A Practical Guide to Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel [Updated Jan 2026]

Summary

• The Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel was a separate, password-protected storefront for B2B sales that Shopify deprecated on April 30, 2024.
• Shopify replaced it with B2B on Shopify, a set of features integrated into the core Shopify admin for Plus merchants.
• Merchants can run B2B and retail sales from a single blended store or from a separate, dedicated B2B store.
• Key features of B2B on Shopify include company profiles, custom catalogs for pricing and product visibility, net payment terms, and self-serve customer portals.
• Businesses on the old wholesale channel must migrate their customers, price lists, and workflows to the new B2B on Shopify platform or a third-party solution.

Introduction: The Big Shift in Shopify B2B

The term "Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel" now points to a legacy feature that no longer exists in Shopify. Shopify deprecated the Wholesale Channel on April 30, 2024 and replaced it with B2B on Shopify, a set of features built directly into the core Shopify admin for Plus merchants.

If you are searching for the old Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel to manage your wholesale program, here is the current state of things:

Quick Answer:

• Deprecated: April 30, 2024
• Replacement: "B2B on Shopify" – built into the Shopify Plus admin
• Store Options: Run one blended store for both retail and wholesale, or create a dedicated B2B store
• Key Features: Company profiles, custom catalogs, net payment terms, self-serve B2B customer accounts
• Migration Required: Move customers, price lists, and workflows to B2B on Shopify or to another B2B solution

The old Wholesale Channel was a separate app. It sat beside your main online store as a password-protected portal for business buyers. It did the job for basic wholesale, but it was disconnected from your primary theme and checkout. You could not use most of the apps, custom checkout logic, or newer Shopify features that you used on your main store.

B2B on Shopify replaces that structure with something more practical: wholesale is now part of the same core platform as your direct-to-consumer site. You can keep one storefront that serves both audiences or split B2B into its own dedicated store. Either way, you work from the same admin interface, inventory, and checkout stack.

B2B on Shopify lets you:

• Store company-level data with multiple buyers per company
• Build custom catalogs that control pricing and product visibility
• Set net payment terms on accounts
• Give business buyers a self-serve portal for orders and account management

This guide explains what the old channel did, why Shopify shut it down, and how B2B on Shopify works in practice. It is written for merchants who:

• Are still trying to understand what happened to the Wholesale Channel
• Need to plan or complete a migration
• Want a clear view of how to run wholesale on Shopify Plus going forward

I'm Steve Pogson, founder of First Pier, a Shopify Expert agency based in Portland, Maine. Over the past two decades, we have helped brands plan and build their Shopify Plus wholesale channel operations and, more recently, guided them through the move from the deprecated Wholesale Channel to B2B on Shopify.

The End of an Era: What Was the Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel?

For many years, the Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel served as Shopify Plus merchants' primary way to sell to other businesses. It was a separate, password-protected storefront that functioned as an extension of your primary Shopify store. This meant wholesale customers had a distinct portal where they could log in and place orders, separate from your direct-to-consumer (DTC) customers.

This setup was a solid starting point for businesses looking to expand into wholesale. It allowed for basic segmentation of your customer base and the ability to offer different pricing. However, it had its quirks. The storefront needed its own unique login credentials, even though customer and order data were tracked within the same Shopify admin as your regular online store.

The timeline for its existence came to an end on April 30, 2024, when Shopify formally deprecated it. This move signaled a significant shift in Shopify's B2B strategy, leading to a more integrated set of features. For merchants in Portland, ME, and beyond, this meant evaluating alternatives and planning for a migration. If you're looking to transition from an older platform or need assistance with data migration, our team here at First Pier can help with our platform migration services.

Key Features and Settings of the Deprecated Channel

The deprecated Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel offered a set of features designed to help with basic B2B transactions:

• Price Lists: This was the core mechanism for offering wholesale pricing. Merchants could create price lists and apply them to specific products or collections. These price lists could then be assigned to individual customers or groups of customers via tags.
• Customer Tags: Customers were assigned tags to categorize them into different wholesale groups, which in turn dictated which price lists they had access to.
• Minimum Order Values: Merchants could set minimum order spend requirements for wholesale customers.
• Non-Editable Theme: One of the most significant limitations was that the wholesale storefront operated on a non-editable theme. Only basic elements like the logo, accent colors, and top navigation links could be changed.
• Limited Customization: Beyond basic branding, advanced customization of the storefront's appearance or functionality was not possible.
• No Third-Party App Support: The old wholesale channel did not allow for the integration of third-party apps.

