ShopWired's range of features for B2B / wholesale ecommerce businesses

`ShopWired provides a complete set of built-in B2B ecommerce features, enabling UK and international businesses to manage wholesale and retail sales from one platform. With trade accounts, flexible pricing models, VAT controls, quotes, and accounting integrations, it’s designed to handle the full wholesale workflow without custom development.

• Control catalogue and pricing access with trade accounts and trade-only categories
• Offer layered trade pricing, bulk discounts, and promotions for wholesale buyers
• Automate VAT handling, documents, and accounting sync for compliance and efficiency

Trade accounts and gated catalogues

Trade accounts let you approve business buyers, show trade-only categories, and hide pricing from non-logged-in visitors.

• Action step: Install and configure the trade accounts app and B2B settings
• Benefit: Separate wholesale from retail without running two sites
• Example: Show a different category menu to logged-in trade users only

Set up and maintain trade accounts from your admin and control behaviour in the B2B settings page. You can auto-approve applications or review them manually, assign default pricing bands, and decide which visitor types can access bulk discounts and multi-buy offers.

Create trade-only categories and assign products that should be hidden from the public catalogue. You can also invert the view to hide non-trade products from trade customers. Use the theme setting to hide prices site-wide until a trade user signs in.

Key links: Trade settings, Trade-only categories & products, Creating & managing trade customers.

Application and approval workflow

Point prospects to your trade application page, decide on automatic versus manual approvals, and use email templates for application received and account activated notices. Assign a default trade pricing band so new trade accounts get baseline pricing immediately after activation.

Pricing for trade customers: four methods and precedence

ShopWired applies trade pricing in this order: individual trade price, pricing band price, cost price multiplier, then global discount.

• Action step: Choose a primary method and document the precedence for your team
• Benefit: Predictable pricing outcomes and fewer support queries
• Example: Use pricing bands for most customers and global discount for legacy terms

Start by deciding whether your catalogue suits banded pricing, bespoke per-customer SKU rates, margin-from-cost, or a simple percentage off list. Precedence ensures that if a product has an explicit price for a customer or their band, that value wins over multipliers or global discounts.

Trade prices display like sale prices for logged-in trade customers, keeping the standard price visible but crossed out. You can also hide all pricing for visitors until they log in if your site is primarily wholesale.

Key links: Pricing for trade customers.

Choosing a pricing model

For scale and maintenance, pricing bands are usually best. Use individual pricing only for special cases, multipliers where you maintain tight cost data, and global discounts for blanket terms with product-level exclusions.

Trade pricing bands

Pricing bands group SKU-level trade prices and can be assigned to any number of trade customers.

• Action step: Create bands, upload prices by SKU, assign customers
• Benefit: Centralised price control across many accounts
• Example: Silver, Gold, and Distributor bands with different schedules

Build bands in the admin, then add prices by selecting products and variations or importing a CSV keyed by SKU and the band ID. Set a default band in B2B settings so new trade accounts inherit pricing on activation. Update band prices once to roll changes across all members.

Because band pricing is SKU-driven, ensure SKU codes are unique across products and variations. Use the export function to audit current entries before bulk changes.

Key link: Trade pricing bands.

Maintaining bands at scale

Schedule regular exports to review outliers, keep discontinued SKUs tidy, and version your CSVs so you can roll back if needed. Train staff on precedence to avoid conflicts with other pricing methods.

Individual trade customer pricing

Per-customer spreadsheets let you set SKU prices for specific trade accounts.

• Action step: Export the current file, edit per customer ID column, re-import
• Benefit: Precise control for key accounts
• Example: Strategic customer with bespoke rates across 200 SKUs

Each column is a trade customer ID and each row a SKU, allowing matrix-style pricing. Uploading a file replaces previous entries, so treat the CSV as the source of truth. For most teams, this legacy method is reserved for exceptions because pricing bands scale better.

Use product exports to obtain a complete SKU list and trade customer exports to get IDs. Enter -1 to remove a customer/SKU price.

Key link: Individual trade customer pricing.

When to use it

Use individual pricing for large key accounts with negotiated lists or during transitions before migrating them into a pricing band.

Global price discounts

A global discount sets a percentage off normal prices for a trade customer, with product-level exclusions.

• Action step: Set the customer’s discount and mark excluded products
• Benefit: Fast setup with lightweight maintenance
• Example: 8.5 percent discount across the catalogue except controlled lines

Configure the discount on the trade customer record or via the import column for global discount. Exclude specific products in the product editor or through product import to keep list price where required.

This method is simple and works well for smaller catalogues or when negotiation is standardised across all lines.

Key link: Global price discounts.

