Wholesale is the lowest drama way to add durable revenue to a DTC brand. Orders are larger, CAC is lower, and reorders create predictable cash flow. Buyer behavior is also moving in your favor. The latest B2B Pulse from McKinsey reports that buyers now split interactions evenly across in person, remote, and pure self serve, and that ecommerce is the top revenue generating channel for companies that offer it. The research adds that decision makers use about ten touchpoints in a typical buying journey and are increasingly comfortable closing large orders online. You can build for that experience on Shopify today.
What B2B on Shopify Really Includes
B2B on Shopify is a native feature set focused on wholesale workflows. You configure companies, assign price lists and payment terms, publish buyer specific catalogs, and give buyers a login to self serve ordering. The official overview explains how company records, Markets, catalogs, checkout, payments, and customer accounts all fit together for B2B operations. The same guide clarifies that B2B on Shopify is a Plus only capability, and that there are requirements such as activating new customer accounts and setting up companies in admin. According to Shopify’s requirements page, accelerated checkouts like Shop Pay and Apple Pay are incompatible with B2B orders, and subscriptions and legacy customer accounts are also disabled for B2B transactions.
If you are not on Shopify yet, you can start a store with Shopify then plan your upgrade to Plus once your wholesale roadmap is defined and your pipeline justifies the move.
Pricing Models That Protect Retailer Margins and Your Brand
Wholesale pricing has two jobs. It must sustain retailer margin targets and protect your brand positioning. Get these right before you pitch retailers.
MSRP and markup targets. Many retailers aim for keystone pricing, which is roughly 50 percent gross margin. If your MSRP is 50 dollars, a simple wholesale price is 25 dollars. Some categories target 55 to 60 percent margins. Reverse the math by working from MSRP and the margin your buyers require.
Discount structures. Instead of a single wholesale price, many brands use fixed percentage discounts off MSRP by customer tier. Example: standard wholesale 50 percent off, key accounts 55 percent off, distributors 60 percent off. Shopify’s B2B catalogs support fixed prices and percentage based adjustments per SKU or collection.
Volume pricing. Wholesale buyers expect price breaks on larger quantities. Shopify documents how to set volume pricing by variant with up to 10 price breaks per product, and how those breaks stack with other catalog rules.
Quantity rules and case packs. Shopify’s B2B quantity rules let you enforce minimums, maximums, and increments at the variant level so you can sell in case packs and prevent broken cases. If your 12 pack coffee case should always sell in twelves, set an increment of 12 so carts can only add 12, 24, 36, and so on.
MAP policies. Minimum advertised price protects retailers from destructive price wars. As the FTC’s guidance on manufacturer imposed requirements states, manufacturers must set prices independently, and policies must respect antitrust rules. For a plain English primer on MAP for ecommerce, Shopify’s MAP overview explains how brands use advertised price floors to maintain brand integrity. Work with counsel to implement a lawful policy and communicate it clearly in your wholesale terms.
According to Shopify’s catalog documentation, when a buyer has multiple catalogs assigned and a product appears in more than one, the lowest price wins. Plan tiers and breaks carefully to avoid unintended undercutting.
Step by Step: Set Up Buyer Specific Catalogs in Shopify
Shopify uses catalogs to publish custom products and prices to specific buyers and markets. The workflow is straightforward once you know where it lives.
Create companies and locations. The B2B features overview shows how to set up companies and assign addresses, contacts, and tax settings. You can invite buyer contacts and manage permissions.
Build catalogs. From Markets, create catalogs that include all products or a curated set, then set fixed prices, percentage adjustments, and currency per SKU. The catalogs page explains that you can assign multiple catalogs to a company or even to specific locations.
Add volume pricing and quantity rules. Shopify’s quantity and volume pricing guide shows how to add variant level increments, minimums, and price breaks, with clear steps and limitations. Use breaks to drive higher average order value and set increments for case packs.
Assign catalogs to buyers. You can assign a catalog to a market or directly to a company location for precise control. Buyer logins will then see only the products and prices in their assigned catalogs.
Segment blended stores. If you run one storefront for DTC and wholesale, the B2B features overview shows how to use Markets to segment experiences and content. Hide B2B only content from retail shoppers and vice versa.
Pro tip. If you prefer a dedicated wholesale theme, Shopify’s Trade theme is designed for B2B. It supports quick order lists and can hide pricing for shoppers who are not logged in.
Offer Net Terms The Right Way
Net terms are table stakes for many buyers and they can materially lift conversion on larger orders. Shopify’s payment terms guide lets you assign net 7, 15, 30, 45, 60, or 90, as well as due on fulfillment or due on receipt, to each company location. You can also require deposits, which is useful for made to order or large seasonal buys. During the term window, buyers can log in and click Pay now on an order. Payments do not auto capture at term expiry, so plan an accounts receivable process to invoice, remind, and reconcile.
Shopify notes that you can vault credit cards for B2B, accept partial payments, and use manual payment methods for checks and ACH. For automation, Shopify Flow can send payment reminders on due dates and tag overdue orders. TreviPay’s research indicates that buyer loyalty rises when sellers offer preferred payment methods and a smoother invoicing experience, which supports the case for offering trade credit thoughtfully.
One more consideration. Shopify’s B2B requirements page clarifies that some features are off by default for B2B, such as discounts, manual payments, pickup in store, and abandoned checkouts. Ask Support to enable what you need and test payment flows in a sandbox before inviting buyers.
Operational Constraints You Should Plan Around
Plan requirement. The requirements page confirms B2B is included with Shopify Plus only, with no additional B2B fees.
