Understanding how to utilize Shopify’s built-in B2B features is crucial for meeting your buyers’ needs.
This tutorial will equip you with the know-how and best practices to create and assign B2B catalogs that convert. We will cover volume discounts, quantity rules, and how to automate for new and existing customers.
Table of contents
- The basics of Shopify B2B
- What does role-based pricing mean?
- Step 1 – Set up and assign a catalog
- Step 2 – Assign custom prices for different SKUs
- Step 3 – Quantity and volume-based pricing
- Best practices for quantity rules and volume pricing in Shopify
- Bonus Step: Automate discounts and promotions
- What we discovered on B2B growth
The basics of Shopify B2B
In our previous post, we covered how to set up a B2B ordering portal – the login only, unique storefront tailored to each company. Now we dive deeper into the nuts and bolts of how to use it and what buyers expect to find in their portal.
There are two key points to address before diving into the tutorial.
How do catalogs work in Shopify B2B?
Unlike collections that serve exclusively as a grouping of products for all site visitors to see, catalogs in Shopify B2B allow for the same group of products to appear in multiple catalogs with different pricing/payment terms and to be seen only by the company you choose.
This perfectly serves the nature of B2B, where negotiations are conducted on a case-by-case basis.
Let’s say you are a manufacturer that offers different terms to retailers and distributors. With Shopify, you can show each the prices and payment terms negotiated beforehand.
How pricing and discounts work in Shopify B2B
If you’d like to get a detailed overview of Shopify’s B2B approach and features, go to our comprehensive Shopify B2B guide. To avoid any confusion on the hierarchy of how prices and terms are set in Shopify 2B, keep the following in mind.
- Catalogs are assigned per company location, not for the entire company. Users from a company need to switch to a different location to see the catalog assigned to that location.
- You won’t find the terms ‘price list’ or ‘visibility rules’; instead, products, prices, quantity rules, and volume discounts are assigned within the catalog.
- If you are using Shopify Markets, you can assign different catalogs for each region or market.
- If a location is assigned more than one catalog with the same product, the company will see the lowest price appear in its catalog.
What does role-based pricing mean?
In Shopify B2B language, a role refers to the permission you assign to a customer who belongs to a company, making it easier for the former’s internal procedures.
A role can be one of the options listed in the table below.
| Role (Shopify) | What they can do | Rule of thumb / when to use |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer (Ordering only) | See assigned catalogs & prices, add to cart, place orders; sees their own orders. | Default for most users who just need to buy. |
| Location admin | Everything a Buyer can do plus view all orders for that location, approve/manage orders, manage shipping/billing, and saved payment methods. | Use for store/branch managers or anyone who should oversee ordering for that location. |
Important: Prices are not tied to a buyer’s role (e.g., ordering or admin). They are tied to a location, and roles within that location can access the catalog associated with it. Catalog pricing is assigned to the location, not directly to the role, which controls what users can see and do.”
In the context of pricing, roles often refer to the ‘business role’ of a particular company. It could be tier-based/segment-based pricing, such as: Distributor Tier 1, Tier 2, Key Accounts, Franchise, VIP buyer, etc. These are more commonly referred to as customer segments or, at times, mixed with tiered pricing.
It is also possible that different locations within the same company serve distinct ‘roles’ and require different catalogs and pricing.
Some typical examples of these ‘roles’ or ‘ties’ are shown in the table below.
| Pricing Method Suggestion | Catalog Visibility | Common Catalog Rule | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distributor – Tier 1 | ~25% discount or fixed contract rates | Full wholesale catalog | % adjustment across all SKUs |
| Distributor – Tier 2 | ~10–15% discount | Same catalog, fewer SKUs | Fixed overrides for key SKUs |
| Key Account / Enterprise | SKU-based fixed prices | Curated catalog | Per-product fixed pricing |
| Franchise / Partner Store | Contract pricing + volume breaks | Limited to authorized products | Min qty + bulk discount |
| VIP / Strategic Buyer | Tiered pricing for loyalty level | Extended catalog + exclusives | Volume pricing (1–9, 10–49, 50+) |
| Regional / Market Tier | Localized pricing per region | Regional assortment | Price adjustments by market |
| Internal / Sample Buyer | Deep discount or $0 SKUs | Samples-only catalog | Hide from public catalog |
Step 1 – Set up and assign a catalog
The first step is to set up a new catalog. Under Products>Catalogs, follow the steps in the screenshot below. With the latest Shopify updates, you may need to navigate to Markets > Catalogs, as shown in the example below.