Managing exclusions

Maintain an exclusion list for MAP-restricted or low-margin products. Review periodically to keep it aligned with supplier agreements.

Cost price multiplier pricing

Multipliers calculate trade price by applying a factor to SKU cost price.

• Action step: Ensure cost prices are set and apply a multiplier per customer
• Benefit: Margin-consistent pricing without editing every SKU
• Example: Cost × 1.18 for a 18 percent uplift

This approach requires reliable cost data and the Gross Profit Report app. Values over one add a surcharge to cost; values under one create an effective discount from cost. It’s ideal when the catalogue changes often and you want margin consistency.

Audit cost prices before switching a customer to multipliers, as gaps will fall back to other pricing methods by precedence.

Key link: Cost price multiplier pricing.

Operational tips

Set validation rules for cost price entry on new products and use reports to flag SKUs with zero or missing costs.

Bulk pricing for products

Bulk pricing sets quantity-based per-unit prices on individual products and variations.

• Action step: Add ladders on the product or import rules by SKU
• Benefit: Clear incentives for larger line-item quantities
• Example: 2–4 units at £10, 5+ units at £9.50

Create ladders in the product editor or import via CSV with quantity from, quantity to, and price columns. Themes from Version 3 onwards can render a bulk pricing table so buyers see the deal before adding to basket.

Use variation-level rules for products where options track different cost structures, and prefer ranges for readability.

Key link: Product bulk pricing.

Combining with other discounts

Bulk pricing applies at the SKU level and coexists with trade pricing precedence. Keep communication clear so buyers understand which mechanism drives the final price.

Product bulk discounts across mixes

Bulk discounts apply a percentage when basket quantities reach thresholds across products, categories, or brands.

• Action step: Create rules with target type, quantity thresholds, and discount
• Benefit: Reward mixed-basket volume
• Example: Buy any 3 across a category, get 10 percent off

Targets can be all products, a specific category, a brand, or a single product. Rules can require the same SKU or allow a mix. Control which visitor types qualify from B2B settings to confine offers to trade accounts.

Test scenarios with variations because each variation combination is a distinct basket item for eligibility checks.

Key link: Product bulk discounts.

Eligibility by visitor type

Set “Who should have access” in trade settings so bulk discounts remain a B2B incentive while keeping retail pricing uncomplicated.

Multi-buy offers

Multi-buy offers enable simple 2-for-1 and 3-for-2 promotions where the cheapest eligible item is free.

• Action step: Install the app and mark eligible products
• Benefit: Faster setup than building complex offer rules
• Example: Mark a seasonal range as 3-for-2 for trade accounts

Toggle eligibility on the product and control visitor access in product settings. Indicators show on list, product, and basket pages. Where a product qualifies for both 2-for-1 and 3-for-2, 3-for-2 takes precedence.

Use multi-buy for promotions you want buyers to understand instantly without reading complex terms.

Key link: Multi-buy offers.

Scope and signage

Keep the eligible set coherent (by brand or collection) and ensure theme badges are visible to reduce basket surprises.

Advanced offers engine

Offers let you build fixed-price bundles, percentage or monetary discounts with product counts and detailed targets.

• Action step: Define product count, targets, discount type, and consumption order
• Benefit: Run complex trade promotions without custom code
• Example: Any 3 items from two categories for £50, cheapest consumed first

Targets can be products, categories, or brands, each with min and max quantities, plus global exclusions and pre-order rules. Choose consumption order (cheapest or highest first) to align with your commercial intent. For performance, the first forty active offers are evaluated; keep the live set focused.

Schedule start and end dates and use concise titles and descriptions so buyers and staff understand the benefit at a glance.

Key link: Creating & managing offers.

Testing and audit

Test edge cases with mixed baskets and overlapping eligibility. Maintain a changelog of offer IDs, dates, and rules for finance reconciliation.

Quotes and pay-by-link

Quotes let you build a draft, email a payment link, and convert to an order automatically on payment.

• Action step: Install the quotation app, create quotes, and send using templates
• Benefit: Fits procurement workflows without phone or manual invoicing
• Example: Draft with custom field notes, send, and convert to order when paid

Quotes support custom fields, admin comments, and PDF generation. When paid, custom fields and comments carry to the resulting order, and the “quote paid” email is sent. If you invoice frequently from quotes, create a dedicated PDF theme for clarity.

You can display active quotes in customer accounts with theme changes if needed. Use the pay link variable in emails to keep the buyer journey straightforward.

Key link: Creating & managing quotes.

Drafts and revisions

Keep quotes in draft while negotiating. Once sent, product lines and delivery rate are fixed, but you can resend or mark as paid if funds arrive off-site.

