Shopify B2B ecommerce for Toronto brands

Executive summary: Shopify B2B supports wholesale buyers, distributors and trade accounts through company accounts, catalogues, quantity rules and net payment terms. The fit depends on buyer workflows, pricing rules, integrations and the chosen plan. We compare native features, apps and custom development before settling the architecture. This guide explains plan differences, operating costs, project responsibilities and how to assess fit. Canada Create was established in 2008 and currently serves businesses across Canada. Our Shopify B2B proposals define the work around your buyers, systems and commercial requirements.

What Shopify B2B is and who it is for

Shopify B2B is the set of native wholesale features inside Shopify for selling to businesses. A buyer belongs to a company and can have access to one or more company locations. The permitted products, prices and terms depend on the assigned catalogues, location settings and plan. A blended store combines retail and trade operations; a dedicated B2B store has its own admin.

Can Shopify be used for B2B? Yes. Native B2B is available on Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus. Companies, quantity rules, net terms and self-serve ordering are not exclusive to Plus. Catalogue limits, direct company pricing and advanced payment or customization needs can determine which plan fits.

A Shopify B2B assessment can be useful for several types of wholesale business:

• Direct-to-consumer brands adding wholesale. You already sell on Shopify and your retail partners are still ordering by email, spreadsheet or phone.
• Manufacturers and distributors replacing a legacy portal. You need to compare the current portal’s maintenance costs, buyer requirements and replacement risks.
• Wholesalers going online for the first time. Your sales reps take orders by hand and you want buyers to reorder on their own at any hour.

The proposed self-serve Shopify B2B portal should address specific ordering and service requirements. Compare the work it could reduce with implementation costs, continuing support and the effort buyers and staff need to adopt it. Released staff time is capacity, not automatically a cash saving or new sale.

How Shopify B2B evolved into a native wholesale platform

Shopify began in Canada as an online retail platform. A wholesale store may now contain a mix of native B2B features, third-party apps and older customizations. That history matters when assessing what can be retained, replaced or migrated.

From the wholesale channel to native B2B

The older Plus Wholesale Channel was a separate wholesale offering. Its features and limitations should not be used as a guide to the current native B2B service.

Shopify then rebuilt wholesale as native B2B, with companies, locations, catalogues and payment terms living in the core admin rather than in a side channel. The older wholesale channel was retired in favour of this model, and native B2B is one option for new wholesale work alongside suitable apps and custom integrations.

Why the history matters when you plan

If your existing store uses an older wholesale app or custom catalogue, the assessment should identify its supported functions, data access and continuing costs. Compatibility with native B2B needs review before those dependencies are removed. We confirm current plan availability rather than relying on an older article or product label.

Canadian tax, currency and language considerations

Canadian proposals need to address the merchant’s tax decisions, supported currencies, language coverage and delivery arrangements. These requirements depend on where and how the business sells.

Sales tax exemptions for resellers

Some purchases for resale can qualify for provincial sales-tax exemptions, depending on the jurisdiction, product and required documentation. GST/HST treatment is a separate question. Shopify supports company-location tax settings; we configure the rules and evidence requirements your accountant confirms rather than treating every business buyer as exempt.

Canadian and US dollar pricing

For cross-border trade, we review market catalogues, fixed prices, supported currencies and payment-provider requirements together. Canadian and US dollar pricing may need separate commercial rules rather than automatic conversion. We verify the available configuration for the plan and gateway before promising a specific currency experience.

French-language buyers

If you sell to businesses in Quebec, your storefront, product information and transactional communications may need French-language coverage. Shopify supports multiple languages, but theme, app and notification coverage must be checked. The scope identifies translation and review responsibilities; your counsel confirms the legal requirements that apply.

Shipping and freight

Your delivery requirements may involve parcels, palletized freight, LTL shipping or warehouse pickup. The brief should identify which prices can be shown at checkout, which orders need a freight review and who confirms service areas and delivery terms. Carrier and app support can affect the quote.

Shopify B2B vs Shopify Plus B2B

Most native B2B features are available on Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus. The differences include catalogue assignment limits, direct company pricing, advanced payments and customization. Basic, Grow and Advanced need the new Shopify Markets setup for B2B market catalogues. We confirm the live feature set and commercial requirements during discovery.

