Are you planning on setting up a Shopify Plus Business-to-Business (B2B) store and not sure about which features you can use to get the most out of your ecommerce site? Well, you’re in the right place.
In this article, we dig into the realm of B2B capabilities within the Shopify ecosystem.
So get the kettle on, grab a brew and join us as we navigate Shopify's intricate web of B2B features, unlocking the tools essential for a successful B2B ecommerce website in the competitive B2B landscape.
Company profiles
If you’re on Shopify Plus, creating a company profile is non-negotiable. Setting up your company profile means you have the ability to establish a business, add a location, and modify business information for your users to easily access. It also gives your customers the option to set up a company account request form or submit a form on your online store and seek access to purchase from you.
Customer-specific pricing
Now this is a real game changer. Shopify Plus actually has the functionality to set customer-specific prices using the Shopify catalogs feature. This means you can assign each customer their own personalised pricing options depending on previous agreements or even loyalty, all without needing to add an app.
Personalised customer products
Another B2B feature to use while using ‘catalogs’, is the ability to create catalogs that are location, or client specific. This means you can tailor your B2B site to your customers by editing product visibility.
Create volume-based pricing
In addition to customer-specific pricing, Shopify Plus offers the means to create conditional rules for the volume of product purchases. By adding minimum orders and changing the price depending on the amount of products bought in one order. Features like this help B2B sales.
Location-based pricing
Use Shopify Plus to create location-based pricing, currency, and tax exemptions. This is one of the best features to expand your store.
B2B checkout
At the time of purchase, using the B2B checkout feature, customers can check the conditions of their allocated payments, their payment options, and view wholesale discounts (if available).
Blended stores
When setting up your Shopify store, you can use the blended store feature. This feature means you can cater for both B2B and D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) orders. It allows you to personalise your Shopify store by editing your theme for B2B customers.
There are some features that work to the same effect for both B2B and D2C orders. For example, notifications, the log-in page, and abandoned cart emails remain the same for both.
Dedicated stores
Using the dedicated store feature, you can customise settings for business customers in a separate store without having to modify the code. Users can activate gift cards and discount vouchers using the dedicated store functionality.
It also means that you can quickly alter the navigation and theme of your B2B store. Setting up any existing connections, building a new shop, and maintaining dedicated store settings are all necessary when opening a dedicated store for B2B transactions.
You can choose between a dedicated or blended store for your Shopify site. It just depends on which lends itself best to your way of working. Explore both options before choosing which feature is best suited for your Shopify Plus store.
Net-payment options
Shopify Plus allows you to track and collect orders as they are due. The net-payment feature also automatically assigns payment terms in admin, meaning less manual admin.
Vince Hollywood, Head of Engineering at Velstar, said: “The big thing I enjoy about the B2B features is that they're so straightforward to set up.
“Setting customer-specific pricing in a pricing list is such a powerful feature.
“Net payment terms? I sorted with net 7/15/30/60/90 for company profiles. Easy re-ordering is also a great feature for customers who order frequently!”
Think it’s time to update your Shopify store?
If you’re not sure when is the right time to make the move to Shopify Plus, we understand. It can be daunting to move away from something you know and love. Especially when it means so much to your ecommerce business.
That’s why we’ve put together the all-important guide: When Should You Upgrade to Shopify Plus?
However, if you’ve already decided to migrate to Shopify Plus, here are The Secrets to Building and Scaling a Shopify Plus Store.
Grow your ecommerce store with Velstar
Interested in learning more about Shopify B2B features? Get cosy with our Resource Hub for the latest news, trends and guides for all things ecommerce. We’re a Shopify Partner Agency, and we’ve got the success stories to prove it, read our Shopify Case Studies for all the juicy details.
And, when you’re ready to chat, Get In Touch and speak to one of our team of Shopify Developers and Marketing Experts about growing your site’s visibility and increasing revenue today.
More articles we think you’ll find useful: Everything You Need to Know About Shopify 2.0 | What Are the Latest Shopify Updates? | The Value of The Written Word
