Shopify B2B: The future of wholesale on Shopify Plus - what the discontinuation of the wholesale channel means for merchants

Selling to business customers is an important growth driver for many online retailers. For years, Shopify's Wholesale Channel offered a way to implement B2B via Shopify Plus - but since April 2024, this channel has been officially written off. In this article, we show what this means for merchants who previously relied on the wholesale channel - and why Shopify B2B is now the new standard for online wholesale.

Shopify wholesale channel: What is it?

For a long time, the Shopify Wholesale Channel was a popular solution for merchants who wanted to serve business customers via a separate, password-protected area. However, Shopify decided not to develop this channel any further - and finally removed it officially in April 2024.

Important: Existing stores that were still based on the wholesale channel were asked to migrate their customers and processes to the new solution, Shopify B2B.

Why was the wholesale channel abolished?

Shopify discontinued the Wholesale Channel for several reasons:

• Outdated architecture: the channel was technically limited, offered no API connectivity and was not compatible with Shopify apps.

• Low customizability: Only minimal design changes were possible - no access to Shopify themes, no individual branding.

• No SEO: The content was invisible to search engines - a disadvantage for reach and new customer acquisition.

• Growing requirements in B2B: Today's retailers need more flexible pricing logic, more complex payment terms, company profiles and integrated administration - all of which were difficult to implement with the old system.

The alternative to the Shopify Wholesale Channel: Shopify B2B

We've announced it before - by now there is a very good alternative to Shopify Wholesale Channel: Shopify B2B. This solution is directly integrated with the commerce platform, ensuring access to all of Shopify's powerful customization features, such as custom themes and discounts.

In addition, Shopify B2B brings with it a new feature set. Included in this are special business-to-business features, such as:

• Price lists: This allows B2B customer-specific prices to be created using various discounts. In addition, price lists can be used to easily change currencies and exchange rates for international customers, and even apply multiple lists to a buyer if needed.

• Company profiles: This allows you to connect company locations and create built-in fields for all the important information about your customers (e.g. contact permissions, assigned payment terms, price lists, tax IDs, and tax exemptions).

• Assigned Payment Terms: This feature automates the process of adding payment terms to orders at checkout. It also lets you sort, track, and collect payments when they are due.

• B2B checkout: B2B checkout allows your customers to access specific payment terms, methods, discounts, and prices. For merchants, this feature allows you to create orders for buyers and streamline the checkout process.

• Customer Accounts: This solution allows B2B merchants to independently access important information in real time without having to rely on mails or phone calls. Examples include buyer information and order history. In addition, they can select the company location for which they want to place an order. Customer accounts can also be used as a tool for authentication, so that customers cannot see the wholesale store until they have entered their email address and a code.

As Shopify B2B is a separate sales channel within Shopify Plus, you can set up your wholesale store in the familiar interface. You have the option to use your store for both B2B and B2C/D2C sales. This means that everything can be managed within one store and you have one integration point for all APIs, ERPs, CRMs and third-party applications. Your business becomes much simpler and more manageable, your customers' shopping experience is improved, and the look and feel of your wholesale business can be fully customized to match your brand's corporate design.

How to switch from the wholesale channel to Shopify B2B

Switching from the Shopify Wholesale Channel to Shopify B2B is straightforward, as both solutions are integrated into Shopify Plus. Here are the most important steps:

• Activate Shopify Plus: To access Shopify B2B, you'll need a Shopify Plus account. Make sure you have switched to the right plan.

• Activate Shopify B2B: Go to the “Channels” in your Shopify admin area and activate the Shopify B2B channel. This replaces the Wholesale Channel.

• Create customer groups and prices: Create customer groups and set up individual price lists for B2B customers, depending on the market or customer segment.

• Customize B2B products and catalog: Customize your product catalog and add specific B2B items that are only available to wholesale customers.

• Customize payment and shipping options: Define specific payment terms, such as payment terms and discounts, that apply to B2B customers.

• Set up customer access: Ensure that only authorized business customers have access to your B2B store by setting up login-protected areas.

• Test and customize: Review all features, test the ordering process and make sure everything works smoothly before going live.

With Shopify B2B, you benefit from a flexible, scalable solution that eliminates all the weaknesses of the previous wholesale channel and enables seamless integration into your Shopify Plus store.

Conclusion: B2B with Shopify has never been so flexible and powerful

Saying goodbye to the Shopify Wholesale Channel may have been surprising or even uncomfortable for many retailers at first - especially for those who have relied on this solution for years. With Shopify B2B, the platform provides a future-oriented, native solution that finally meets the requirements of modern wholesalers - on all levels: from flexible price lists and company-wide customer profiles to professional checkout options with individual payment terms.

The big advantage: B2B now works directly in the heart of your Shopify store - without a subdomain, without separate admin areas and without external detours. This saves time, reduces complexity and allows you to combine B2B and D2C sales in a single, consistent system.