Limitations and the Reason for Deprecation

While the Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel served its purpose for a time, its limitations became increasingly apparent as B2B e-commerce changed:

• Lack of Customization: The non-editable theme and restricted front-end control meant that merchants couldn't provide a branded or custom experience for their wholesale buyers.
• Separate Login Experience: Requiring a separate login for the wholesale channel created friction for buyers and added administrative overhead for merchants.
• Inability to Use Shopify Functions or Checkout Apps: As Shopify's core platform progressed, new features like Shopify Functions and advanced checkout customizations became available for DTC stores. The old wholesale channel couldn't use these features.
• Disconnected from Main Store Theme: The wholesale channel's inability to inherit the main store's theme meant that any updates or design changes to the primary DTC store required separate efforts.
• Need for a More Integrated Solution: The core reason for deprecation was Shopify's strategic decision to build B2B capabilities directly into the core platform.

Shopify formally announced its deprecation, setting April 30, 2024, as the final date for merchants to seek alternative solutions.

The New Standard: A Deep Dive into B2B on Shopify

With the deprecation of the old Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel, Shopify introduced its integrated replacement: B2B on Shopify. This new setup is a suite of native features built directly into the core Shopify admin, specifically for Shopify Plus merchants. Wholesale features are no longer an add-on channel. They sit inside the same admin and use the same building blocks as your direct-to-consumer site: themes, checkout, and apps.

B2B on Shopify is available only on Shopify Plus, where we see most merchants running more complex wholesale programs. It changes how teams structure their stores by offering two main patterns:

• Blended stores: You run both B2B and DTC through a single storefront. A business buyer logs in and sees their negotiated pricing, payment terms, and product access. A retail buyer sees standard pricing and content. You keep one set of integrations and one inventory system. This is often the right choice when branding, product data, and operations are shared between B2B and DTC.
• Dedicated stores: You run a separate Shopify store just for B2B, managed within the same Shopify Plus organization. This is useful if your wholesale catalog, content, tax rules, or buying experience are very different from DTC. Shopify Plus includes up to nine additional expansion stores at no extra license cost, which makes a dedicated B2B build realistic when you need that clean separation.

Because B2B on Shopify is part of the core platform, it can use the same infrastructure, checkout, APIs, and app ecosystem as your main online store. That opens up more room for custom workflows around pricing, payments, and approvals than the old channel ever allowed. Here at First Pier, we often start B2B work by mapping your existing wholesale process, then using these native features with targeted Shopify Plus optimization services instead of custom side systems.

Here is a quick comparison of the old Wholesale Channel versus the new B2B on Shopify:

Core Components of B2B on Shopify

There are a few key features that make up the core of B2B on Shopify:

• Companies: Instead of treating every B2B buyer as a separate customer record, Shopify gives you a company profile that can hold multiple locations and multiple buyers. Each company location can have its own catalog, payment terms, and shipping address.
• Catalogs: Catalogs replace the old price list model. You can define product visibility and pricing for specific companies or company locations. Pricing can be fixed per SKU, percentage-based, or driven by volume tiers.
• Payment terms: You can set payment terms like Net 30, Net 60, or custom schedules directly on a company profile. This integrates with the order and invoice flow so your team can see which orders are still due and when.
• Self-serve accounts: B2B buyers can log into an account portal, view their orders and invoices, reorder, and manage saved addresses and payment methods. For blended stores, retail buyers and business buyers share the same account framework but see different pricing and options based on their company assignment.
• Checkout to draft orders: For workflows where you still want an internal review before finalizing B2B orders, you can route B2B transactions to drafts. Your team can then adjust terms, shipping, or line items before capturing payment.
• Vaulted credit cards: Business buyers can store payment methods securely in their account, which speeds up repeat orders for teams that pay by card instead of invoice.

How B2B on Shopify Compares to the Deprecated Wholesale Channel

From the work we do with Shopify Plus merchants, the main differences between B2B on Shopify and the legacy Wholesale Channel show up in day-to-day operations:

• Unified admin: There is no separate channel app to manage. Your wholesale settings live alongside your online store settings, which makes it easier to train staff and keep configuration in sync.
• Theme and branding control: Because B2B buyers use the same theme layer as your retail customers, you can give them a branded experience instead of the generic Wholesale Channel interface. This is especially important when you have sales reps sending buyers directly to the site.
• Access to apps, APIs, and Functions: B2B traffic runs through the same checkout and app ecosystem as DTC. You can use discount apps, shipping logic, custom pricing through Shopify Functions, and ERP or CRM integrations with your wholesale orders instead of bolting on separate processes.
• Shared customer accounts for blended stores: In a blended model, a single person can shop as a consumer and as a B2B buyer with the same login, depending on which company they are linked to. This removes the double-account problem that the Wholesale Channel caused.
• More flexible checkout customization: You can add fields like PO numbers, required terms acknowledgments, or B2B-only shipping methods with the same approach you use for your retail checkout. That was not possible with the locked-down Wholesale Channel checkout.

