Is Shopify B2B a good platform for wholesale businesses?"

Table of contents:

• What does B2B sales mean in eCommerce?
• Shopify B2B - what features does it offer?
• For whom will Shopify B2B be a good choice?
• Where might Shopify B2B not be sufficient?
• Shopify B2B costs
• Magento as an alternative for more demanding B2B platforms
• When does Shopify B2B make sense, and when is it better to choose Magento?
• Strategic conclusions - Shopify B2B or Magento?

According to the latest report "Shopify Statistics 2025: Users, Stores & Revenue (Updated)" approximately 4.82 million stores worldwide currently use Shopify, and the platform serves nearly 5 million active users daily. In 2024, the SaaS software provider recorded a 24% gross revenue growth, achieving an impressive result of $292.28 billion.

This data confirms that Shopify is one of the leading e-commerce platforms. Globally, it holds a 10.56% share of the eCommerce market, and dominates in the United States with a result reaching 30% (demandsage.com).

Although the platform was initially mainly associated with B2C sales, in recent years it has been investing more heavily in the B2B segment, offering dedicated tools within the Shopify Plus plan. This is a response to the growing demand from companies for solutions enabling the service of customers purchasing wholesale through online channels.

B2B (business-to-business) sales in the online channel involves conducting transactions between companies - most often manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, or retail chains. Unlike B2C, where the recipient is an individual consumer, this sales model focuses on larger order volumes, individual trading conditions, and long-term relationships.

For many companies, the digital channel is becoming a key source of revenue, and the proper choice of eCommerce platform has a direct impact on operational efficiency in this model. You can find more details about the B2B model on our page "B2B eCommerce - business development with a personalized sales platform".

For companies operating in the B2B model, Shopify has prepared an extended feature package available in the Shopify Plus plan. This solution was designed with wholesale sales in the online channel in mind and enables handling both simple and more complex business scenarios.

Within Shopify B2B, entrepreneurs receive, among others:

• Dedicated price lists and trading conditions - assigning individual rates, volume discounts, and payment terms to specific contractors or customer groups.
• Personalized product catalogs - presenting selected offers depending on customer segment, market, or currency.
• Wholesale order handling - simplified addition of large product volumes and automatic discount calculation.
• Customer company profiles - storing information about order history, trading conditions, price lists, and credit limits.
• Process automation - thanks to tools like Shopify Flow, automatic invoicing, notification sending, or order approval according to established rules is possible.
• Integrations with external systems - through API and applications, including connections with ERP, PIM, WMS, and 3PL logistics solutions.
• Customized checkout - ability to modify the purchasing process based on customer type or transaction conditions, including deferred payment handling (net terms).
• Scalability and security - infrastructure ready to handle large order volumes, compliant with PCI DSS requirements.

Importantly, Shopify Plus allows for simultaneous B2C and B2B sales in one environment, which is a significant convenience for companies operating in a hybrid model.

Shopify B2B in the Plus version is a particularly attractive proposition for small and medium enterprises that want to quickly enter online wholesale sales and focus on business development rather than the technical aspects of platform maintenance.

Thanks to ready infrastructure and an intuitive panel, the implementation process is significantly shorter than in the case of solutions requiring advanced configuration or programmer work. This is important in realities where speed of market response has a direct impact on competitive advantage. Shopify Plus gives B2B companies tools for efficient customer service and offer management, while remaining a platform that is easy to scale as orders and contractor base grow.

Although Shopify Plus offers a range of features facilitating wholesale sales, in the case of more complex B2B scenarios, the platform may prove too limited. Handling extensive catalog structures and complicated price lists can be problematic, requiring many pricing variants, product hierarchies, or individual discount rules.

Limitations are also visible in the visual aspect - Shopify operates mainly based on ready templates, which, although aesthetic and responsive, do not always allow full interface personalization for specific B2B purchasing processes. Companies expecting non-standard UX solutions or fully dedicated layout may encounter technical barriers.

