Quick answer
Shopify B2B setup starts with the business model, not the admin screen. Decide whether B2B belongs in the main store or a separate store, then create companies, locations, catalogs, customer permissions, payment terms, shipping rules, and a test plan before inviting buyers.
Step 1: Choose the store model
Shopify supports B2B through the admin and online store. A business can use one blended store for B2B and D2C, or a separate B2B-only store. The right choice depends on how different the buyer experience needs to be.
Use a blended store when the brand, catalog, content, and operations overlap. Consider a dedicated B2B store when pricing, products, account workflows, approvals, content, or team ownership are very different.
Step 2: Define companies and locations
A B2B customer is not only a person. It is often a company with one or more buying locations and contacts. Set up companies carefully because company locations can carry payment terms, catalogs, tax settings, checkout settings, and permissions.
Step 3: Build catalogs and pricing
Catalogs determine which products B2B customers can buy and how they are priced. Shopify B2B features vary by plan, and Plus includes additional B2B capabilities such as unlimited catalogs and direct catalog assignment to companies and locations.
Before creating catalogs, decide whether pricing is based on customer group, location, region, product line, contract, quantity rule, or a combination of those. A messy pricing model becomes harder to maintain once buyers are using it.
Step 4: Assign customers and permissions
B2B contacts need the right access. Some buyers should only place orders. Others need to view orders for a location. The permissions should match how the customer’s purchasing team works.
Step 5: Configure payment terms and checkout behavior
Payment terms define how long a company has to pay for an order, and Shopify lets payment terms be set for company locations. Test terms in the online store and in draft order workflows if sales reps or admins will create orders for buyers.
Step 6: Test before launch
- Log in as a B2B customer.
- Switch between locations if the company has more than one.
- Check catalog visibility and prices.
- Place a test order with payment terms.
- Check taxes, shipping, discounts, and order notifications.
- Create a draft order for a B2B customer if that workflow will be used.
- Confirm orders contain the right company and location context.
Go-live checklist
Before inviting customers, make sure internal teams know who manages company changes, catalog updates, price changes, customer access, payment terms, and support questions. B2B fails when the admin setup is technically correct but nobody owns maintenance.
Common misunderstanding
B2B is not just hidden discounts. It is account structure, permissions, product availability, payment terms, checkout behavior, and ongoing operations.
How to test this
- Create one test company with two locations.
- Assign different catalogs or permissions to confirm behavior.
- Test logged-out, D2C, and B2B customer experiences.
- Place a B2B test order and a draft order.
- Train the admin team before inviting real buyers.