Getting Started with Shopify B2B Setup Checklist

The line between B2C and B2B commerce keeps blurring, doesn’t it? 

Once upon a time, B2B meant clunky ordering systems and sales reps juggling spreadsheets. 

But now? Your wholesale customers expect the same seamless experience they get as retail consumers. This is where Shopify B2B capabilities enter the picture, improving how businesses sell their B2B solution to other businesses.

Maybe you’re running a profitable D2C business and are ready to expand into wholesale. Wholesale Shopify capabilities can transform your business model.

Or perhaps you’re a manufacturer looking to streamline your ordering processes and business operations.

Either way, you’ve heard Shopify Plus might be the answer.

But where do you even begin?

Following a comprehensive Shopify B2B setup checklist ensures you don’t miss critical configuration steps for your store setup.

We’ve spent countless hours guiding businesses through this transition, and here’s what we’ve learned: success in B2B eCommerce isn’t just about having a fancy platform – it’s about implementing it correctly with the right data. 

That’s why we’ve created this practical checklist to help you guide your Shopify B2B journey.

This Shopify B2B setup checklist will guide you through every essential step.

Let’s jump right in.

Shopify B2B Store Set-up Checklist

The beauty of Shopify’s B2B functionality lies in how it integrates with your existing wholesale operations. You won’t need to maintain separate inventories, separate product catalogs, or separate sleepless nights wondering if your orders are syncing correctly.

Everything lives under one dashboard. This Shopify B2B setup checklist covers all the essential phases to get you started.

So, let’s get started with the complete Shopify B2B store setup checklist.

Phase 1 — Initial B2B Prep

Before we get into the nuts and bolts, let’s address the elephant in the room:

Yes, most of these robust B2B features require Shopify Plus.

If you’re just getting started, you might want to begin with regular Shopify and upgrade to Shopify Plus when your wholesale channel justifies the expense.

But, if you’re processing thousands of orders daily, expanding internationally, or managing multiple wholesale relationships, it’s absolutely worth investing in Shopify Plus. 

This Shopify B2B setup checklist assumes you’re ready for Shopify Plus. And that should be your step 1.

1. Upgrade to Shopify Plus (if you haven’t already)

Shopify Plus starts at around $2,300 per month – not a small investment, but one that quickly pays for itself when you consider the alternatives. Custom B2B platforms can easily cost tens of thousands in development costs alone, not to mention ongoing maintenance.

The upgrade process is quite straightforward:

1. Contact Shopify’s sales team or your existing Shopify representative
2. Schedule an onboarding call to discuss your specific needs
3. Complete the paperwork and billing information
4. Get access to your enhanced admin panel within 1-3 business days

Upgrading to Shopify Plus is a significant investment, but understanding what you’re getting is crucial for justifying costs. From unlimited staff accounts to advanced B2B features and automation, Plus offers capabilities that regular Shopify can’t match.

Pro Tip: Learn exactly what separates the tiers in our detailed comparison on Shopify vs Shopify Plus to ensure Plus is right for your wholesale volume.

2. Configure Basic Store Settings

Even if you already have a D2C store running with Shopify, you’ll need to revisit some basic settings to ensure they accommodate B2B transactions:

(1) Company Profiles

In Shopify’s B2B model, each business customer (not a person) is set up as a Company.

The Company profile holds info like:

• Which products do they see
• Custom pricing just for them
• Payment terms (e.g., 30-day invoices)
• Delivery preferences (e.g., freight)
• Store content tailored to them

You must set up your B2B customers as companies to use B2B on Shopify. Companies control all of the customizations that apply to your customer experience, such as pricing, products, store content, payments, and delivery options.

(2) Currency Settings

Your wholesale customers might prefer different currencies from your retail customers. Offering multi-currency pricing helps avoid confusion and makes transactions smoother for international business buyers.

(3) Shipping Configuration

Wholesale orders typically ship differently from retail orders.

• You might use freight shipping (for bulk orders)
• Offer volume-based shipping rates
• Use different carriers

Adding shipping configuration is necessary as in the B2B model, companies will order in bulk and expect tailored delivery options. If you’re using only D2C-style delivery, it might not suit them.

