Shopify B2B solutions

We would recommend that you clearly imagine what discounts or price groups you will have for your B2B customers, what will be the terms of payment deferral or delivery?

Here are some questions that are worth answering:

B2B customer types/segments:

• How many B2B customers do you plan to have and how many segments do you plan to have (e.g. by country, pricing, product range)?
• Will a B2B customer registration form be required?
• Will there be B2B customers from abroad who need to avoid VAT?
• Will business customers need to be approved by an administrator before being given the opportunity to purchase?

B2B pricing and products:

• Do all product variants have their own unique SKU?
• Should prices be linked to retail prices or uploaded separately?
• How often will prices change?
• Will the discount apply to the entire range or only to certain products?
• Do different customers have different prices for the same products?
• Can a B2B customer buy at retail price if the product is not discounted?

B2B orders and logistics:

• How many B2B orders are expected to be received per month?
• Should there be restrictions on purchasing from different locations (e.g. only from one warehouse)?
• Will shipping methods only be available for B2B customers?
• Will there be an option to pick it up on site?
• Will there be additional requirements (e.g. MOQ, packaging fee)?

Payment methods for B2B:

• What payment methods will be available for B2B customers?
• Will there be deferred payment?
• Will they be different from those available to retail customers?

B2B order administration and accounts:

• Do B2B orders have to be approved immediately, or are they first reviewed by an administrator and only then approved?
• Will customers be able to download VAT invoices from their account?

Additional requirements for B2B mapping

• Do you need API or ERP integration with a B2B system?
• Is it necessary to limit price visibility for offline users (e.g. only logged-in B2B customers can see prices)?
• Can B2B customers see the same product catalog as B2C / does the assortment have to be different?
• Does a B2B store need a different/unique design or structure?

If you need advice and help refining the functionality - get in touch!

One of the most important decisions is whether to build B2B functionality into an existing store, or create a completely separate Shopify store (only for B2B customers)?

Below are a few options and what you should pay attention to:

Option A: One Shopify store B2B + B2C

It is worth it when:

• The same product catalog is for both B2B and B2C customers
• B2B pricing is just a different price or discount from the price of existing goods
• No need for different visual adaptation
• B2B customers can see their own wholesale prices in the same store when they log in

Advantages:

• One-stop purchase and inventory management
• One administrative environment
• Easier to manage marketing (everything in one place)

Disadvantages

• Limited flexibility for different visual or UX adaptations.
• It can be more difficult to administer product allocation to B2B customers if the assortment is different
• It is more difficult to limit the ability to buy only from the remnants of a certain location

Option B: Standalone B2B Shopify Store

It is worth it when:

• B2B customers should only see the product range intended for them
• Need a unique design or structure (e.g., catalog view, more product options and easier adding to cart, different CTAs)
• B2B business processes (shipping, billing, MOQ, order confirmations) are very different
• Specific B2B promotions or negotiated prices are taking place

Advantages:

• Ability to fully customize design, UX and product catalog
• It is possible to adapt the B2B model as a separate business unit
• Simpler analytics - clearly separate B2B/B2C flows

Disadvantages

• Two Shopify administrative environments
• There is a need to synchronize balances between stores or warehouse / ERP / accounting software
• Additional costs (Shopify account, plugins, theme license, maintenance)

If you're having a hard time deciding - swipe, we'll help :)