Shopify Plus: Is Shopify Good for B2B?
Shopify is a popular platform for direct-to-consumer e-commerce businesses. But it has also proven to be a powerful tool for established B2B e-commerce shops as well.
In fact, Shopify Plus was created to satisfy the growing need for a platform that manages large-scale B2B services.
So what is Shopify Plus?
We’ll examine what it offers, compare it with traditional Shopify and other B2B platforms, and consider which businesses benefit from its services.
If you’ve wondered whether Shopify is good for B2B e-commerce and are curious about Shopify Plus, stay tuned.
Shopify vs. Shopify Plus: The Basics
Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform that facilitates countless transactions daily. While it’s a powerful tool for B2C retailers, it is lacking when it comes to serving the needs of B2B companies.
So why is Shopify good for B2B? Because of its sister site, Shopify Plus.
At first glance, Shopify Plus looks similar to regular Shopify. You can use the same store dashboard and editor to manage your business.
The main difference is what you can do with these tools.
We’ll go into more depth about Shopify Plus’s unique features ahead, but for now, let’s look at what sets it apart from Shopify:
Shopify Plus Is Built for Scalability
This platform’s features can help you develop a scalable business model.
For B2B e-commerce stores that are looking to grow, Shopify Plus gives you the tools to do so. Its SaaS servers allow for thousands of orders per minute and millions of hits each second, all without affecting availability.
Wholesale Channel
One of Shopify Plus’s best features is its custom Wholesale Channel. Using this feature, you can create a separate wholesale store as an offshoot of your existing Shopify store!
It also allows you to:
Offer volume-based pricing
Review orders prior to invoicing
Automate wholesale customer signups
…and more.
With these tools, you can tap into wholesale markets that may otherwise have seemed too complicated to access.
Personalized Support Team
Shopify Plus gives subscribers 24/7 priority support, even over other Shopify stores.
You can access your store’s personal support team by chat, email, or phone, any time of day. When you access the support team as a Shopify Plus vendor, you are moved to the front of the queue for quicker help.
More Apps and Integrations
Regular Shopify is compatible with lots of apps and integrations. But Shopify Plus is compatible with even more.
There are apps to help you with operations management, customer communication, and sales. If you learn how to use them properly, they can give you a competitive edge in your industry.
With Shopify Plus, B2B businesses have more control in terms of pricing and shipping. These customization options make it possible to run a thriving B2B operation.
Shopify Plus Best Features
To consider our question (is Shopify good for B2B?), we need to take a closer look at the exclusive features that Shopify Plus offers.
Here’s how Shopify Plus’s features can help you in each aspect of your business:
Best Shopify Plus Features for Customer Support
Getting your store up and running can be daunting. This platform makes it easier by supporting you at every stage.
Here are the exciting ways that Shopify Plus offers technical support:
Launch Engineer
Your store will have its own dedicated Launch Engineer, who is responsible for getting your business up and running.
This takes that responsibility out of your hands.
Dedicated Migration
Did you start your store as a traditional Shopify store? You can upgrade to the Shopify Plus platform for free with a simple process that walks you through every step!
You can also migrate to Shopify Plus from other B2B e-commerce platforms, such as BigCommerce and Magento. With other platforms, this type of operation often takes upwards of 12 months. Shopify Plus makes it possible in three to four months.
How? Thanks to its dedicated migration specialist and priority tech team, which provide all the support you need to get your Shopify Plus store up and running fast.
24/7 Priority Support
As mentioned earlier, Shopify Plus businesses move right to the head of the customer service queue. Access is available via phone, email, or online chat.
Best Shopify Plus Features for Customer Experience
On the most basic level, you want your customers to have a great shopping experience.
Shopify Plus helps you to build and maintain a loyal customer base with features like:
Bulk Account Inviter
Bulk Account Inviter lets everyone in your email network know about your Shopify Plus site. It tells them about sales and events and invites them to create an account with your store.
Scripts
Scripts allows you to develop personalized shipping rates for customers. Give wholesale and VIP customers a shipping discount!