Less flexibility in terms of deep platform modification means that for enterprises with unique technological or visual requirements, Shopify may not provide sufficient development freedom. In such cases, it is worth considering open source solutions, such as Magento, which offer full control over the functional and creative layer of the store.

Shopify operates on a subscription model, where the monthly fee includes hosting, updates, and technical support. Standard plans (Basic, Shopify, Advanced) range from tens to hundreds of dollars per month, but features dedicated to B2B sales are available exclusively in the Shopify Plus plan.

For companies deciding on Shopify Plus, the cost starts from $2,500 USD per month with an annual contract or from $2,300 USD per month with a three-year contract (shopify.com). In the case of more complex business structures, a variable platform fee is applied, the amount of which depends, among other things, on sales volume.

In the Shopify Plus price, entrepreneurs receive exclusive B2B features, lower transaction commission rates, and a platform designed for online commerce. Shopify emphasizes the cost-effective performance aspect - lower total maintenance cost compared to adapting general software to eCommerce needs, which allows for more efficient use of team resources and marketing budget.

It's also worth mentioning the commission model applicable to partners. In the case of stores created or transferred and plans activated before July 1, 2025, Shopify pays the partner a recurring commission of 20% of the basic monthly fee for each completely new seller who signs a Shopify Plus contract (shopify.com). From July 1, 2025, the commission at the same rate will also apply to new and automatically updated Shopify sellers who upgrade to the Plus plan.

To the subscription costs, you should add potential expenses for paid applications and integrations, which may be necessary for full B2B process handling.

For companies that go beyond the capabilities offered by Shopify Plus, a natural alternative is Magento (Adobe Commerce). The Open Source platform is known for its high flexibility and almost unlimited customization possibilities - both in the visual and functional layer. Magento allows creating individual purchasing paths, advanced catalog structures, multi-level price lists and complex discount rules, as well as handling non-standard order processes.

The platform is particularly valued in scenarios requiring integration with extensive ERP, PIM, or WMS systems and in projects where B2B and B2C sales must be conducted across multiple channels and markets simultaneously. The multistore function enables managing multiple stores from one administrative panel, which significantly facilitates expansion and service of diverse customer groups.

You can read more about Magento's capabilities in the article "How can Magento Multistore help you sell B2B and B2C online?". Also check real costs in the blog post "How much does a Magento implementation cost in 2025?".

Shopify B2B in the Plus plan is a solution that makes sense primarily for small and medium companies operating in a simple or moderately complex wholesale sales model. The advantage is quick implementation, predictable costs, and the ability to handle B2B and B2C in one environment, without the need to maintain extensive technical infrastructure. For enterprises that value operational simplicity, scalability, and ready sales tools, Shopify Plus can be an optimal choice.

Magento (Adobe Commerce) will work well for companies with more complicated B2B processes, requiring full store personalization, handling extensive catalogs, multi-level price lists, or advanced integrations with internal systems. It's a platform for medium and large enterprises that have their own development infrastructure or budget for maintaining an external team, while planning intensive expansion to multiple markets.

Summary of differences:

• Shopify Plus - simplicity, implementation speed, ready B2B features, best for small and medium businesses.
• Magento - full flexibility, unlimited personalization, better for complex companies scaling internationally.

Data from the second quarter of 2025 shows that Shopify is in a phase of intensive growth in Europe, where gross merchandise value (GMV) grew by 42%, and revenue by 31% year over year (ecommercenews.eu). In Germany, the platform already holds nearly 40% market share among small and medium online stores, and the introduction of multi-currency payment handling has significantly increased its attractiveness in cross-border sales.

These results confirm that Shopify is effectively strengthening its position also in the B2B segment, offering a solution particularly beneficial for companies that want to quickly implement an online sales channel and benefit from ready infrastructure. For this type of business, Shopify Plus can be a tool allowing efficient utilization of the growing eCommerce market potential.

However, it's worth remembering that more demanding B2B projects will still require the flexibility that Magento offers. This is where the Open Source platform remains a natural choice when the priority is full technology adaptation to individual needs and company strategy.