You don't need Shopify Plus to give wholesale or B2B customers lower prices. On Basic, Grow and Advanced plans you have three routes: Shopify's own B2B features (now available outside Plus, with limits), a tag-based discount for approved accounts, or an app that adds applications, approval and automatic pricing. This guide compares them and shows how to pick the right one for your store.
The short answer
If your wholesale price is a simple percentage off retail (for example 30% off everything), tag approved buyers and give that tag an automatic discount, either by hand or with an app. If every product has its own wholesale price, net payment terms and minimum quantities, use Shopify B2B (up to 3 catalogs outside Plus) or a dedicated price-list wholesale app.
Option | Plans | Per-product price lists | % off retail | Applications and approval | Net terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shopify B2B | Basic, Grow, Advanced (3 catalogs), Plus (unlimited) | Yes | Yes | Company account requests | Yes |
Tags + Shopify discount | All | No | Yes | Manual | No |
Approval + discount app (e.g. Lilya: Pro Program & Discounts) | All | No | Yes, by group or person | Yes, with proof uploads | No |
Price-list wholesale apps | All | Yes | Yes | Varies | Some |
What changed: B2B is no longer Plus-only
For years, "wholesale on Shopify" meant Plus or a separate wholesale store. Shopify now lists B2B features on Basic, Grow and Advanced plans. The main differences outside Plus:
- Up to 3 active B2B catalogs, and you need the new Shopify Markets.
- Some features, such as deposits and direct company catalogs, stay Plus-only.
- Net terms, quantity rules, price breaks and draft orders are available on all B2B plans.
Always check Shopify's help center for your plan, because these limits change.
Option 1: Shopify B2B (companies and catalogs)
How it works: you create companies with locations and buyers, assign each location a catalog with its own prices, and optionally set payment terms.
Good for: real wholesale accounts that order often, need invoices on net 30, and have negotiated per-SKU prices.
Trade-offs: setup is heavier, three catalogs can be tight if you have many price levels, and individual professionals (a single stylist or designer) don't fit the "company" model well.
Option 2: Tag approved customers and add a discount
How it works:
- Collect wholesale applications with a form.
- Approve buyers by adding a tag such as
wholesaleto their customer record. - Create a customer segment for that tag.
- Create a discount limited to that segment, so only tagged, logged-in customers get it.
Good for: small programs with a single percentage.
Trade-offs: everything is manual: reading applications, tagging, sending approval emails, and removing people who stop qualifying. There's no expiry, so old accounts keep their discount.
Option 3: An app that handles approval and the discount
This is option 2 with the busywork automated. Lilya: Pro Program & Discounts is our app for this route:
- Buyers apply on your storefront with proof files (resale certificate, business license).
- You approve them into a member group, reject with a reason, or approve many at once. Invite codes and allowed email domains approve at once.
- Approved, logged-in members get an automatic checkout discount: a program-wide, group or personal percentage, with an optional minimum order and allowance per period.
- Memberships can end after months, at season end, or never, with reminders, renewals and CSV import.
- It works with customer accounts, checkout and Shopify Flow.
Honest limits: it applies percentages, not per-SKU price lists, and it doesn't offer net terms. Checkout rules work online, not in POS. If you need price lists, use Shopify B2B or a price-list app. Free for up to 10 active members; $19/month for unlimited.
Option 4: Price-list wholesale apps
Apps like Wholesale Gorilla or other wholesale/B2B suites let you upload a wholesale price per SKU, hide prices until login, and set minimum order quantities. They cost more (usually $15–40/month) and change more of your storefront. Pick them when your wholesale prices don't follow a simple percentage.
How to choose, step by step
- Write down your price rule. Is it "X% off retail" or a price per product?
- Count your buyers and levels. One or two levels fit a discount; many negotiated price lists need B2B or a price-list app.
- Decide if you need payment terms. Net terms point to Shopify B2B.
- Decide how buyers join. If you want an application with proof and an approval queue, use an app or Shopify Forms + B2B.
- Decide how long access lasts. Yearly renewals and seasonal programs are easier with an app.
- Test with one account before inviting everyone.
Example: a beauty supply store
A store sells to the public and to licensed estheticians. Estheticians get 25% off, salon owners 35%. There are no per-SKU prices or invoices.
- Shopify B2B would mean creating a company for every individual esthetician: too heavy.
- Tags + discount works but means reading license photos in email and tagging by hand.
- With Lilya: Pro Program & Discounts, estheticians upload their license on the form, the store approves them into the "Esthetician 25%" or "Salon 35%" group, and memberships renew yearly.
Before you launch wholesale pricing
- Check margins on your best sellers at the wholesale percentage. If retail prices need to rise first, see how to increase prices on Shopify by percentage.
- Decide how wholesale discounts combine with sales. If you run Black Friday prices, read how to schedule and revert Black Friday sale prices so the two don't stack by surprise.
- Put your wholesale terms in writing and, if needed, ask buyers to accept them at checkout.
FAQ
Can I do B2B on Shopify Basic?
Yes. Shopify B2B features are available on Basic, Grow and Advanced, with a limit of 3 B2B catalogs. Some features stay Plus-only.
Can I have wholesale and retail in one Shopify store?
Yes. Logged-in approved buyers get wholesale pricing while everyone else sees retail. You don't need a second store.
Do customers need an account to get wholesale prices?
Yes, for tag-based and member discounts the buyer must be logged in so Shopify knows who they are.
Are Shopify Scripts needed for wholesale discounts?
No. Scripts are being replaced by Shopify Functions, which apps use to apply discounts on any plan.
What's the cheapest way to start?
Tag a few buyers and use a Shopify discount for free, or use Lilya: Pro Program & Discounts free for up to 10 members.
Bottom line
Plus isn't required for wholesale anymore. Use Shopify B2B for price lists and net terms, and a tag-based discount for simple percentage programs. If you want applications, approval and renewals handled for you, try Lilya: Pro Program & Discounts.