For merchants rethinking their wholesale program rather than just doing a one-to-one migration, this shift opens the door to a cleaner wholesale plan that is easier to support over time. Here at First Pier, we include these capabilities in our broader wholesale strategy services, so pricing tiers, terms, and account structures match how your sales and finance teams already work.

The B2B market went through a shift

According to Digital Commerce 360, in 2021, online sales on B2B e-commerce sites, login portals, and marketplaces increased by 17.8% to $1.63 trillion. That growth has continued since, and we now see many B2B buyers expecting a digital ordering experience that is closer to what they use as consumers.

For Shopify Plus merchants, this shift is the backdrop for the move from the legacy Wholesale Channel to B2B on Shopify. The older model could support basic online ordering, but it did not match the way B2B buyers now expect to research products, check stock, place orders, and manage accounts from any device.

When we work with wholesale brands here at First Pier, this is usually the starting point: understanding how their buyers want to order and re-order, and then using B2B on Shopify to line up pricing, terms, and account access with that behavior rather than forcing buyers through an outdated, separate portal.

Practical Implementation: Setting Up Your B2B Operations

Moving to B2B on Shopify means taking practical steps to configure your store for wholesale. The goal is to move from manual processes to an efficient, self-service model that supports your B2B buyers.

The first decision I guide merchants through is choosing between a blended and a dedicated store. A blended storefront allows you to manage both your B2B and DTC operations from a single online store. This approach is effective because it means one single point of integration for your ERP or CRM, shared data, and a unified administrative experience. For instance, you could have customers log in to access specific wholesale pricing and product visibility, while other shoppers see your standard retail offerings. This helps maintain brand consistency and simplify inventory management.

Alternatively, a dedicated B2B store provides a completely separate online presence for your wholesale business. This might be ideal if your B2B brand identity, product catalog, or customer experience needs to be distinctly different from your DTC side. Shopify Plus plans include the ability to run multiple stores, making this a viable option without additional platform costs. The choice hinges on your specific business needs, how distinct your B2B and DTC operations are, and your long-term plan for brand positioning and operational efficiency.

Regardless of your choice, effective inventory management is important. One benefit of B2B on Shopify is that your inventory is typically unified, simplifying tracking across channels. If you need help getting your Shopify store set up correctly from the ground up, our Shopify setup services can help ensure everything is configured correctly.

Configuring Custom Pricing, Order Limits, and Payments

A major advantage of B2B on Shopify is its granular control over pricing and ordering. This is where you tailor the buying experience to each wholesale partner's unique needs.

• Creating Custom Catalogs: At the heart of custom pricing are Custom catalogs. These allow you to curate specific product selections and pricing structures for different types of B2B buyers. For example, you might have one catalog for your top-tier distributors with the deepest discounts and another for smaller retailers with different product availability. This level of personalization means that wholesale customers see only what's relevant to them, with their agreed-upon prices. Fragrance label WHO IS ELIJAH, for instance, used custom catalogs and price matrices to support its global growth, which helped their international wholesale revenue climb 50% year over year.
• Setting Fixed Prices: For certain products, you can set fixed wholesale prices that override the DTC price, ensuring consistent margins for B2B sales.
• Percentage-Based Discounts: Apply a percentage discount across an entire catalog or specific collections, making it easy to manage pricing tiers.
• Volume Pricing Tiers: This feature enables you to offer additional discounts based on the quantity a customer adds to their cart. For example, a buyer might get a 10% discount for ordering 50 units and a 20% discount for 100 units. This encourages larger orders and helps meet the common B2B need for quantity-based pricing.
• Setting Quantity Rules (MOQs): You can define minimum, maximum, and increment rules for product purchasing. This is essential for wholesale, allowing you to set minimum order quantities (MOQs) or control order sizes for specific products or customer groups.
• Assigning Payment Terms to Company Profiles: B2B on Shopify allows you to assign unique payment terms (like Net 30/60/90) directly to a company's profile. This is a critical B2B requirement, as 81% of B2B buyers find choosing their own invoicing schedule "very or extremely important." This feature, combined with invoicing capabilities and vaulted credit cards, makes the payment process more efficient. You can even enable purchase order (PO) numbers at checkout for better order tracking.