Shop Pay
Shop Pay checkouts are four times faster than other checkouts. And their checkout-to-order conversion rates are roughly 1.72x higher!
Global Exchange
Shopify Plus accepts international currencies, so you can do business with customers all over the world.
Higher Uptimes
Guaranteed 99.98% uptime. You never have to worry about missing sales due to site crashes.
Checkout Customization Options
Build a customized checkout experience to better suit your brand.
Best Shopify Plus Features for Wholesale e-commerce
Shopify Plus’s Wholesale Channel is useful for many B2B businesses.
Here are a few things we love about it:
Simplified Customer Interfacing
You can review and automate wholesale customer signups. Customers can buy, track, and reorder your products with ease.
Syncs With Other Platforms
You can sync your wholesale inventory with your other Shopify or third-party accounts.
Easy Pricing and Invoicing
With Shopify Plus, you can offer wholesale pricing, volume-based pricing, percentage discounts, and more!
User-Friendly CMS
Create custom pages, such as Terms and Conditions pages and FAQs. No coding needed to brand your wholesale store, sell B2B products, or develop custom prices.
You might also be interested in this article: What is MOQ? [Tips on Minimum Order Quantity]
Best Shopify Plus Features for Automation
Automation can eliminate a lot of busy work from your day.
Here are a few automated Shopify Plus features that can make your life easier:
Shopify Flow
Shopify Flow tailors your shop’s landing page for returning customers by displaying the products they’re most interested in
Launchpad
With Launchpad, you can schedule sale events, introduce new products, and automate theme changes, all with start and end times you define.
Avalara AvaTax
Integrate with Avalara AvaTax for real-time tax calculations during the checkout process. It also saves all sales tax records, which saves you time during tax season!
“As you can see, Shopify is great for B2B stores. But as you’ll see below, it’s pretty expensive. For B2C businesses that don’t use the features above, it might not be worth the investment.”
How Much Does Shopify Plus Cost?
Shopify Plus starts at $2,000/month. This is not a rate that most e-commerce businesses can afford, but if you want to improve your B2B store, it’s well worth the price tag.
Shopify Plus Costs Based on Shop Revenue
Shopify Plus has a pricing model that is based on performance. The more income your business generates, the more you’ll have to pay.
Curious how much Shopify Plus will cost your B2B business?
Here are the figures you need to see:
For businesses with $1,000 in monthly revenue, Shopify Plus costs $2,025.50/month.
For businesses with $10,000 in monthly revenue, Shopify Plus costs $2,275/month.
For businesses with $100,000 in monthly revenue, Shopify Plus costs $4,750/month.
For businesses with $1 million in monthly revenue, Shopify Plus costs $29,500/month.
“Looking at these figures, you can see why Shopify Plus is marketed to established businesses. Unless you’re clearing at least $10,000 a month, it’s probably not worth the investment. Regular Shopify should be fine while you work toward increasing your revenue.”
Shopify and Advanced Shopify Pricing (For Comparison)
Not ready to spend $2,000+ every month for Shopify Plus?
Shopify and Advanced Shopify are both more affordable options.
Regular Shopify Pricing and Features
For $79/month, the Shopify plan offers your business:
Unlimited product listings
Five staff accounts for your employees
Multiple sales channels: online, mobile apps, social media
24/7 support
Up to five product locations
Professional sales reports and analytics
Fraud analysis
Up to 72% off shipping rates
Shopify POS Lite
Advanced Shopify Pricing and Features
For $299/month, Advanced Shopify includes everything the Shopify plan does, plus:
15 staff accounts
Up to eight product locations
Up to 74% off shipping rates
An advanced report builder
Third-party calculated shipping rates
“Both of these plans are helpful e-commerce solutions for B2C businesses. But as you can see, they lack the resources that B2B shop owners need to stay competitive.”
How Shopify Plus Compares to Other B2B e-commerce Platforms
There are plenty of B2B platforms vying for your attention.
Let’s examine how Shopify Plus compares to its main competitors: BigCommerce, Magento, WooCommerce, and NetSuite.