(4) Payment Methods

Most B2B customers expect payment terms like Net 30 or Net 60 rather than immediate credit card charges.

(Net 30 means payment is due 30 days after the date of the invoice.)

Shopify allows setting payment terms for B2B orders, so you can match how businesses typically operate.

Explore the 10 best payment methods for Shopify store to support those payment terms effectively.

(5) Tax Rules

B2B transactions often have different tax implications than D2C sales. Many wholesale customers will be tax-exempt or require special tax handling. If you apply the wrong tax, you could end up with compliance issues or frustrated clients.

For that, you can create a dedicated process for collecting and verifying tax exemption certificates from your wholesale customers before they place orders.

When you set up tax rules at first, this saves countless headaches down the road.

3. Create Your B2B Admin Structure

Before you start showing B2B features to your customers, you need to organize your internal team and systems.

Here’s what that means:

(1) User Roles and Permissions

Create specific roles for team members who will manage wholesale accounts. Later, set specific roles for team members who manage B2B tasks like:

• Processing wholesale orders
• Handling wholesale customer profiles
• Managing special pricing or catalogs

(2) Customer Groups

Next, group your B2B customers based on their level, region, or type.

Create logical groupings based on your wholesale strategy (e.g., “Gold Tier Wholesalers”, “New Wholesale Accounts”, “International Distributors”). These groups will become crucial when setting up custom pricing and catalogs later.

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Now, your Shopify store is structurally ready to support B2B operations.

The admin side is configured, your settings are optimized, and you’ve created the organizational framework necessary for managing wholesale relationships, including effective customer data management.

Phase 2 — Setting Up Wholesale Features

Now, in this phase, we transform your regular Shopify store features to match your B2B store set up. This section of our Shopify B2B setup checklist focuses on wholesale-specific features.

This is where you actually create a personalized buying experience for your wholesale customers.

4. Create Customer-Specific Price Lists

This critical step in your Shopify B2B setup checklist requires careful planning.

In B2C, all customers typically pay the same price. But B2B pricing is more complex and relationship-driven.

It depends on:

• Order volume
• Frequency of purchase
• Contractual agreements
• Location or region
• Tier/status of the customer

And for that, you need to create customer-specific price lists. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Define tiered pricing structures
2. Set up price lists in Shopify
3. Assign price lists to customer groups
4. Test your pricing logic

Set up price lists in Shopify (refer to our Shopify Plus pricing guide to understand how pricing flexibility works on Plus).

Pro tip: Start with broad price lists based on customer tiers rather than creating individual lists for each customer. You can always get more granular as your wholesale channel grows, but starting with 3-5 tiers (like Bronze, Silver, Gold) makes management much simpler.

5. Build a Wholesale Storefront

Your B2B customers have the ability to enjoy a dedicated shopping experience that respects their time and acknowledges that they’re making the right inventory decisions for their business.

One of the most powerful features of Shopify Plus for B2B is the ability to create a separate, password-protected wholesale storefront that looks and functions differently from your retail site.

B2B Shopify Plus enables sophisticated wholesale storefront customization.

Here are the B2B Storefront customization ideas:

• Create a password-protected wholesale portal. This approach helps create professional shopify B2B websites that stand apart from retail stores.
• Design wholesale-specific templates. Design wholesale-specific templates. Implementing best B2B design practices ensures professional appearance and functionality.
• Add a prominent reorder button that shows customers’ previous orders.
• Create collection pages specifically for bestselling wholesale items.
• Include product data that matters to retailers, like MSRP, margin potential, and case pack information.
• Add downloadable assets like product spec sheets, marketing materials, and high-resolution images.

Building a wholesale storefront that converts requires more than just password protection; it demands strategic B2B design. From streamlined navigation to bulk order forms and personalized dashboards, design directly impacts wholesale conversions. 

Pro Tip: Discover proven B2B strategies and app recommendations in our guide on the best Shopify B2B apps to enhance functionality while maintaining professional aesthetics.

6. Set Up Location-Specific Catalogs

If you’re selling internationally or to companies with multiple locations, you’ll be required to implement location-specific catalogs. For that, you need to configure your inventory based on the different warehouses and their locations.