Migrating from the Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel

Migrating from the deprecated Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel to B2B on Shopify requires careful planning. Here's how I typically guide clients through the process:

• Using Shopify's Migration Tools: Shopify has provided migration tools to help transfer existing wholesale data. If you're moving from the old Wholesale Channel, these tools can help migrate customer information, price lists, and order data. If you're coming from an external platform, you can import price lists directly from the admin, use apps like Matrixify for customer data, and use REST APIs for order history.
• Exporting Customer Lists: Begin by exporting your current wholesale customer lists. This data is necessary for creating new company profiles and associating buyers with them in B2B on Shopify.
• Recreating Price Lists as Catalogs: Your existing price lists from the old channel will need to be recreated as catalogs in the new B2B on Shopify system. This is an opportunity to refine your pricing strategy and use the more granular control offered by catalogs.
• Communicating the Change to B2B Customers: Clear communication is very important. Inform your wholesale customers about the upcoming change, the new login process (often a one-time code sent to their email), and the benefits of the new platform. Ensure they know how to access their new accounts and place orders. A smooth transition maintains customer loyalty and reduces confusion.
• Testing the New Workflow: Before a full rollout, conduct thorough testing. Place dummy orders, verify pricing, check payment terms, and ensure that the customer experience is smooth from login to checkout. This helps catch any issues before they affect your live operations.

Advanced Strategies and the Future of B2B Ecommerce

The shift to B2B on Shopify is more than just a platform change; it reflects broader trends in B2B e-commerce. As an expert in this space, I see businesses increasingly needing to move beyond basic online ordering to digital-first approaches.

The modern B2B buyer expects a consumer-like experience: clear interfaces, personalized interactions, and self-service capabilities. Orders over $500,000 now close via self-service online, a significant change that highlights the comfort B2B buyers have with digital transactions.

Automation is very important here. Tools like Shopify Flow can automate workflows, such as tagging new wholesale customers for specific pricing tiers or notifying your team to review large orders.

While B2B on Shopify offers a strong set of native features, some businesses with highly specialized needs might still consider third-party B2B solutions or even headless commerce approaches for maximum control.

Key B2B Ecommerce Trends and Shopify's Adaptation

B2B e-commerce is changing quickly, with digital adoption accelerating. Here are some key trends I'm observing and how Shopify is adapting:

• Rise of Self-Service Portals: B2B buyers want control and convenience. Gartner reports that when B2B buyers self-steer, 65% complete what they consider high-quality deals, compared to just 24% when purchases are conducted through sales reps.
• McKinsey's 2024 B2B Pulse reports that decision-makers toggle across 10 touchpoints on average and still follow the "rule of thirds": one-third in-person, one-third remote, one-third pure self-service. Shopify's ability to offer a unified B2B and DTC storefront helps support these varied touchpoints.
• Use of AI in Procurement: Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing B2B buying. Forrester's 2024 Buyers' Journey survey found that 89% of procurement teams now use generative AI at some stage of the buying process. While Shopify's core B2B features don't directly offer generative AI for procurement, its extensive API access lets you integrate with AI-powered tools.
• Widespread Personalization: Wholesale customers are not all the same. The new B2B on Shopify platform handles this well with custom catalogs, personalized content, and company profiles that allow for custom product offerings, pricing, and payment terms.
• Omnichannel B2B Experiences: B2B buyers increasingly expect a consistent experience across all channels. Shopify's unified platform for B2B and DTC helps achieve this. The global B2B e-commerce market is projected to reach $25 trillion in 2025, and climb to roughly $35 trillion by 2027.

Navigating Your B2B Future on Shopify

The transition from the original Shopify Plus Wholesale Channel to the new B2B on Shopify platform marks a significant change in how businesses conduct wholesale operations online. What was once a separate, somewhat isolated app is now a deeply integrated suite of features that uses the full Shopify ecosystem.

The new B2B on Shopify platform has more capabilities and is more flexible and integrated than its predecessor. It helps merchants offer highly customized, self-service experiences to their wholesale buyers, mirroring the smooth experience expected by today's consumers. This shift gives you greater control over branding, pricing, payment terms, and overall customer experience, all managed from a single, unified admin.

For businesses in Portland, ME, and beyond, adopting this new approach isn't just about adapting to change; it's an opportunity to build more efficient, expandable, and customer-focused wholesale operations. Having a clear plan for your B2B sales, whether through a blended or dedicated storefront, is important for your business.

Here at First Pier, we specialize in helping businesses navigate these changes. Our team understands the details of B2B e-commerce and the specific capabilities of Shopify Plus. We work with clients to design, develop, and refine their wholesale channels, to make sure they are not just functional but also support business growth. If you're looking to build or refine your B2B presence on Shopify, our award-winning Shopify e-commerce agency is here to help.