Using Shopify for B2B eCommerce

Shopify, widely known for its robust B2C capabilities, also offers a range of features suitable for B2B (business-to-business) merchants. This article explores how you can harness Shopify’s platform to cater to wholesale, bulk orders, and business clients effectively.

Step 1: Enable Shopify’s Wholesale Channel

Shopify Plus users can access the wholesale channel, which allows them to create a separate, password-protected storefront for B2B transactions.

• Setup: In your Shopify admin, go to Sales Channels and add the wholesale channel.
• Customization: Customize pricing, bulk discounts, and minimum order quantities for wholesale customers.

Step 2: Utilize Customer Tags for Segmentation

Leverage customer tags to offer custom pricing and products to different business customers.

{% assign customer_tag = customer.tags | first %}
{% if customer_tag == 'Wholesale' %}
  <!-- Display wholesale-specific products and pricing -->
  {% include 'wholesale-products' %}
{% endif %}

Step 3: Implement Volume-Based Discounts

Use Shopify Scripts or third-party apps to implement volume-based pricing, encouraging larger orders.

# Shopify Script for volume discounts
Shopify::Discounts.calculate_cart do |cart|
  cart.line_items.each do |line_item|
    quantity = line_item.quantity
    if quantity >= 20
      line_item.change_line_price(line_item.line_price * 0.9, message: "10% off for 20+ items")
    elsif quantity >= 50
      line_item.change_line_price(line_item.line_price * 0.8, message: "20% off for 50+ items")
    end
  end
end

Step 4: Offer Net Payment Terms

Many B2B transactions operate on net payment terms. Shopify’s apps and features allow you to set up custom payment terms for B2B customers.

• Configuration: Set this up through Shopify Payments or third-party payment gateways that support invoicing.

Step 5: Streamline Order Processing and Fulfillment

For B2B orders, which are often larger and more complex than B2C, streamline your order processing and fulfillment workflows.

• Integration: Use Shopify APIs to integrate with ERP systems for better inventory and order management.

Step 6: Customize Your B2B Storefront

Design a user interface that caters specifically to B2B customers, considering their unique needs and behaviors.

• Customization Example:

{% if customer.tags contains 'B2B' %}
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="{{ 'b2b-styles.css' | asset_url }}">
{% endif %}