Shopify B2B and Wholesale: A Filipino Operator's Guide

If your D2C brand is doing ₱500K+/month, retailers will start emailing asking for wholesale terms. Most founders ignore them or build awkward Excel-and-PDF workflows. Both are wrong. Shopify can handle B2B beautifully if you set it up right.

Here's the playbook.

TL;DR

Three setups based on stage:

Manual wholesale (early): tagged customer accounts + draft orders.

Wholesale Channel app or Shopify Plus B2B: separate B2B storefront with custom pricing.

Shopify Plus B2B native: full B2B with custom catalogs, payment terms, quoting.

Pick the simplest one that handles your current volume. Upgrade only when you outgrow it.

When to add B2B

You're ready when:

You're hitting ₱500K+/month D2C.

You have at least 3 incoming wholesale inquiries per month.

Your margin can support 30–50% off MSRP without losing money.

Don't add B2B before D2C is proven. B2B is a different business model with different cash flow, support, and operational requirements.

Wholesale pricing strategy

Standard wholesale margin

D2C selling price: ₱1,000 (your retail).

Wholesale price to retailer: ₱500–₱600 (50–60% off MSRP).

Your COGS: ₱200.

Your wholesale gross margin: 60–67%.

If you can't sell at 50%+ off MSRP and still make 50%+ gross margin, your D2C pricing is too low or your COGS is too high. Fix that first.

Tiered pricing

Offer better pricing for larger orders:

Tier 1 (MOQ ₱20,000): 50% off MSRP.

Tier 2 (₱50,000+ orders): 55% off MSRP.

Tier 3 (₱100,000+/month commitment): 60% off MSRP.

This rewards bigger commitments and protects your margins on small orders.

Setup option 1: Manual wholesale (start here)

For your first 5–10 wholesale customers, manual is fine.

1. Create customer accounts for each wholesale buyer.

2. Tag them as "wholesale" in Shopify.

3. Send draft orders with custom pricing for each.

4. Apply your wholesale discount manually.

Pros: zero tech setup, fast to start.

Cons: doesn't scale beyond 5–10 active accounts.

Setup option 2: Wholesale Channel app (free)

Shopify's Wholesale Channel (built into Shopify Plus) gives you a separate password-protected storefront with custom pricing.

For non-Plus stores, Wholesale Club ($29–$99/mo) does the same.

Setup:

1. Install app.

2. Create a "wholesale" customer tag.

3. Create wholesale price lists (% off retail or specific dollar pricing per SKU).

4. Tag customers, they see wholesale prices when logged in.

Pros: works on Basic/Advanced. Manageable up to ~50 wholesale accounts.

Cons: shares the same storefront/inventory; messier separation.

Setup option 3: Shopify Plus B2B (the real deal)

Shopify Plus includes native B2B as of 2023+. Features:

Customer accounts with companies and contacts: a single B2B account can have multiple buyer contacts.

Custom catalogs per customer: different SKUs available to different B2B accounts.

Custom pricing per customer or per company: tiered or specific.

Net payment terms: Net 15, Net 30, etc.

Quote requests: customer requests quote, you approve.

Volume pricing: automatic discounts at quantity thresholds.

Tax exemptions per account.

This is the right setup if B2B is over 20% of your revenue.

Payment terms in PH B2B

Most PH retailers and distributors expect:

Net 15 (15 days from invoice) for established accounts.

Cash on Delivery for new accounts under ₱20,000.

50% deposit + 50% on delivery for orders ₱20,000–₱100,000.

Custom terms negotiated above ₱100,000.

Use Shopify Plus's Net Terms feature, OR send invoices via Xero/QuickBooks for B2B.

Onboarding a wholesale account

When a retailer applies:

1. Verify they're a real business (DTI/SEC registration).

2. Verify they have a physical store or strong online presence.

3. Set MOQ (minimum order quantity) — typically ₱20,000–₱50,000.

4. Set initial credit terms (start with COD, graduate to Net 15 after 3 successful orders).

5. Send wholesale catalog or login credentials.

6. Schedule a 30-min onboarding call to walk through ordering.

Don't approve every retailer that emails. Quality over quantity.

Marketing B2B from a D2C brand

You don't need separate ads. The traffic comes through:

A "Wholesale" link in your D2C footer.

A landing page explaining your wholesale program (terms, MOQ, application form).

Cold outreach to relevant retailers (boutiques for fashion, coffee shops for coffee, etc.).

Trade shows (Manila FAME, ProFood, etc.).

Operational headaches to plan for

Bigger orders, slower payment

A wholesale order can be 50x your D2C AOV. Cash flow can be tight while waiting on Net 30 payment.

Different fulfillment

Wholesale shipments are usually pallet-sized or bulk packaged. Different from D2C single-unit shipments. May require a different 3PL.

Returns/credits are common

Retailers sometimes return unsold inventory. Have a clear returns policy in your wholesale agreement.

Channel conflict

If you're selling on Lazada/Shopee at retail AND wholesaling to retailers, retailers will resent your direct presence. Manage carefully — usually means slightly higher MSRP than your D2C price, or excluding direct marketplaces from MSRP enforcement.

Key documents you need

1. Wholesale agreement (template + lawyer review). Covers MOQ, payment terms, returns, MSRP enforcement, exclusivity (if any).

2. Wholesale price list (PDF + online).

3. Application form (Google Form or Typeform).

4. Retailer onboarding email sequence.

5. Tax documentation (BIR registration, VAT documents if you're VAT-registered).

Common mistakes

1. Selling wholesale below your COGS + 100%. Margin trap.

2. Not enforcing MOQ. Tiny orders eat your operations time.

3. Mixing D2C and B2B inventory carelessly. Stockouts on D2C because B2B took the inventory.

4. No payment terms structure. Net 60 to a brand-new buyer = bad debt.

5. No reorder cadence. Retailers buy in cycles. Build the relationship for repeat orders.

Want help setting up B2B?

Setting up a real B2B program (pricing tiers, catalogs, terms, agreements) takes 4–8 weeks. My Shopify Expert service covers the technical setup. For full strategy, consider the Shopify Course Philippines.