Here’s how you implement location-specific catalogs:

1. Create Regional Product Catalogs
2. Tie Catalogs to Warehouse Inventory
3. Assign Catalogs by Customer Location or Company Branch

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With these wholesale features configured, your Shopify store is now ready to handle the complex relationships and requirements of B2B commerce.

Your customers will have personalized experiences that make ordering efficient and accurate, while your team will have the tools they need to manage these relationships without drowning in manual processes.

Phase 3 — Automating Your B2B Operations

When you’re running a B2B operation on Shopify, manual tasks can quickly become overwhelming.

And yes, automation becomes necessary to stay sane and save time.

This phase of our Shopify B2B setup checklist focuses on automation. Automating your B2B operations will help create consistency and scalability that manual processes simply can’t match.

Let’s check how you do it.

7. Use Shopify Flow to automate tasks

Shopify Flow is a great tool to bring into use.

It allows you to create automated workflows that trigger specific actions based on certain conditions.

Let’s say you have a wholesale client who consistently places large orders. Without automation, you’d manually tag them as a VIP, send them a thank you note, and maybe alert your sales team to follow up.

With Shopify Flow, all this happens automatically when an order crosses your predetermined threshold.

Here’s what you can automate with Shopify Flow:

• Customer tagging: When new wholesale customers sign up, automatically tag them based on their industry, location, or order value.
• Inventory alerts: Get Slack notifications when stock levels fall below a certain threshold, so you can reorder before running out.
• Order processing: Automatically prioritize rush orders or flag suspicious transactions.
• Follow-up emails: Trigger personalized emails when customers make their first wholesale purchase or reach certain spending milestones.

8. Connect CRM, ERP, and Marketing Tools Using APIs

You likely have a CRM to track customer relationships, an ERP for resource planning, and marketing tools to drive sales. The beauty of Shopify Plus is that it plays well with others, allowing these systems to talk to each other through seamless integration.

If you’re using a CRM like Salesforce or HubSpot, integrating it with your Shopify B2B store means:

• New wholesale customers are automatically added to your CRM
• Order history is synced between platforms
• Sales teams can have complete control over customer profiles without switching systems
• Marketing campaigns can be targeted based on purchase behavior

For many B2B businesses, ERP systems like NetSuite or SAP handle everything from inventory to financials. The goal isn’t just to connect systems, but to eliminate manual data entry and reduce errors.

Complex B2B integrations and custom workflows often require developer expertise to implement correctly. From API connections to custom automation and multi-system synchronization, the right technical team prevents costly mistakes. 

If you’re planning sophisticated integrations, learn what to look for in our guide on how to hire Shopify developers who specialize in Plus and B2B implementations.

A good integration should make you wonder how you could ever manage the processes without it.

Phase 4 — Managing Bulk Orders

Now that your automation is humming along, let’s tackle one of the most critical aspects of B2B commerce: bulk ordering.

This is where B2B truly separates itself from retail. Your wholesale customers aren’t buying one or two items; they’re making purchasing decisions that could involve hundreds or thousands of units.

Getting bulk orders right isn’t just about processing large quantities; it’s about creating an experience that acknowledges the different decision-making processes, approval workflows, and inventory considerations that come with business purchasing.

Here’s what you do to better manage bulk orders in the right way and provide a personalized buying experience.

9. Set Up Minimum and Maximum Order Quantities

Not all orders are good for business. For example:

• Small orders may not be profitable due to shipping or production costs.
• Very large orders could exceed your stock or production limits.

Every B2B business has sweet spots for order sizes that make economic sense for both you and your customers.

Maybe you can’t profitably fulfill orders under $500, or perhaps you have maximum quantities based on production capacity or shipping constraints.

Shopify’s B2B features allow you to set these parameters at multiple levels:

(1) Allows setting product-level minimums

Perfect for items that are only cost-effective to ship in bulk, like cases of products or materials that require special handling.

(2) Customer-specific limits

Your gold-tier customers might have higher maximum allowances than newer wholesale accounts.

(3) Category-based rules

Seasonal items might have different minimum orders than your evergreen products.

(4) Volume discount tiers

Create automatic price breaks at 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 units to encourage larger orders while maintaining healthy margins.