Shopify Plus vs. BigCommerce
The two largest enterprise-level e-commerce platforms have many similarities.
They also have many differences, such as:
Unlike Shopify Plus, BigCommerce doesn’t offer one-click settings.
BigCommerce has strong SEO integrations.
BigCommerce has many multi-channel selling options.
BigCommerce offers better custom fields for product data, allowing you more freedom in how your products are labeled and displayed.
Overall, larger B2B businesses can make higher sales with Shopify Plus.
While BigCommerce notes its businesses earn an average annual growth of 28%, Shopify Plus cites its businesses earn an average annual growth of 126%.
Also, many users dislike BigCommerce’s dated themes, while Shopify Plus’s look modern and professional.
Shopify Plus vs. Magento
Adobe’s Magento is another smart and flexible e-commerce platform that considers itself a B2E (business to everyone) solution.
Here’s how it stacks up against Shopify Plus:
Magento offers unique features for better customization.
Like Shopify Plus, it offers one-click settings.
Rich features equal a richer price tag — it can cost at least $100,000!
Magento’s unreliable load time can mean you lose sales.
Magento is tough to use if you don’t have developer skills.
Unlike with Shopify Plus, Magento is not a SaaS product. So, many system requirements will have to be handled by your business. And while you’ll want at least some coding skills to take full advantage of Shopify Plus, Magento requires even more technical savvy.
Shopify Plus vs. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a popular e-commerce plugin that can turn your WordPress website into a virtual storefront. While it’s a great tool for B2C shops, its B2B features aren’t quite as good as Shopify’s.
Here’s what it offers:
Top-performing SEO features
Comprehensive apps available for integration
Various extensions needed to make it work for B2B e-commerce
A large price tag (you pay extra for hosting and security)
Similar to Magento, WooCommerce is somewhat difficult to use and requires you to pay extra for hosting, security, and a domain name. It works well when you get the hang of it, but you’ll have to put some time and money into getting your B2B store up.
Shopify Plus vs. NetSuite
Oracle’s NetSuite is a staple in the e-commerce industry, having paved the road for most of the newer platforms. If it weren’t for NetSuite, Shopify Plus might not exist!
Let’s see how its features compare to those of its successor:
Cloud-based, like Shopify Plus
Has its own B2B e-commerce platform, Suite-commerce
Provides e-commerce onboarding services after the store is setup
Provides time-consuming step-by-step survey forms to questions asked by its business owners, unlike the plethora of support options offered by Shopify Plus, which offers person-to-person resources for a personal touch
Both have quick and reliable load times for your B2B customers
Suite-commerce Advanced can cost at least $5,000/month
If you think you’ll need a lot of help when setting up your e-commerce business, go with Shopify Plus. They’ll help you launch your store and provide you with multiple 24/7 support channels.
The Final Verdict: Is Shopify Good for B2B?
Yes! Shopify provides all the tools a serious enterprise needs to create and grow a thriving online store. If you’re in the B2B space, Shopify Plus offers incredible features that help you start, maintain, and make a success of your e-commerce business.
Thanks to its multi-channel integrations, you can sell on Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Instagram, all from your Shopify store.
Anywhere, anytime.
Shopify Plus’s international currency exchange makes it easy for you to sell to B2B buyers across the globe in their home currency.
You can also enjoy classic Shopify features, such as abandoned cart recovery and multiple payment options. Your customers can buy through Amazon Pay, PayPal, Apple Pay, and more.
With Shopify Plus, you’ll not only have access to traditional Shopify apps, but you’ll have a whole new world of exclusive apps at your disposal.
Plus, its comprehensive Wholesale Channel lets you build a B2B store with custom pricing and backend options to streamline management.
Conclusion
Both Shopify and Shopify Plus can help you streamline your e-commerce business. Consider the subscription prices, resources, and your business’s goals before choosing one.
For B2B stores, Shopify Plus is a clear winner, more so than traditional Shopify and its largest competitors.
Want to build a successful e-commerce store? Let us help you create a Shopify e-commerce store that delivers.
