Setting Up a WooCommerce B2B Website: A Complete Guide

For businesses selling to other companies, managing wholesale operations can be complex. WooCommerce B2B is designed to simplify this process by offering specialized features for pricing, product visibility, order management, and customer roles.

This overview will introduce how to set up and run a WooCommerce B2B website, while highlighting the features that make it different from a regular WooCommerce store.

What is a WooCommerce B2B website?

A WooCommerce B2B website is an eCommerce store powered by WooCommerce that focuses on serving business buyers such as wholesalers, resellers, and distributors by offering features like bulk ordering, flexible pricing, and customized catalogs instead of targeting individual retail customers.

Why Choose B2B for WooCommerce?

Choosing B2B for WooCommerce is a smart way to expand your store from retail to wholesale. It equips your website with the right tools for bulk orders, flexible pricing, and customized catalogs, while still keeping the simplicity and integration of WooCommerce.

This makes it easier to manage business clients, handle both B2B and B2C in one platform, and scale your operations without high costs.

What Makes a WooCommerce B2B Website Different?

Unlike a regular store, a WooCommerce B2B website is built to serve wholesale needs instead of individual shoppers. Below are the key factors that set it apart.

• Target audience: Built for businesses, distributors, and resellers instead of individual consumers.
• Order volume: Focused on wholesale and bulk purchases, not single-item or small orders.
• Sales relationship: Designed for long-term partnerships and repeat transactions rather than one-time sales.
• Pricing approach: Pricing is often negotiable, customized, or based on buyer agreements, unlike fixed retail prices.
• Buying process: Emphasizes efficiency and business workflows instead of casual shopping experiences.

Key Features of a WooCommerce B2B Website

To support wholesale transactions effectively, a WooCommerce B2B website comes with several essential features designed for business buyers.

Role-Based Pricing & Wholesale Pricing

Offer dynamic pricing structures tailored to different customer segments.

• Set Different Prices for Different Users: You can create distinct user roles, such as “Wholesaler,” “Distributor,” or “Gold Tier,” and assign specific pricing rules to each. This can be a percentage discount off the retail price, a separate wholesale price, or even a unique price list for every product.
• Tiered Pricing for Bulk Orders: Encourage larger order volumes by implementing tiered pricing. This strategy offers incremental discounts as the quantity of a product increases. For example, a customer might pay the full price for 1-10 units, receive a 10% discount for 11-50 units, and a 20% discount for 51+ units. This structure can be clearly displayed on the product page in an automatically generated table.
• Fixed or Percentage-Based Pricing Adjustments: Gain flexibility by setting wholesale prices as either a fixed amount or a percentage discount from the standard retail price. This can be applied globally, to entire product categories, or on a per-product basis.
• Import & Export Pricing via CSV: For stores with large product catalogs, managing individual prices can be time-consuming. The ability to import and export pricing rules and wholesale prices via a CSV file is a crucial time-saver, allowing for efficient bulk updates.
• Minimum & Maximum Order Quantities: Enforce order rules to ensure profitability. Set minimum quantities to qualify for wholesale pricing and maximum limits to manage inventory.

Hide Prices & Request a Quote

In many B2B scenarios, pricing is not one-size-fits-all and may depend on negotiations, order size, or custom requirements.

• Hide Prices for Guests & Unapproved Users: Protect your wholesale pricing by hiding it from guest users or logged-in users who have not been assigned a wholesale role. This encourages potential B2B customers to register and apply for a wholesale account.
• Replace Add to Cart with Request a Quote: For specific products or user roles, you can replace the “Add to Cart” button with a “Request a Quote” button. This allows customers to add items to a quote basket and submit it for a custom pricing proposal.
• Customizable Quote Forms: Create detailed quote request forms to gather all necessary information from business buyers, such as company details, desired quantities, and specific shipping or product requirements.
• Convert Quotes into Orders: Once a quote is accepted, it can be seamlessly converted into a formal order, allowing the customer to proceed directly to checkout and complete the purchase, streamlining the entire process.
• Generate & Attach Quote PDFs: For professional correspondence, the system can generate a PDF of the official quote and attach it to emails, providing a clear and formal record for both the buyer and the seller.

Product Visibility Control

You can create a personalized shopping experience by controlling which products are visible to different users. This is ideal for offering exclusive product lines to specific wholesale partners.

• Hide Products Based on User Roles: Restrict access to certain products or entire categories based on the customer’s assigned role. For example, a “Distributor” role might see a product line that is hidden from a standard “Wholesaler.”
• Hide Products from Guest Users: You can make your entire B2B store private by hiding specific products or the entire catalog from non-logged-in users, creating a members-only purchasing environment.
• Show/Hide Products for Specific Users: For ultimate control, visibility rules can be applied not just to roles but also to individual user accounts, allowing for exclusive offerings to specific high-value clients.

