Unlocking B2B Ecommerce Success: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Setting Up WordPress

In the past, launching a B2B store often required hiring costly developers or relying on cumbersome enterprise software. We understand that challenge, which inspired us to discover a more efficient way to utilize WordPress.

After extensive testing of various solutions, we have determined that WooCommerce combined with WholeSuite strikes the ideal balance between comprehensive features and user-friendliness.

Having created numerous eCommerce websites, we recognize how daunting it can be to select the right tools for B2B sales.

You require wholesale pricing, bulk ordering capabilities, and customer accounts, but you also want to avoid exorbitant costs and complicated software.

Today, we are excited to share our proven approach to establishing a B2B eCommerce platform using WordPress.

Whether you’re a newcomer or seeking to enhance your current store, this guide will provide you with the simplest method to achieve your goals effectively.

What is a B2B WordPress eCommerce Store?

A B2B WordPress eCommerce store is an online retail platform designed specifically for businesses, rather than individual consumers.

For example, a high-end wholesale retailer could supply bulk clothing orders to smaller boutiques, or a local florist might offer their floral arrangements online for corporate events in larger quantities.

B2B eCommerce websites typically feature intricate product catalogs and specialized functionalities designed for business clients. Additionally, they must accommodate significantly larger transaction volumes.

If you currently sell wholesale items to individual customers, launching a B2B eCommerce platform can be an excellent strategy to boost your revenue.

This approach allows you to broaden your market reach and provides businesses with a convenient way to browse, select, and purchase your products online. It simplifies the sales process, eliminating the need for physical stores or extra sales personnel.

Moreover, it is a cost-effective solution that enables you to connect with customers worldwide. As your business expands, you can scale your operations to meet increasing demand without incurring substantial overhead expenses.

Now, let’s explore the steps required to establish a B2B eCommerce store using WordPress. Here’s a brief overview of the topics we will cover in this tutorial:

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Select a Website Builder

The initial step is to select a website builder.

We recommend using WordPress for your B2B eCommerce store, as it is the leading website builder. WordPress is free, highly customizable, and versatile, powering over 43% of all websites online.

Before making your decision, it’s important to understand that there are two versions of WordPress: WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

In simple terms, WordPress.com is a managed hosting service that allows you to use the core WordPress software, but it comes with certain restrictions. You can choose from free or paid plans.

On the other hand, WordPress.org is completely free and provides you with full control over the core software, allowing you to customize and expand it as needed. However, you’ll need to select a web host to provide the necessary resources to launch your site.

For more details, check out our comparison of WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

If you’re looking to create a B2B website, we highly recommend using WordPress.org. It’s free and seamlessly integrates with plugins like WooCommerce and Wholesale Suite, making it simple to set up your online store.

For comprehensive information, check out our detailed review of WordPress.org.

Step 2: Buy a Hosting Plan and Domain Name

To begin building your business on WordPress, you first need to purchase a hosting plan and a domain name.

A web hosting provider supplies the server space and resources necessary for your website to be accessible online. A domain name is your website’s address on the internet, such as www.wholesaleproducts.com.

While WordPress itself is free, this is where your expenses will begin to accumulate. A domain name typically costs around $14.99 per year, and hosting plans start at approximately $7.99 per month. This can be a bit pricey if you’re on a tight budget or just starting out.

Fortunately, SiteGround provides budget-friendly hosting plans for WooCommerce, along with a complimentary domain name and SSL certificate.

SiteGround is an officially recommended hosting partner by WordPress and is recognized as one of the most dependable platforms for acquiring a hosting plan.

To get started, simply visit the SiteGround website and click the ‘Start Now’ button.

You will be redirected to the pricing page to select a hosting plan.

We recommend selecting the ‘GrowBig’ plan, as it is ideal for setting up a B2B store.

After making your selection, the next step is to choose a domain name for your website. We typically suggest using your company name.

If you’re just starting, you can utilize our CanadaCreate Free Business Name Generator to help create your company’s name.

Please note that the domain name you want may already be registered by another business.

In such cases, consider adding a relevant keyword or your location to differentiate your domain name. For example, instead ofwww.wholesaleproducts.com, you might try something likewww.wholesaleproductsNY.com.