Shopify changes plan inclusions, so we verify the current plan and setup during discovery. Basic, Grow or Advanced may cover companies, quantity rules and net terms. Direct company catalogue assignment, more catalogue capacity, advanced payment requirements or specific checkout extensions can justify Plus. An ERP connection alone does not establish that Plus is required.

Blended store or separate wholesale store

One of the first architecture decisions in any Shopify B2B project is whether retail and wholesale buyers share one storefront.

Blended store

A blended store manages retail and B2B through one Shopify store and admin, with shared inventory by default. Eligible logged-in business buyers receive their assigned B2B products, prices and terms within the plan’s limits. It can reduce duplicated administration when staff and inventory are shared, but differences in content, delivery and payment options still need assessment.

Separate wholesale store

A separate wholesale store has its own storefront, admin, settings and inventory by default. It can provide a distinct trade brand or ordering interface. Where inventory or customer data must stay aligned with another store, we scope the connector or custom integration explicitly; expansion-store eligibility is checked against the merchant’s contract.

How we decide

We compare catalogue overlap, buyer tasks, staff responsibilities, inventory ownership and integration cost. A blended store can reduce duplication when retail and trade share operations; a dedicated store can suit a distinct trade experience. We document the trade-offs rather than deciding from an arbitrary count of wholesale-only products.

Shopify B2B features explained

The features below help define a wholesale brief. Their availability, permissions and fit with your existing systems determine the work in scope.

Companies, locations and buyers

A company represents the business you sell to. Its locations can hold distinct billing and shipping details, tax settings, payment terms and contacts. Buyers have permissions for particular locations; an ordering-only buyer does not have the same access as a location administrator. Direct company or location catalogue assignment requires Plus. Your team approves who can order, view records and change location details.

Catalogues and price lists

A catalogue defines product availability and pricing for eligible B2B audiences. Market catalogues are available across supported plans within their limits; assigning a catalogue directly to a company or company location requires Plus. Prices can use percentage adjustments or fixed values. We design distributor and contract pricing around the assignment methods and limits the chosen plan supports.

Quantity rules and volume pricing

Quantity rules can define minimums, maximums and order increments. For example, a case-pack requirement could allow quantities in multiples of twelve; that is an illustration, not a required pack size. Volume pricing offers defined price breaks. The agreed theme and ordering interfaces need to present the approved rules clearly.

Payment terms and checkout

Shopify B2B supports net terms and payment on fulfilment; a specific fixed due date can be set on an individual draft order. Eligible buyers can use supported card and account-payment options. Payments are not automatically collected just because terms expire. Your team approves credit, due dates and any order review for freight or stock; deposit and partial-payment requirements also depend on the plan.

Self-serve customer accounts

Customer accounts support order history, reordering and payment of eligible outstanding orders. The records a buyer can see and the location details they can change depend on their permissions. We agree which account tasks are in scope and how any change in manual service work will be assessed.

Sales rep ordering

Authorized staff can use B2B draft orders for phone, email or sales-rep requests, subject to the relevant company prices and terms. Trade-show or POS requirements are assessed separately; online B2B capabilities should not be assumed to apply unchanged at a till.

ERP, PIM and CRM integration

The proposal identifies the authoritative system for each record. Shopify, an ERP, a PIM and a CRM may have different responsibilities for product information, commercial terms, inventory, invoices and relationships. Supported interfaces, permissions, update timing and conflict handling determine what a connection can reliably cover.

Records and system responsibilities

• Customers and companies with agreed record authority, permitted fields, access and responsibility for commercial terms and tax decisions.
• Price lists and contract pricing with approved sources, effective dates and catalogue assignment limits.
• Inventory levels with warehouse definitions, update frequency and responsibility for stock discrepancies.
• Orders with clear responsibility for acceptance, fulfilment, invoicing and exceptions.
• Invoice and payment status where interfaces and buyer-account features support it, with financial records kept in their authoritative system.

Common systems and approaches

Potential systems include NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Acumatica, SAP Business One and Sage. These names do not establish compatibility with every edition or deployment. The assessment compares a supported connector, integration platform or custom app, including licences, API access, maintenance and exception handling. Compare the full integration cost, including vendor assistance and work that must remain manual.