Next, we want to assign this catalog to one or a few company locations. We can either assign it from the catalog dashboard, as shown above, or from the company’s page, as shown below.
On the front end for the company (all customer roles), only the products included will appear.
Step 2 – Assign custom prices for different SKUs
Once we pick our products for the catalog and assign them to a company, it’s time to customize pricing for each location. In a real-life scenario, this is done before assigning the catalog to customers based on the terms agreed upon.
Let’s start with a simple task of setting a custom price for one of our products in the Catalog. Let’s suppose the scenario where you agreed with a reseller on only one SKU, specifically for one variation that appears to be selling well.
On the frontend, logged in as a customer from the company, we will see the discount reflected.
Same as above, we can repeat the procedure for multiple SKUs simultaneously.
Step 3 – Quantity and volume-based pricing
Reducing the price for a SKU is often sufficient, but a proper B2B pricing strategy begins when it is combined with quantity rules and volume-based pricing.
Let’s pick another product and apply the settings.
Important: Note that discounts can be stacked. If you already applied a discount at the catalog level, this will add another tier of discounts.
On the front end, everything will appear smooth and up-to-date, but only for the location to which this catalog is assigned.
Best practices for quantity rules and volume pricing in Shopify
Our goal is not just to show how to apply them, but also to discuss some best practices you can follow. The table below outlines some of them and pitfalls to avoid.
| What to configure | When to use | Example setup | Pitfall to avoid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Encourage larger orders | Volume pricing tiers | For high-margin or replenishable SKUs | 1–9 = $10 · 10–49 = $9.50 · 50+ = $9 | Too many tiers (keep ≤ 4) |
| Enforce case packs | Quantity rules: Min + Increment | Carton-only or fragile goods | Min 6 · Increment 6 | MOQ doesn’t match packaging |
| Prevent hoarding | Quantity rules: Max | Scarce or new releases | Max 10 per order | Forgetting to remove limit post-launch |
| Layer contract + scale | Catalog price + Volume tiers | Key accounts with negotiated base | Base −10% + extra −5% for 100+ units | Price conflicts — verify “lowest price wins” |
| Seasonal pushes | Temporary volume tiers | Promo periods / overstock sell-through | 20% off at 50+ (until June 30) | Not reverting prices after campaign |
| Protect margin floors | Fixed per-SKU prices | Items with MAP or volatile costs | SKU = $8.90 fixed | Using % discounts when costs fluctuate |
The key point is not to follow a short-sighted, discount-based strategy focused on keeping customers.
Having a solid pricing strategy is what sets top B2B sellers apart, and where your attention should be directed now that you know how to apply it in practice.
Recommended reading: Our guide on Shopify B2B will help you clearly define your pricing strategy.
Bonus Step: Automate discounts and promotions
To truly maximize the benefits of Shopify Plus, consider automating time-boxed promotions and automatically adjusting discount tiers. All processes can be automated, including the default catalog for new entry companies, catalog assignments, and intricate discounts.
The advantages of automation are multiple:
- Consistency: Every new customer receives the correct pricing (unless negotiated otherwise) automatically.
- Scalability: Handle dozens of new signups without admin work
- Fewer errors: No risk of mismatched catalogs or missing discounts.
- Integration-ready: Combine Flow with your CRM or signup forms for even smoother onboarding.
Automate Catalog Assignment using Shopify Flow
As an example, let’s try to set up this automation. While not applicable to every store, depending on your onboarding process, it sets a point on what you can achieve by automating.
Open Shopify Flow from the dashboard (install if needed), the native Shopify workflow automation. Click on Create new Workshop>Trigger and assign the trigger. In this scenario, the trigger is ‘Location Created.’ The Action that follows is ‘Assign Catalog.’
The screenshot below illustrates a basic workflow that guides Shopify in assigning the catalog we created above whenever an existing or new company adds a location. You can add various conditions for specific customers, locations, etc., which come in handy, particularly for repeat purchases and upselling.
In a real-life scenario, a Shopify flow chart would appear much more complex, and it’s the developer’s work that turns the merchant’s needs and Flow’s logic into reality. Combined with custom integration, it creates the experience you only see in the top Shopify stores with the most efficient workflow.
What we discovered on B2B growth
The number one way merchants are growing their stores today is automation via custom features, a solid strategy, and the latest AI Tools (including AI SEO). However, not all tools are suitable for everyone. You could easily overspend on the wrong ones.
Our team can help you determine the necessary integrations for your B2B store and calculate the ROI for each. If you need help, reach out to book a quick call.