If that option doesn’t work, you can always choose a domain name that relates to your business. Just ensure it is easy to pronounce and spell.

For additional inspiration, check out our beginner’s guide on how to select the best domain name.

Once you’ve chosen a name, simply click the ‘Continue’ button.

You will then be prompted to enter your account details, including your business email address, name, country, phone number, and more.

Next, enter your payment information to finalize your purchase.

You will receive a confirmation email containing instructions on how to access your SiteGround control panel. This panel serves as your account dashboard for managing your B2B WordPress eCommerce store.

After logging into your dashboard, click on the ‘WordPress Admin’ button.

You will be taken to your WordPress dashboard.

Alternatively, you can access the dashboard by navigating toyoursite.com/wp-admin/in your web browser.

Step 3: Select and Personalize Your WordPress Theme

A WordPress theme is a professionally crafted template that shapes the appearance of your website.

The advantage of using WordPress themes is that they offer a strong foundation for your website’s design, allowing you to avoid starting from scratch. Additionally, you can customize any theme to fit your needs.

Once you install WordPress and visit your site, you’ll see that a default theme is already set up:

This is a standard option that WordPress updates annually.

We suggest choosing a theme that aligns with your industry and branding to enhance user experience and strengthen your online presence.

To begin, explore thousands of free themes available in the official WordPress.org theme directory.

You can search using a keyword relevant to your niche. To narrow down your results, utilize the filters for ‘Layout,’ ‘Features,’ and ‘Subjects.’

Try using a keyword that pertains to your niche. To refine your search further, apply the filters for ‘Layout,’ ‘Features,’ and ‘Subjects.’

Additionally, check out our curated list of the best WooCommerce themes, featuring numerous excellent options for eCommerce websites.

If you’re aiming to create a fully customizable theme for your B2B store, we recommend SeedProd.

It is the top WordPress theme builder available, allowing you to design a theme without any coding knowledge. It includes various WooCommerce store templates and extra blocks to help you set up your business in just a few minutes.

For more details, refer to our comprehensive SeedProd review.

After activating the plugin, simply navigate to theSeedProd » Theme BuilderNavigate to the WordPress dashboard and select the ‘Theme Template Kits’ option.

This will direct you to a new screen where you can explore a variety of pre-designed theme templates. You can also use the WooCommerce filter to find themes specifically tailored for online stores.

Whether you’re launching a store for pottery, flowers, or electronics, you will discover templates that cater to your B2B requirements. This simplifies the process of efficiently launching your eCommerce site.

Once you select a theme, just click on it to activate it. SeedProd will automatically generate all the necessary page templates for your store and open the homepage in the drag-and-drop builder.

You can then drag and drop any block you wish from the left column into the page preview. For more details, check out our tutorial on creating a custom theme in WordPress.

When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Save’ button located at the top.

If you choose to implement a different theme for your eCommerce store, refer to our guide on how to install a WordPress theme.

After installation, you can access theAppearance » Customizesection from the WordPress dashboard after activating your theme. This will launch the theme customizer.

Here, you can adjust the theme settings to suit your preferences.

Please note that this feature is only compatible with classic themes.

If you are using a block theme, you will need to navigate to Appearance » Editor in the left-hand menu of your WordPress dashboard.

This will launch the full site editor, allowing you to customize your entire theme using blocks.

Once you are finished, simply click the ‘Save’ button to apply your changes.

For further details, refer to our comprehensive beginner’s guide on customizing your WordPress theme.

Step 4: Set Up Your Home Page and Navigation Menu

After customizing your theme, it’s time to establish the home page for your B2B store.

This page serves as the first impression for visitors to your website, so ensure it is engaging. For step-by-step guidance, check out our tutorial on creating a custom home page in WordPress.

Once you have completed the design, you need to designate the page as your home page. To do this, go to the Settings »Reading section in your WordPress dashboard.

In the ‘Your homepage displays’ area, select ‘A static page.’ Then, open the ‘Homepage’ dropdown and choose the desired page.