Line item limits. B2B orders have a 500 line item limit and draft orders max at 200 line items. Very large assortments may need buyers to split carts or you to use CSV order import tools.
Manual capture. If a B2B order uses terms without a valid authorization and is due on fulfillment, you must capture payment manually in admin.
Disabled checkouts. Accelerated wallets are not supported for B2B. Make sure your buyer onboarding explains accepted methods, such as purchase order, card on file, ACH, or check.
These are not blockers. They are planning signals for process and communication.
When to Use Apps or Marketplaces
Shopify’s native B2B covers most wholesale needs. Apps can add conveniences or deeper workflows.
B2B UX enhancers. Apps like SparkLayer add quick order forms, sales rep masking, quoting, and account specific merchandising. The SparkLayer app listing highlights B2B pricing, quoting, invoices, and quantity rules. Evaluate this class of apps if you need a faster starting point or a more robust self serve ordering experience.
Wholesale marketplaces. Faire is now Shopify’s recommended wholesale marketplace. Faire announced a partnership where Shopify became a shareholder and Faire offers a fully integrated seller channel and buyer app for Shopify merchants. This lets you place your catalog in front of hundreds of thousands of independent retailers and sync orders and inventory with Shopify. It is a practical way to seed your retailer base while your direct outreach ramps.
Retailer Outreach That Actually Opens Doors
Wholesale does not sell itself. Here is a pragmatic playbook DTC teams can run while your Shopify B2B setup goes live.
Define your retailer ICP and build a list. Start with 50 to 100 targets where your product is a basket builder, not a me too SKU. Use geography to reduce freight cost early, then widen. Layer on marketplace discovery by listing on Faire to capture inbound interest while you prospect.
Build a line sheet and wholesale page. Buyers expect a simple PDF line sheet that shows product images, SKUs, wholesale price, MSRP, case pack, MOQ, and terms. The Wholesale In a Box guide describes line sheet essentials and why they matter for buyers. Host a locked Wholesale page on your site with your story, category awards, minimums, ship windows, and a short application form. In Shopify, the new customer accounts and company request form make it easy to automate approvals.
Cold email with evidence, not adjectives. Keep your opener tight and buyer centric. Lead with proof like sell through, repurchase rate, social validation, and press. Shopify’s guide to cold email covers basics of value led outreach. For creative that feels human, steal from your ads. Our tutorial on UGC that sells shows how to source, script, and edit social proof that can double as a quick video for a buyer to forward internally. If you need a full funnel approach that stays ROI first, our Break Even in 30 Days playbook outlines how to de risk paid acquisition and can double as a framework for paid retailer prospecting.
Send samples with a reorder CTA. Nothing beats product in hand. Include a one pager with best sellers, a QR to your wholesale page, and a first order incentive that protects your MSRP and your retailers. Avoid generic percentage off. Offer free freight thresholds that align with your MOQs.
Close the loop on payment and terms. Ask in your first call if they prefer PO with net 30, card on file, or ACH. According to TreviPay’s research, most B2B buyers reward sellers who support their preferred method with loyalty. In Shopify, set those terms on the company location so the buyer’s checkout experience reflects exactly what you agreed.
Build a reorder rhythm. Automate reminders 10 days before typical sell through, and include a one click reorder link to the buyer’s quick order list. Shopify’s B2B customer accounts support easy reorders of past purchases and you can tag key accounts in Flow to trigger CRM tasks when inventory is trending low.
Metrics That Tell You Wholesale Is Working
First order size and reorder rate. Your best early signal is reorders from the first 20 accounts. If reorders lag, fix merchandising or display.
Days sales outstanding. Keep DSO tight. Shopify Flow can flag overdue terms and send an email before accounts age beyond 45 days.
Net margin by account. Wholesale should be lower CAC, higher LTV. Track actual freight, chargebacks, and promo accruals so you do not subsidize unprofitable doors.
Line performance. Use your Shopify reports to see which SKUs anchor orders in B2B. Build end caps and bundles around those SKUs to increase order density.
A 30 Day Launch Plan You Can Actually Ship
Week 1. Decide store model. Dedicated B2B or blended. Stand up buyer accounts, create companies for seed retailers, and build your first catalogs with wholesale prices, increments, and volume breaks. Draft a light MAP policy for legal review.
Week 2. Configure payment terms and deposits. Set net terms for target accounts and test flows. Build your Wholesale page and a simple Jotform or Shopify company request form. Export a line sheet PDF from your catalog with SKUs, case packs, and pricing.
Week 3. Publish on Faire and build a 100 account list. Prepare cold email templates with proof and a 30 second video. Route replies into a simple CRM or Google Sheet.
Week 4. Ship samples and start onboarding. Assign catalogs, terms, and vaulted cards per account. Use Flow to tag and track first orders, send reminders, and route exceptions.
If you want help tying the go to market together with ads and creative that stays ROI first, the team at Evolvingo builds end to end campaigns for Shopify brands. Start with our free playbooks on breaking even with ads in 30 days and UGC that actually sells. When you are ready for a plan and done for you execution, say hello on our contact page or browse the rest of our blog for more Shopify growth tactics.
According to McKinsey’s B2B Pulse, ecommerce is already the top revenue generating channel for organizations that offer it, and buyers will switch suppliers if the omnichannel experience is clunky. By pairing Shopify’s B2B features for catalogs, quantity rules, and payment terms with a simple, proof led outreach motion, a DTC brand can add a wholesale channel that compounds without burning paid dollars.