Product information

The brief can include specifications, case packs, barcodes and approved technical or safety documents. Your team confirms accuracy, usage rights and the authoritative product source. Available PIM interfaces, custom fields and document access determine what can be displayed and maintained in Shopify; automatic copying is not assumed.

CRM and lead capture

A trade application can support an agreed staff or CRM handoff. Your team decides whether to approve an account, grant credit or accept an order. The scope identifies permitted business-contact information, recipients, retention and supported system connections. Sensitive financial or identity documents are excluded from general enquiry and marketing analytics.

Shopify B2B implementation scope and responsibilities

A B2B implementation usually starts by resolving buyer, pricing and data requirements before the storefront is finalized. The sequence and schedule depend on the systems and scope; the proposal identifies dependencies, acceptance checks and responsibilities.

1. Discovery and requirements

Discovery documents how buyers order today. We review your price structures, payment terms, tax cases, freight rules, ERP data and the buyer types you serve, then confirm the Shopify plan and store architecture.

2. Data model and catalogue design

The design records the company and location structure, catalogue requirements and permitted buyer roles. Your staff approve product access, prices, quantity rules and commercial terms. The proposal identifies who supplies and corrects product data and which requirements depend on a particular plan or app.

3. Integration build

Integration acceptance covers agreed record types, supported update behaviour and exception handling. Testing uses representative synthetic or appropriately minimized authorized records. Your team and relevant system providers approve permitted access, acceptance evidence and production readiness; a connection does not establish that every record can be transferred.

4. Storefront and buyer experience

The storefront brief identifies supported quick ordering, product-finding, quantity, account and reorder tasks. Theme or app dependencies, accessibility, performance and agreed device coverage belong in the acceptance criteria. A particular ordering layout is not assumed to suit every business buyer.

5. Testing with real buyers

Where buyer participation is agreed and permitted, feedback can complement staff acceptance checks. The scope identifies the tasks, participants, data restrictions and unresolved issues. Feedback from a small group does not prove adoption across every trade account.

6. Launch and buyer onboarding

Launch responsibilities include agreed training, buyer communications, acceptance and support. Buyer onboarding belongs in the scope, with your team responsible for approved contacts, commercial decisions and ongoing customer service. The proposal states the support period and any separately purchased monitoring or changes.

Migrating a wholesale portal to Shopify

If you are moving from Magento (Adobe Commerce), WooCommerce with wholesale plugins, BigCommerce or a custom portal, compare export access, required records and continuing supplier obligations. Migration has its own risks.

What must move

Company structures, price agreements, product information, required order history and existing URLs need an agreed migration scope. Your team confirms the negotiated prices and records that must remain usable. Export rights, destination support, retained archives and acceptance evidence determine what can move and what must remain available elsewhere.

Protecting search visibility

A migration can affect existing links and search visibility. The scope identifies important pages, search-continuity responsibilities and any separately agreed SEO services. Available platform controls and content changes can limit continuity; rankings and traffic may fluctuate during a move.

Cut-over and continuity requirements

Agree acceptable ordering interruptions, responsibility for orders in progress and the point at which each system becomes authoritative. Any temporary overlap depends on the old and new providers’ capabilities, access and costs. No migration approach guarantees uninterrupted ordering.

Shopify B2B pricing and total cost of ownership

What does Shopify B2B cost? The total includes the Shopify subscription, payment processing, apps and integrations, the build, and any ongoing support or marketing. Shopify publishes its plan pricing, including term options and potential variable platform fees for Shopify Plus, so check Shopify’s current pricing page for the subscription figure.

How much does Shopify take from a $100 sale?

The cost of a sale depends on the plan, payment method, card and applicable provider terms. Card processing and any Shopify third-party transaction fee are separate charges; exemptions and special cases can apply. Manual payment methods do not incur card-processing fees, but banking or other applicable costs may remain. Compare the payment mix and the rates together, using an agreed, appropriately minimized order profile rather than assuming a universal fee on a $100 sale.

What drives build cost

Canada Create quotes every Shopify B2B project individually. Cost drivers include catalogue and pricing requirements, supported integrations and product-data quality. A blended store with a small catalogue differs from a multi-brand build requiring several warehouse connections. The proposal defines update-frequency expectations and separates setup, ongoing work and third-party or advertising costs.

Measuring return on a B2B store

We agree on ordering, service and commercial measures before launch. Compare additional contribution and actual cost savings with the full project and operating cost, while tracking released staff capacity separately.

