.
Is Shopify the Right Fit for Your B2B Business?
By now, we’ve discussed features, apps, themes, and workarounds, but you might still wonder, “Is Shopify actually the right platform for my B2B business?” The answer depends on your specific scenario, but for most merchants the answer leans toward yes. Let’s break down ideal use cases and considerations:
Ideal Shopify B2B use cases:
Brands with hybrid B2C + B2B needs: If you sell direct to consumers but also have a wholesale program, Shopify is a no-brainer. It allows you to unify these channels. Many modern brands (fashion, beauty, food, etc.) operate this hybrid model, they have a consumer site and a “Retailers” or “Wholesale” login for stockists. Shopify Plus is built to handle exactly that scenario efficiently.
Small-to-mid-sized wholesalers/distributors: If you’re a pure B2B business (no consumer sales) but you’re in the SMB or mid-market range, Shopify will give you enterprise-like capabilities without needing a big IT department. You can quickly spin up a professional wholesale portal that impresses your clients, and scale it as you grow. The low maintenance (cloud-hosted, no software updates to worry about) is a huge plus if you don’t want to manage infrastructure.
DTC companies expanding into wholesale: Perhaps you started as a DTC brand on Shopify, and now large retail chains or other businesses want to buy from you, extending your existing Shopify store to support B2B is typically faster and more cost-effective than adopting a separate wholesale platform. You can leverage what you already have (products, fulfillment workflows) and just layer on B2B features.
Niche B2B industries needing a modern touch: If you’re in an industry where competitors have clunky ordering systems or still rely on fax/email, using Shopify for B2B can be a competitive advantage. Think of sectors like industrial supplies, or regional food distribution, many players still haven’t embraced seamless online ordering. Shopify can be your secret weapon to win clients with a superior experience.
When might Shopify B2B not fit?
If you’re a very large distributor with tens of thousands of SKUs, highly complex pricing contracts, and deeply integrated legacy systems, you might require heavy customization that could push Shopify’s boundaries. Those cases might consider specialized enterprise solutions. However, even some large wholesalers are moving to Shopify Plus because it’s more future-proof and user-friendly, using a headless approach to tackle any front-end complexities. So, it often comes down to mindset: are you willing to adapt slightly to Shopify’s paradigm in exchange for agility and cost savings? Most find it’s worth it.
ConclusionÂ
Shopify B2B provides a flexible and scalable platform for B2B e-commerce, offering essential features like custom pricing, net terms, and customer segmentation.
Its ability to manage both retail and wholesale operations under one roof simplifies workflows and enhances efficiency. With powerful customization options and seamless integration with existing systems, Shopify is an ideal solution for businesses looking to scale their B2B operations in 2025.
Hurrify customers to buy within a given timeframe with a sales countdown timer & improve conversions
Another popular Shopify checkout app is Checkout Promotions. The app comes with the ability to leverage a collection of highly robust visibility rules that help show customers one-click post purchase upsell promotions after an order payment has been made. Some of its key features include:
Features
AI recommended and manual recommendations for upselling.
Complete branding control.
Checkout Upsell for increasing AOV.
AI recommended and manual recommendations for upselling.
Pricing
Development
Free
Monthly Plan
$99/ month
Plus Plan
$99/ month
Plus Plan
$99/ month
FAQs on Shopify B2B
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Neetika M
Neetika is the founder of Skai Lama. Passionate about building SaaS, Product Development, and Marketing, she talks about eCommerce Growth, Product Bundling, Gifting, Retention, and Shopify.
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