Remember to click the ‘Save Changes’ button at the bottom to ensure your settings are saved.

Next, create pages on your website to showcase your products, display customer reviews, collect payment information, and more. For detailed instructions, refer to our tutorial on creating a page in WordPress.

After that, add a navigation menu with links to these pages to enhance the browsing experience for your visitors.

To begin building your navigation menu, navigate to Appearance » Menus in your WordPress dashboard and expand the ‘Pages’ tab on the left side.

Select all the pages you want to include in your navigation menu and click the ‘Add to Menu’ button.

Then, click the ‘Save Menu’ button to save your changes.

Keep in mind that this method is applicable only if you are using a classic theme.

If you are using a block theme, go to the Appearance » Editor page in the WordPress dashboard.

This will open the full site editor, where you should select the ‘Navigation’ tab.

This will display a list of all the navigation menu items in the left-hand menu.

Click the three-dot icon to reveal a dropdown menu, then select the ‘Edit’ option.

The full site editor will open with your navigation menu highlighted. Your navigation menu settings will appear in the block panel on the right.

While the navigation block is selected, click the ‘+’ button and enter the name of the page you want to add. When the results show up in the dropdown, choose the correct page from the list.

Finally, click the ‘Publish’ button at the top to save your settings. For further guidance, refer to our beginner’s guide on creating a navigation menu in WordPress.

Step 5: Configure Your eCommerce Plugin

To begin selling wholesale products on your WordPress site, you will need the WooCommerce plugin. This free and open-source plugin provides essential eCommerce features such as product listings, a shopping cart, and payment processing for your website.

It also seamlessly integrates with Wholesale Suite to establish a complete B2B store.

First, install and activate the free WooCommerce plugin. For instructions, check our tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Once activated, the WooCommerce setup wizard will appear on your screen. Start by entering the name of your store.

First, choose your industry. For instance, if you intend to sell furniture in bulk, select the ‘Home, Furniture, and Garden’ option from the dropdown menu.

Next, specify the location of your store and click the ‘Continue’ button below.

You will then be presented with a list of free plugins that can enhance your site’s functionality.

Select the plugins you wish to install and click the ‘Continue’ button.

WooCommerce will now configure your store. Once this process is complete, it’s time to set up a shipping method for your wholesale products.

This step is vital for B2B stores, as you want to avoid receiving orders from regions where shipping costs for bulk products would be prohibitively high.

To configure your B2B shipping, navigate to theWooCommerce » Settingspage in the WordPress dashboard and switch to the ‘Shipping’ tab. You will see that a shipping zone has already been created.

Click the ‘Edit’ link under the ‘Zone Name’ to begin adjusting the settings.

This will take you to a new page where you can rename the ‘Zone Name’ to whatever you prefer.

You can select multiple ‘Zone regions’ from the dropdown menu by choosing specific areas, cities, or countries for product delivery.

Next, click the ‘Add shipping method’ button to include your preferred shipping options.

A prompt will appear on your screen, allowing you to choose between flat rate, free shipping, or local pickup. You can select any combination of these options.

Once you have made your selections, click the ‘Add shipping method’ button to proceed.

The plugin will then add your selected shipping method to the designated shipping zone.

To further customize the settings, click the ‘Edit’ link located under the shipping method.

This will bring up another prompt where you can specify the tax status and shipping cost.

Finally, click the ‘Save changes’ button to apply your settings. You will be redirected back to the ‘Shipping Zone’ page, where you need to click the ‘Save Changes’ button once more.

Next, set up a payment method to facilitate online transactions in your eCommerce store.

First, navigate to the WooCommerce » Settings page and select the ‘Payments’ tab.

This will display a list of various payment methods and gateways compatible with WooCommerce.

Simply click the ‘Finish Setup’ button for the payment method you wish to activate.

Next, follow the on-screen prompts to configure your selected payment method.

Once you’ve completed the setup, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to apply your settings.

Remember that popular payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal work well for many online stores. However, B2B transactions often require alternative methods such as purchase orders, net terms, or wire transfers.

To handle these payment options, you will usually need a specialized addon like the Wholesale Payments plugin mentioned in our bonus section.