The key is making these rules transparent to your customers, as no one likes surprising order restrictions at checkout.

So, display minimum quantities clearly on product pages and show customers exactly how close they are to the next discount tier.

10. Structure the Bulk Ordering Process

Bulk ordering can be a hassle if your store only supports basic retail functionality.

That’s why you need to make the process faster and easier for B2B buyers, who often have approval chains or work with spreadsheets. 

Here’s how to create a bulk ordering experience your customers will actually enjoy:

(1) Quick Order Forms

Allow customers to enter SKUs and quantities directly, especially useful for reorders. Include a CSV upload option for customers who manage their orders in spreadsheets.

(2) Saved Shopping Lists

Let customers create and save lists for different seasons, locations, or product categories. A restaurant chain might have different lists for new store openings versus regular restocking.

(3) Draft Order Creation

Enable customers to build orders over time, saving them as drafts until they’re ready to submit. B2B purchasing often involves multiple stakeholders and approval processes.

(4) Bulk Edit Capabilities

Once customers have items in their cart, make it easy to adjust quantities, remove items, or duplicate line items with variations; all integrated into your tech stack.

(5) Order Templates

For customers with predictable ordering patterns, create reusable templates that can be modified and reordered with just a few clicks.

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Overall, this will help you wholesale order faster, friction-free, and scalable with Shopify Plus.

Phase 5 — Optimizing the Customer Experience

The most sophisticated B2B platform means nothing if your customers find it frustrating to use.

This phase is all about turning your technical setup into an easy, professional, and self-serve experience with a greater user-friendly interface that your wholesale buyers actually enjoy.

11. Create Self-Service Customer Portals

Your B2B buyers are businesses themselves; they don’t want to wait for emails or phone calls to get order updates.

This makes it necessary for you to give them the power to manage everything on their own through a personalized customer portal. A robust self serve portal reduces support tickets while empowering your customers to manage their relationship with you independently.

Your customer portal should include:

(1) Order History and Tracking: Let customers see all past orders, track deliveries, and reorder with just one click.

(2) Invoice Management: Buyers can download invoices, check payment status, and view outstanding balances, perfect for those on Net 30/60 terms.

(3) Account Information: Show their pricing tier, credit limits, payment terms, and saved details, so they always know their account standing.

(4) Personalized Product Recommendations: Suggest products based on what they’ve ordered before, helping them discover relevant new SKUs.

(5) Support Ticket Management: Let them raise and track support queries directly from their portal instead of emailing or calling.

12. Implement Advanced Search and Filtering

When you’re managing hundreds or thousands of SKUs, finding the right products quickly becomes critical for your B2B store. For that, your search functionality needs to work the way B2B buyers think.

Consider these B2B-specific search enhancements when you build custom integrations:

(1) Search by Multiple Criteria: Allow customers to search by SKU, product name, category, brand, or even internal item numbers they’ve assigned.

(2) Advanced Filtering Options: Price ranges, availability status, new arrivals, bestsellers within their account, and compatibility with previous purchases.

(3) Visual Search Results: Show key information like pricing tier, available quantity, and case pack sizes directly in search results. These features distinguish successful Shopify B2B websites from basic retail platforms.

(4) Search History: Remember what customers have searched for before, making repeat orders even faster.

B2B customer experience optimization requires conversion-focused design and continuous testing. From checkout friction to personalized product recommendations, every touchpoint affects wholesale order values. 

Pro Tip: Master proven CRO tactics specifically for B2B stores in our comprehensive guide on how to improve the conversion rate for your Shopify store with wholesale-specific strategies.

In B2B commerce, your technology and pricing might bring in customers at your door, but it’s the shopping experience that keeps them coming back.

Apart from getting a good deal, wholesale buyers want a platform that’s efficient, intuitive, and built for business.

By giving them tools like self serve portals and advanced search capabilities, you reduce friction and improve satisfaction. It helps you do more than just sell products.

And the payoff will include stronger relationships, higher-order values, and long-term loyalty.

