wholesale e-commerce with shopify
Unless you operate exclusively in a D2C model, sooner or later, you’ll need to consider setting up an online space for your resellers. Here’s what you can achieve with Shopify if you want to streamline operations, reduce infrastructure costs, and avoid managing multiple platforms.
Shopify has become one of the most popular e-commerce platforms for brands—if not the most popular—across North America and Europe. This success is largely due to its merchant-first approach, offering a subscription-based, ready-to-use solution with a low barrier to entry.
However, beyond accessibility, Shopify's appeal also lies in its ability to support both B2C and B2B e-commerce models, as we previously explored in this article.
Using Shopify for B2B
Shopify's native B2B e-commerce channel has been available since 2022, but it’s important to note that it’s exclusively tied to Shopify’s enterprise-tier plan, Shopify Plus. If your store runs on a different Shopify plan, don’t worry!
This guide will also explore more accessible alternatives, such as Sparklayer, that allow you to sell both B2C and B2B without upgrading to Shopify Plus. Below, we’ll compare both approaches to help you determine the best fit for your business.
Separate B2C/B2B Stores or a Unified Interface?
This is a key differentiator between Shopify’s native B2B solution and an extension like Sparklayer. With Shopify Plus and its "expansion store" feature, you can create separate D2C and B2B storefronts, enabling clearer segmentation of your sales channels (daily management, marketing campaigns, traffic analysis, etc.). This also allows for deeper customization, as business buyers have different expectations compared to individual consumers.
On the other hand, Sparklayer integrates B2B functionality into an existing D2C store, allowing both business and retail customers to browse the same storefront while benefiting from tailored ordering features for B2B buyers.
Example of a Shopify store with Sparklayer :
Shared or Separate Product Catalogs?
Currently, only Shopify allows merchants to create multiple B2B product catalogs and assign them to different business customers. This is particularly useful for brands with diverse reseller profiles who require advanced segmentation. Beyond this distinction, both Shopify and Sparklayer offer similar product management capabilities:
- Multiple price lists
- Volume-based or assortment-based discount rules
- Customer-specific pricing and promotions
Can You Build a Headless B2B Shopify Store ?
Absolutely! Whether using Shopify’s native B2B features or Sparklayer as an add-on, headless commerce is an option. It’s also worth noting that Sparklayer is not exclusive to Shopify—it also integrates with other platforms like BigCommerce.
How to Choose the Right Shopify B2B Solution?
The primary deciding factor is budget. Sparklayer is a cost-effective solution starting at $50/month, a far cry from Shopify Plus at $2,300/month. This makes it possible for emerging brands to launch a B2B channel on Shopify from day one.
That said, Shopify’s native B2B solution is better suited for fast-scaling and international brands. Regardless of the provider, both solutions offer a robust feature set for managing B2B e-commerce effectively.
