Shopify Plus has native B2B features, but you don’t need Plus to run a successful wholesale operation. Here’s how to set up B2B wholesale on standard Shopify plans.
The Challenge With Standard Shopify B2B
Shopify Plus has a dedicated B2B portal with company accounts, catalog-level pricing, and payment terms. On standard plans, you need to replicate this with apps and creative use of Shopify’s existing features.
Method 1: Password-Protected Wholesale Section
Create a separate Shopify store on a subdomain (wholesale.yourstore.com) with:
- Password protection enabled (Online Store → Preferences → Password)
- Trade pricing set as the actual product prices
- Wholesale-only products listed
Share the password with approved wholesale customers only.
Method 2: Customer Tag-Based Pricing
Apps like Wholesale Gorilla or Bold Custom Pricing offer pricing based on customer tags:
- Assign a “wholesale” or “trade” tag to approved customer accounts
- Configure the app to show wholesale prices to tagged customers when logged in
- Retail customers see normal prices; wholesale customers see their discounted rates
Method 3: Discount Codes for Wholesale
The simplest approach: create percentage-off discount codes for each wholesale tier. Issue unique codes per wholesale customer so you can track usage and revoke access if needed.
Method 4: Manual Quotation + Draft Orders
For small wholesale operations, use Shopify’s Draft Orders feature:
- Wholesale customer emails you to place an order
- You create a Draft Order with their products and agreed prices
- Send the invoice link via email
- Customer pays via the link
This works well for low-volume wholesale but doesn’t scale.
Recommended Apps for B2B on Standard Shopify
- Wholesale Gorilla — comprehensive wholesale solution, tiered pricing, minimum orders
- Wholesale Club by Orbit — tag-based pricing, wholesale registration form
- Handshake (Shopify’s wholesale marketplace) — list your products for other businesses to discover