These are just a few of the key settings for online stores. For more comprehensive guidance, refer to our complete WooCommerce guide.

Step 6: Configure the Wholesale Suite Plugin

Now that you’ve installed your eCommerce plugin, it’s time to transform your website into a B2B platform.

We recommend the Wholesale Suite plugin as it provides all the necessary tools to manage wholesale products and customers. It’s user-friendly, and we’ve experienced excellent results during our testing.

To discover more about its features, check out our detailed Wholesale Suite review.

Begin by installing and activating the Wholesale Suite plugin. For detailed guidance, refer to our tutorial on installing a WordPress plugin.

After activation, navigate to theWholesale » Settingssection in the WordPress dashboard menu and select the ‘General’ tab.

Here, you can establish a default minimum order quantity and order subtotal that customers must meet to purchase wholesale products.

You can also configure settings to display wholesale products exclusively to wholesale customers, hide quantity discount tables, show coupons, enable backorders, and more. Once you’ve made your selections, click the ‘Save Changes’ button.

Next, go to the ‘Price’ tab. You can select the ‘Hide Retail Price’ option if you wish to serve only wholesale customers.

Then, you can add custom text for cart and price buttons before clicking ‘Save Changes.’

After that, navigate to the ‘Tax’ tab and check the ‘Tax Exemption’ box if you prefer not to apply taxes on wholesale products. Please note that this feature is only available in the pro plan.

You can customize the pricing display on the homepage to show the default WooCommerce price, include tax in the displayed price, or exclude tax, based on your preference.

You can now adjust the other settings to your liking or leave them as default. Finally, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to apply your settings.

Next, navigate to the WooCommerce » Add New page in the WordPress dashboard to add your first B2B product. Start by entering a name, description, and image for your product.

If you want only your wholesale customers to see this item, select the ‘Wholesale Customer’ user role from the ‘Restrict To Wholesale Roles’ dropdown menu on the right.

This user role is automatically created by the Wholesale Suite plugin upon activation. In WordPress, user roles determine what actions a user can perform on your site.

By establishing a dedicated role for wholesale customers, you can offer them special pricing, unique products, or exclusive content that regular retail visitors cannot access. This is an essential feature for managing a hybrid B2B and B2C store.

Then, scroll down to the ‘Product Data’ section.

To begin, open the ‘Discount Type’ dropdown menu located in the ‘Wholesale Prices’ section. Here, you can select either a fixed discount or a percentage discount for your wholesale customers.

If you opt for ‘Percentage,’ make sure to enter an amount in the ‘Discount (%)’ field. Wholesale Suite will automatically calculate the price and display the amount in US dollars.

If you select ‘Fixed,’ enter the amounts in the ‘Wholesale Price ($)’ and ‘Wholesale Sale Price ($)’ fields. If you also wish to sell the product at retail prices, you can include the ‘Regular Price’ and ‘Sale Price’ at the top.

Next, scroll down to the ‘Wholesale Minimum Order Quantity’ section.

Here, you can specify the minimum quantity of items that a customer must purchase to qualify for wholesale pricing.

Finally, click the ‘Publish’ button at the top to save your settings. You can then visit your WordPress site to see your first wholesale product available for purchase.

For additional guidance, refer to our tutorial on how to implement wholesale pricing in WooCommerce.

Step 7: Create a Wholesale Order Form in WordPress

After adding all your wholesale products, it’s beneficial to create a wholesale order form. This feature enables users to place bulk orders for multiple products using a single form.

To accomplish this, you will need to utilize the Wholesale Order Form plugin, which is included in the Wholesale Suite.

To begin, navigate to the Wholesale » Order Forms section in your WordPress admin dashboard and click the ‘Add Form’ button.

This will direct you to the form editor, where you should enter a name for your form.

Next, scroll down to the ‘Order Form Table’ section, where you will find a list of your store’s top-selling products along with their prices.

You can also drag and drop modules from the ‘Edit Form’ tab on the right panel into the footer of your form. This includes features like the search input, category filter, option to add selected products to the cart, cart subtotal, and more.