Phase 6 — International Commerce Setup

If you’re selling globally, or planning to, international B2B commerce adds layers of complexity that can make or break customer relationships. The challenges would include:

• Currency fluctuations
• Shipping regulations
• Tax implications
• And cultural preferences

However, international expansion won’t be overwhelming if you approach it systematically. International setup is the final phase of our comprehensive Shopify B2B setup checklist. Here’s how you do it.

Here’s how you do it.

13. Localize Storefronts by Region

International buyers expect a store that speaks their language, both literally and culturally.

So yes, true localization goes beyond just translating text elements. Your B2B store should create an experience that feels native to each market you serve.

Here’s how you explore the process of international setup to localize storefronts by region.

(1) Language and Content: Translate not just your product descriptions, but your entire customer journey. This includes checkout processes, email confirmations, and customer service interactions.

(2) Currency Display: Show prices in local currencies, but be transparent about how and when currency conversion happens. B2B customers need to budget accurately.

(3) Cultural Considerations: Payment preferences, business communication styles, and even color choices can vary significantly between markets. Best B2B design incorporates regional preferences and cultural considerations. Research each region’s business customs.

(4) Local Contact Information: Provide local phone numbers and business hours, even if calls are routed to your main customer service team.

(5) Regional Product Catalogs: Some products might not be available in certain regions due to regulations, shipping restrictions, or local preferences.

14. Configure Global Payment Gateways

International B2B payments are more complex than domestic transactions.

You’re dealing with different banking systems, currency exchange rates, compliance requirements, and varying preferences for payment methods.

Here’s how you configure global payment gateways effectively.

(1) Multiple Payment Options: While North American businesses might prefer ACH transfers or credit cards, European customers might expect SEPA payments, and Asian markets might rely more heavily on wire transfers.

(2) Currency Hedging: For large orders with extended payment terms, consider how currency fluctuations might affect your margins. Some businesses build currency adjustment clauses into their wholesale agreements.

(3) Compliance and Documentation: International transactions often require additional documentation for customs and tax purposes. Automate this where possible, but ensure accuracy.

(4) Local Banking Partnerships: Working with banks that have strong international networks can significantly reduce transaction fees and processing times.

Payment gateway configuration completes the international portion of your Shopify B2B setup checklist.

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Going global with your B2B store should be a strategic growth evolution.

By localizing your storefronts and configuring international payments, including an enterprise plan, you’re removing barriers and opening the door to new markets with confidence.

This phase was about building scalable systems that work across time zones, currencies, and cultures. Whether you’re selling to a distributor in Dubai or a retailer in Toronto, your Shopify store should feel like it was built just for them.

With the right setup, your international customers enjoy the same Shopify store but with a seamless and trustworthy experience as your local buyers, and that’s how global B2B leaders are built.

Final Thoughts

Setting up Shopify B2B is more than just checking boxes on a configuration list; it’s about preparing for the future of your business.

Following this Shopify B2B setup checklist ensures systematic implementation as it helps reimagine how you serve business customers.

The businesses that succeed with B2B eCommerce understand that their wholesale customers aren’t just buying products; they’re investing in a partnership. Every interaction in B2B eCommerce, from the initial login to post-purchase support, either strengthens or weakens that partnership.

Here’s what we’ve learned from helping dozens of businesses make this transition:

1. Start with your customers’ biggest pain points, not the flashiest features.
2. Maybe that’s streamlining reorders for a customer who places the same order monthly, or providing better inventory visibility for a distributor managing seasonal demand through your online store.

The beauty of Shopify’s B2B platform is that it grows with your business.

You don’t need to implement everything at once, but take small steps for solid customer management, specific pricing structures, and reliable order processing.

Then layer on the sophisticated features as your wholesale channel matures.

Remember, the goal isn’t to build the most feature-set B2B platform possible. It’s to create an experience so seamless and valuable that your wholesale customers can’t imagine working with a competitor who makes B2B commerce feel like work.

Your wholesale customers chose to work with you for a reason. Now give them a digital experience worthy of that trust.

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We’re Aureate Labs, a Shopify Plus Agency, helping hundreds of merchants build their online store globally.

Let’s talk about how we can help you leverage Shopify Plus to capture your share of the $7.7 trillion B2B opportunity.

Contact Us Today!