Operational measures

• Share of wholesale orders placed online rather than by email, phone or rep.
• Order entry time recorded for agreed staff tasks, with released capacity distinguished from actual cost savings.
• Order error rate, including wrong prices, wrong quantities and wrong addresses.
• Days to payment from authoritative invoice and payment records, with collection responsibility remaining with your team.

Commercial measures

• Reorder frequency per active account.
• Average order value interpreted with margin, discounts, returns and account mix.
• New trade applications from search and ads.
• Active buyer rate, meaning invited buyers who actually order online.

Reports use agreed sources: Shopify and permitted analytics for shopping activity, ERP or invoice records for payment timing, and staff records for manual work. Monthly reporting within the agreed scope identifies gaps and comparable periods. Changes in demand, prices or customer mix can affect the result; portal use alone does not establish an attributable return.

Shopify B2B by business type

Shopify B2B can suit repeat-product wholesale workflows when its product, payment and integration capabilities fit the business. The configuration changes by buyer type.

Consumer brands selling to retailers

Brands in apparel, beauty, food and beverage, and home goods use Shopify B2B to let independent shops and boutiques reorder from a line sheet style storefront with case pack minimums and seasonal catalogues.

Distributors and wholesalers

Distributors may need large-catalogue search, quick ordering, negotiated prices or warehouse availability. The brief should separate supported native features from app or integration requirements and state what stock information buyers can rely on.

Manufacturers selling to dealers

Manufacturers use dealer catalogues, restricted products by territory and technical documentation on product pages, often with orders submitted for review so the team can confirm lead times.

Suppliers to clinics, offices and trades

Suppliers to clinics, restaurants, contractors and offices may need separate ordering locations and roles. The brief confirms which staff can order and which approvals require another system or manual review. A company-location record is not proof that a complete head-office spending-approval process is included.

Getting buyers to the B2B store

A wholesale portal may support existing accounts and enquiries from prospective trade buyers. Acquisition, account approval and repeat ordering are separate responsibilities, so marketing scope and reporting should identify which outcomes can actually be observed.

Search visibility for trade terms

Optional SEO and local SEO work can assess relevant supplier enquiries and approved product or business content. The proposal distinguishes that work from the portal build and explains the available evidence; search visibility and new accounts are not guaranteed.

Paid search for new accounts

Separately scoped Google Ads work can be considered for trade enquiries. Your staff decide account suitability and record approved applications or orders. Reporting depends on permitted data and available attribution; a click or form submission is not a qualified business account.

Keeping content and retail sites aligned

If your main brand site uses WordPress, our WordPress development team can assess the supported connection and content responsibilities. Keeping content and commerce on Shopify is another option. Our web design team can scope the presentation, with separate maintenance and integration dependencies identified.

Is Shopify B2B worth it?

Shopify B2B merits assessment when repeat orders, defined commercial terms and supported buyer tasks offer a plausible benefit relative to full costs. Compare that benefit with adoption uncertainty and staff workload. Custom quoting, configure-to-order products or deal-specific pricing may require additional systems, custom development or another platform.

Signs it fits

• Most wholesale orders are reorders of known products.
• Pricing follows rules or contracts that can be written down.
• You already use Shopify for retail, or your current platform is costly to maintain.
• Your ERP can share customer, price and inventory data.

Signs to pause

• Pricing is negotiated order by order with no pattern.
• Product data is incomplete or scattered across files.
• No one on your team will own buyer onboarding.

Is Shopify still worth it in 2026?

Shopify can suit businesses seeking hosted commerce with supported wholesale features. Its subscription, apps, platform limits and continuing maintenance requirements still need comparison with alternatives. Complex quoting or manufacturing requirements may call for another system. Our ecommerce website team can compare Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix or a custom build against the catalogue and operating requirements.

Guides for B2B sellers

• Guide: How to market a manufacturing company in Canada
• Ecommerce and Shopify SEO guide

Your next step with Canada Create

Canada Create was established in 2008 and currently serves businesses across Canada. We are a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ rating.

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A Shopify B2B project with us starts with a short conversation about how your buyers order today, which systems you use and what you want the store to change. From there we send a written proposal that separates the build, monthly management and any third-party or advertising costs. Request a proposal below.