These features are beneficial if you have an extensive product list, as they assist users in locating what they need or viewing the total cost at the top or bottom of the order form.

After that, you can incorporate table elements such as stock quantity, SKU, description, and product category into your order form.

These elements can offer additional information to users before they choose to add an item to their online shopping cart.

Next, navigate to the ‘Settings’ tab in the right column. Here, you can customize options such as hiding the form title, selecting the product sorting order, enabling lazy loading for form products, and including or excluding specific categories, among other features.

For comprehensive guidance, refer to our tutorial on creating a wholesale order form.

When you’re ready, scroll back to the top and click the ‘Publish’ button to save your settings.

After that, a new shortcode field will appear next to the order form name. Copy this shortcode.

Then, open the page or post where you want to insert your wholesale order form and click the ‘+’ button at the top.

Next, locate and add the shortcode block to your page, then paste the copied shortcode into it.

Afterward, click the ‘Publish’ or ‘Update’ button to apply your changes.

You can now visit your WordPress site to see the wholesale order form in action.

And that’s it! Your WordPress B2B store is now fully operational with all the necessary components.

Additional Tools to Enhance Your B2B WordPress eCommerce Store

Now that your B2B eCommerce store is set up, here’s a list of fantastic plugins that can enhance your site’s functionality.

These tools can enhance your website’s performance, increase conversion rates, attract more visitors, and drive business success.

• MonsterInsights: This analytics tool enables you to monitor visitor behavior, allowing you to refine your store strategy based on actual data.
• WPForms: A simple and intuitive form builder that lets you create various types of forms, including contact and registration forms, to effectively engage your customers.
• Wholesale Payments: Part of the Wholesale Suite, this premium plugin allows you to set up custom payment plans, automate invoice management, and integrate secure payment options.
• RafflePress: A fantastic giveaway plugin that enables you to run contests, helping you expand your audience and promote your products.
• Duplicator: A dependable plugin for creating full website backups, ensuring your data is protected and easily recoverable in the event of a cyber incident.
• OptinMonster: A robust lead generation tool that allows you to design popups, sliders, and banners to boost signups and conversions.
• LiveChat: This customer support tool enables you to create chatbots, develop a knowledge base, and streamline support processes for enhanced customer interaction.
• AffiliateWPThis tool is ideal for managing your affiliate program, allowing you to track referrals, handle payouts, and increase sales through partnerships.
• TrustPulseThis plugin enhances conversions by utilizing social proof, displaying real-time notifications of customer activities on your website.

Common Questions About B2B eCommerce in WordPress

Here are some common inquiries from our readers before they launch their B2B business on WordPress:

Is it possible to operate a hybrid store that caters to both wholesale (B2B) and retail (B2C) customers?

Yes, definitely. The combination of WooCommerce and Wholesale Suite is ideal for a hybrid model. You can set a standard price for retail customers and a different wholesale price that is accessible only to users with the ‘Wholesale Customer’ role. This allows you to manage both sales channels from a single website.

How can I approve wholesale customers before they access B2B pricing?

Wholesale Suite includes features for managing B2B user registrations. You can create a specific sign-up form for wholesale applicants.

New registrations will be pending your manual approval before they receive the ‘Wholesale Customer’ role, giving you full control over who can access your B2B pricing.

How can I manage different shipping rules for large bulk orders?

While the default WooCommerce shipping settings provide a solid foundation, B2B shipping often requires more sophisticated rules. Consider using specialized WooCommerce shipping plugins to establish rules based on order weight, quantity, or user role.

This approach ensures accurate shipping cost calculations for large or freight-based orders.

What is the best method for managing payment options such as Net 30 terms or purchase orders?

Standard credit card gateways typically do not accommodate B2B transactions. A better solution is to utilize a specialized add-on like the Wholesale Payments plugin, which is included in the Wholesale Suite.

This plugin allows you to create and manage payment terms (such as Net 30/60), accept purchase orders, and handle invoicing for your business clients.

We hope this article has helped you understand how to set up B2B eCommerce easily in WordPress. You may also want to check out our beginner’s guide on adding a currency converter in WordPress and our collection of astonishing eCommerce statistics.

If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.