Order Restrictions & Cart Discounts

Implement rules to guide B2B purchasing behavior and incentivize larger orders, ensuring that wholesale transactions meet your business requirements.

• Minimum Order Amount for Wholesale Buyers: Set a minimum cart total that wholesale customers must meet to complete their checkout. This helps ensure that every wholesale order is profitable enough to justify the discounted pricing and administrative overhead.
• Cart-Based Discounts for Bulk Buyers: In addition to tiered pricing on individual products, you can offer discounts based on the total cart subtotal. For example, you could offer an additional 5% discount for orders over $1,000. This encourages customers to increase their overall order value.
• Schedule Discounts for Promotions: Easily run promotional campaigns by setting start and end dates for your cart discount rules. This automates the process of running limited-time offers for specific customer groups.
• Prevent Small Orders from B2B Customers: By combining minimum order quantities and minimum cart values, you can effectively prevent unprofitable small orders from your B2B customers, ensuring they adhere to your wholesale purchasing terms.

Flexible Payment Options for Businesses

B2B buyers often have different payment needs and processes than retail consumers, requiring more flexible and trust-based payment solutions.

• Invoice payments – order now, pay later: Offer trusted B2B clients the ability to place orders and pay later via an invoice. This is a standard practice in B2B transactions that builds strong customer relationships.
• Support for Purchase Orders (PO): Allow corporate buyers to use purchase order numbers during checkout to align with their internal procurement workflows.
• Credit limits & payment terms (Net 30, Net 60): For established business customers, you can offer payment terms like Net 30 or Net 60. This allows them to purchase goods on credit and pay within an agreed-upon timeframe, which is a significant factor in fostering loyalty and enabling larger, more frequent orders.

How to Set Up WooCommerce for B2B (Step-by-Step Tutorial)

Follow these 9 simple steps to set up your WooCommerce store for B2B and start selling to business customers efficiently.

• Step 1: Install & Activate the Plugin
• Step 2: Configure B2B User Roles
• Step 3: Enable B2B Customer Registration
• Step 4: Set Up Product Visibility & Pricing
• Step 5: Enable “Request a Quote” & Hide Prices
• Step 6: Set Up Tax Exemptions
• Step 7: Restrict Shipping & Payment Methods
• Step 8: Apply Order Restrictions & Discounts
• Step 9: Test & Optimize Your B2B Store

Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide to help you configure each aspect of your WooCommerce B2B store.

Step 1: Install & Activate the Plugin

Download & Install the Plugin

• Purchase the B2B for WooCommerce plugin from the WooCommerce store.
• Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Plugins > Add New.
• Upload the downloaded ZIP file by clicking Upload Plugin.
• Click “Install Now” and then activate the plugin.

Access the B2B Settings Panel

After activating the plugin, a B2B settings panel will appear in your WooCommerce dashboard. Here, you can configure user roles, pricing structures, and order settings.

Step 2: Configure B2B User Roles

Create Custom User Roles

• Navigate to WooCommerce > B2B > User Roles.
• Click “Add New Role” to create roles such as Wholesaler, Distributor, or VIP.
• Assign specific permissions and pricing structures to each role.
• Click “Save Changes” to apply your settings.

Assign Multiple Roles to a Customer

Some customers may require access to multiple pricing levels. A single user can be assigned more than one role, ensuring they receive the correct pricing and order permissions.

Step 3: Enable B2B Customer Registration

Extend the Registration Form

• Go to WooCommerce > B2B > Registration Settings.
• Enable B2B customer registration to allow businesses to sign up.
• Add additional fields such as Company Name, VAT ID, and Reseller Certificate.

Manually Approve New Registrations

Turn on manual approval to review new B2B customer registrations. Once approved, customers will receive an email notification, ensuring that only authorized users can access wholesale pricing.

Step 4: Set Up Product Visibility & Pricing

Hide Products Based on User Roles

Go to WooCommerce > B2B > Product Visibility.

Decide which products to display or hide for specific user roles. For users who are restricted, provide a custom message.

Enable Role-Based Pricing

Go to WooCommerce > B2B > Role-Based Pricing. Configure distinct prices for wholesalers, retailers, and other user roles. Apply adjustments either as a fixed amount or a percentage, then click “Save Changes” to implement your custom pricing rules.

Set Up Tiered Pricing for Bulk Orders

Enable tiered pricing to offer discounts on bulk orders. Define pricing adjustments based on quantity ranges.

