How to Set Up Wholesale Pricing on Shopify (Without Shopify Plus)

You want to sell to retailers and businesses at wholesale prices. But you also sell direct-to-consumer at retail prices. How do you show different prices to different customers on Shopify?

Shopify Plus has B2B features built in. But at $2,000+/month, it's overkill for most stores just starting wholesale. Here's how to set up wholesale pricing on regular Shopify.

The Wholesale Challenge on Shopify

Shopify wasn't designed for B2B. Every visitor sees the same prices. There's no native way to:

• Show wholesale prices only to approved accounts
• Hide wholesale-only products from retail customers
• Require minimum order quantities for certain customers
• Create a separate wholesale catalog

But with the right approach, you can build all of this on any Shopify plan.

Option 1: Separate Wholesale Store (Not Recommended)

Some merchants create two Shopify stores—one retail, one wholesale.

Problems:

• Double the subscription cost
• Two inventories to manage (or complex syncing)
• Two sets of products to maintain
• Confusing for customers who do both

This works but creates operational headaches. There's a better way.

Option 2: Discount Codes for Wholesale (Basic)

Create a wholesale discount code (like "WHOLESALE40") that gives 40% off.

Problems:

• Anyone who finds the code can use it
• Codes get shared
• No way to require account creation
• Can't hide wholesale-only products

This is too leaky for serious wholesale operations.

Option 3: Customer Tags + Product Locking (Recommended)

This is the professional approach:

1. Tag wholesale customers — Apply a tag like "wholesale" to approved B2B accounts
2. Lock wholesale products/prices — Use an app like Latch to restrict access
3. Wholesale customers see everything — They log in and get full access
4. Retail customers see retail only — Wholesale products appear locked or hidden

Setting Up Wholesale Pricing Step-by-Step

Step 1: Create Your Wholesale Products

You have two approaches:

Approach A: Separate wholesale products

• Create "Product Name - Wholesale" versions
• Set wholesale pricing on these
• Lock them for wholesale customers only

Approach B: Wholesale variants

• Add variants like "Case of 12" to existing products
• Price these at wholesale rates
• Lock these variants for wholesale customers

Approach A is cleaner. Approach B works if wholesale customers order the same SKUs as retail.

Step 2: Set Up Customer Tagging

When a wholesale customer is approved:

1. Go to Customers in Shopify admin
2. Find their account
3. Add the tag "wholesale"

For automation, you can:

• Use a wholesale application form (Shopify Forms or Typeform)
• Auto-tag based on email domain (@bigretailer.com)
• Use Shopify Flow to tag based on purchase criteria

Step 3: Configure Product Locks

Using Latch:

1. Select your wholesale products or collection
2. Set access rule: "Customer must have tag: wholesale"
3. Customize the locked state message: "Wholesale account required. Apply here."
4. Link to your wholesale application page

Step 4: Create a Wholesale Application Process

Retail customers who want wholesale access need a path to apply:

• Create a page explaining wholesale requirements (minimums, business verification)
• Add an application form
• Review applications manually or set up auto-approval rules
• Tag approved customers

Step 5: Test the Experience

1. Logged out: Wholesale products show "Wholesale Only" badge, can't add to cart
2. Logged in (retail customer): Same locked experience
3. Logged in (wholesale customer): Full access, can purchase

Wholesale Pricing Structures That Work

Tiered Wholesale Discounts

Not all wholesale customers get the same price:

Tier	Requirements	Discount
Wholesale Bronze	Approved business	30% off retail
Wholesale Silver	$5,000+ quarterly	40% off retail
Wholesale Gold	$20,000+ quarterly	50% off retail

Set up multiple customer tags ("wholesale-bronze", "wholesale-silver", "wholesale-gold") and create product variants or duplicate products for each tier.

Case Pack Pricing

Wholesale often means buying in cases:

• Individual retail price: $25
• Case of 12 (wholesale): $180 ($15/unit)
• Case of 48 (distributor): $576 ($12/unit)

Create variants for each case size and lock appropriately.

Minimum Order Requirements

Wholesale accounts typically have minimums. Handle this with:

• Shopify Scripts (Plus only)
• Cart validation apps
• Clear messaging: "Wholesale minimum: $500"

Common Wholesale Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Wholesale prices visible to everyone

Even if retail customers can't buy, seeing "Wholesale: $12" next to "Retail: $25" undermines your pricing.

Fix: Use separate products for wholesale, not just locked variants on the same page.

Mistake 2: No verification process

If anyone can request wholesale, competitors will get your pricing.

Fix: Require business verification (EIN, reseller certificate, business license) before approval.

Mistake 3: Making wholesale customers feel like second-class citizens

Some stores hide wholesale so well that approved customers can't find it.

Fix: Once logged in, wholesale customers should see clear navigation to their products. Consider a "Wholesale" link in the header that only appears for tagged customers.

Mistake 4: No reorder convenience

Wholesale customers buy the same things repeatedly. Make it easy.

Fix: Ensure their account shows order history with "reorder" functionality. Consider draft orders for recurring wholesale clients.

FAQ: Shopify Wholesale Without Plus

Can wholesale customers see retail prices?

You control this. If you use separate wholesale products, they only see wholesale prices. If you use variants on the same product, they see both. Choose based on your preference.

How do I handle wholesale-only products that retail customers shouldn't see at all?

Two options:

1. Lock them (visible but can't purchase) — creates desire for wholesale accounts
2. Hide them completely using collection visibility settings — cleaner for purely B2B items

What about wholesale payment terms (Net 30)?

Product locking handles access. For payment terms, you need a separate solution:

• Create draft orders and send invoices manually
• Use a B2B payment app
• Require wholesale customers to pay by purchase order

Can I show different prices to different wholesale tiers?

Yes, but it requires separate products or variants per tier. Customer A tagged "wholesale-gold" sees Gold Collection with 50% off pricing. Customer B tagged "wholesale-silver" sees Silver Collection with 40% off.

How do I prevent wholesale customers from sharing their login?

You can't completely prevent it, but you can:

• Monitor order shipping addresses
• Set account sharing policies in your wholesale agreement
• Use Shopify's multi-location features to track where orders ship

Is this as good as Shopify Plus B2B?

For basic wholesale (locked products, tiered pricing, account tagging), this approach works great. Plus adds features like company accounts, payment terms management, and volume pricing rules. Most stores don't need those until they're doing serious B2B volume.

The Bottom Line

You don't need Shopify Plus to sell wholesale. You need:

• A way to identify wholesale customers (tags)
• A way to restrict product access (Latch)
• A process for wholesale applications

Start simple. Tag your first wholesale customers manually. Lock your wholesale products. See if the model works. Then automate and optimize.

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Latch lets you lock products for specific customer tags—perfect for wholesale-only items, VIP access, or membership products. Try it free.