Example:

• Purchase 10+ units → Receive a 5% discount
• Purchase 50+ units → Receive a 10% discount

Step 5: Enable “Request a Quote” & Hide Prices

Hide Prices for Guests

Navigate to WooCommerce > B2B > Pricing Settings. Enable the option to hide prices for guest users, and set a custom message prompting them to register to access pricing.

Enable Quote Requests Instead of Add to Cart

Go to WooCommerce > B2B > Request a Quote. Choose the products for which the “Add to Cart” button should be replaced with “Add to Quote”, and configure a custom quote submission form with additional fields.

Manage & Approve Quotes

Navigate to WooCommerce > Quotes to review submitted requests. Approve, reject, or send a custom price offer to customers, and convert approved quotes into orders directly from the dashboard.

Generate & Attach Quote PDFs

Enable PDF generation for quotes in the plugin settings. Customize the PDF layout, colors, and content to reflect your brand. Customers can download the quote before completing their purchase.

Step 6: Set Up Tax Exemptions

Allow Customers to Request Tax Exemptions

Go to WooCommerce > B2B > Tax Exemption. Enable tax exemption requests for selected user roles and add a tax exemption request form on the customer’s My Account page.

Approve or Reject Tax Requests

Navigate to WooCommerce > Users > Tax Exemption Requests to review tax ID documents submitted by customers. Approve or deny the requests and notify customers via email.

Auto-Remove Taxes for Exempt Customers

Once a customer is approved, taxes are automatically removed at checkout, ensuring a seamless tax exemption process for wholesale buyers.

Step 7: Restrict Shipping & Payment Methods

Control Shipping Options for B2B Users

Navigate to WooCommerce > B2B > Shipping Restrictions.

Enable or disable specific shipping methods for different user roles.

Example:

• Retail customers → Standard shipping
• Wholesale customers → Freight shipping only

Set Up Payment Method Restrictions

Go to WooCommerce > B2B > Payment Restrictions.

Assign specific payment methods to different user roles.

Example:

• Retail customers → Credit card payments
• Wholesale customers → Bank transfer or Net 30 invoices

Step 8: Apply Order Restrictions & Discounts

Set Minimum & Maximum Order Limits

Navigate to WooCommerce > B2B > Order Restrictions. Set minimum and maximum order values for each user role to prevent small orders from wholesale buyers.

Enable Cart Discounts Based on Order Value

Go to WooCommerce > B2B > Cart Discounts. Create discount rules based on total cart value or quantity.

Example:

• Spend $500+ → Get 5% off
• Spend $1000+ → Get 10% off

Schedule Discounts for Promotions

Specify the start and end dates for your wholesale promotions so that customers are informed about active or upcoming discounts.

Step 9: Test & Optimize Your B2B Store

• Test the Registration & Approval Process: Create a test B2B customer account and verify that manual approval emails are sent properly.
• Verify Product Visibility & Pricing Rules: Log in using different user roles to verify product visibility and ensure that wholesale pricing is displayed correctly for each role.
• Submit a Quote Request & Approve It: As a test user, submit a quote request from the front end and then process and approve it from the WooCommerce dashboard.
• Test Tax Exemption Functionality: Submit a tax exemption request and approve it, then verify that taxes are automatically removed during checkout.

FAQs for WooCommerce B2B Website

1. How is a WooCommerce B2B store different from a regular WooCommerce store?

Unlike a standard WooCommerce store, a B2B store supports wholesale pricing, bulk orders, custom catalogs, and long-term buyer relationships.

2. What are the must-have features of a WooCommerce B2B website?

Key features include wholesale pricing, minimum order quantities, bulk discounts, role-based access, custom catalogs, and efficient order management.

3. Can I set up a WooCommerce B2B website without coding skills?

Yes. WooCommerce offers plugins and extensions that make it easy to set up a B2B store with no advanced coding required.

4. Can I integrate multiple plugins to enhance my WooCommerce wholesale store?

Yes, you can integrate multiple plugins to extend your WooCommerce wholesale store. Many store owners combine plugins for wholesale pricing, bulk order forms, role-based access, and advanced shipping or payment options. Just make sure the plugins are compatible to avoid conflicts.

Conclusion

Running a wholesale business online comes with unique challenges, from managing bulk pricing to handling repeat orders efficiently. A WooCommerce B2B website provides the tools you need to simplify these processes and create a professional, tailored experience for your business customers. Implementing a B2B store can help you streamline operations, increase order volumes, and ensure that your pricing and product visibility are perfectly aligned with your wholesale strategy.

At Arestós, we provide professional WooCommerce development services. Our team can help you build, customize, and optimize your WooCommerce store to meet your business needs.

Contact us now to get started on your WooCommerce B2B website and take your wholesale business to the next level with a fully optimized online platform.