Invoice PDF themes and document control

Customisable PDF themes let you generate compliant invoices and quotes with your branding and required fields.

• Action step: Install Formal or Standard themes and configure fields and layout
• Benefit: Professional documents that match B2B expectations
• Example: Show SKU, HS code, VAT rate and totals, and company/IOSS numbers

You can maintain multiple themes (e.g. invoice, pro-forma, quote) and generate PDFs individually or in batches. For deeper control, edit HTML/CSS and expose settings for page size and margins. Each theme has an ID you can use in email links to force a specific template.

Preview your theme after changes and keep a copy of previous versions for audit. Landscaped logos generally render best.

Key link: Invoice PDF themes.

Operational consistency

Standardise on one “live” invoice theme and designate alternates for quotes or export orders. Train staff to select the correct theme when printing in bulk.

Order status and customer emails

Custom statuses and colours map to default system states and power clear customer communications.

• Action step: Define statuses, map to defaults, and edit templates
• Benefit: Workflow clarity for warehouse and customers
• Example: Preparing, Booked, Dispatched, Delivered, Completed

Map your names to default states such as Paid, Unpaid, Shipped, Completed, and Pre-orders so integrations behave correctly. Each status has its own email (HTML and plain text). You can enable on-send editing for bespoke notes like booking references.

Use status colours on the orders list for quick visual triage and to prioritise exceptions.

Key link: Order status.

Email management

Centralise sender, CC, and BCC addresses, and preview templates with dummy data. Keep Twig edits simple and validated.

VAT features built for B2B

VAT configuration covers entry and display (net or gross), HMRC-aligned calculation, zones, custom rates, and reliefs.

• Action step: Choose price entry/display, set zone rates, and configure special cases
• Benefit: Correct tax on invoices and consistent storefront pricing
• Example: Zero-rate eligible products and auto-match delivery VAT to the basket

Enter prices as net or gross and choose storefront display accordingly. Calculation follows HMRC guidance, either per-unit or on the line total based on your chosen method. Zones let you control whether VAT is charged and at which rate, with optional VAT-equivalent pricing when no VAT is charged.

Set reduced or zero rates per product and match delivery VAT automatically to the supply of goods when baskets contain only zero-rated or exempt items. Enable disability relief declarations where applicable and validate EU VAT numbers to zero-rate eligible B2B orders.

Key link: VAT features on ShopWired.

Implementation checklist

Decide input method (net or gross), pick calculation mode, configure zones and thresholds, then audit a sample of invoices for accuracy before go-live.

Imports and bulk updates for trade customers

CSV imports let you create and update trade customers, assign pricing bands, and set discounts at scale.

• Action step: Export current data, edit in a spreadsheet, and re-import
• Benefit: Rapid onboarding and maintenance of large B2B lists
• Example: Assign pricing bands and cost multipliers to 500 accounts

Each customer occupies one row with fixed headers, covering contact details, pricing band, global discount, cost multiplier, credit account flag, and marketing consent. Use exports as backups before bulk changes and keep the ID column unchanged when updating.

Record notes internally with the notes field; for structured data use customer custom fields rather than deprecated additional data fields.

Key link: Importing/exporting trade customers in bulk.

Data hygiene

Validate emails and postcodes, standardise phone formats, and keep company names consistent for accounting syncs and reports.

Sales, promotions, and scheduling

Use percentage sales for straightforward markdowns and the offers engine for complex trade promotions.

• Action step: Schedule sales by product, category, brand, or site-wide
• Benefit: Planned campaigns that don’t require manual price edits
• Example: 10 percent off a category for one week, starting at midnight

Sales run at scheduled times and respect hard-coded sale prices on products. Combine with bulk pricing and trade pricing carefully and document which mechanism controls each campaign.

Keep your live promotional set tidy to avoid rule conflicts and performance limits.

Key link: Creating & managing offers.

Campaign discipline

Use a calendar, unique titles, and internal notes so support and finance can trace behaviour during the promotion window.

Accounting integrations: Xero, QuickBooks, KashFlow, Sage Accounting, Clear Books

ShopWired connects to leading cloud accounting platforms so orders, invoices, and VAT data flow downstream cleanly.

• Action step: Enable your chosen integration and map tax rates and accounts
• Benefit: Reduce re-keying, improve accuracy, and speed up reconciliation
• Example: Push paid orders with VAT breakdown to Xero each day

After configuring VAT correctly, connect your accounting platform and map revenue accounts, tax rates, and payment methods. Use order custom fields for purchase order numbers, internal references, or customer codes to improve matching and reporting in the ledger.

Reconcile periodically to confirm that totals and VAT amounts match between ShopWired and the accounting system, adjusting mappings as your catalogue or tax rules evolve.

Implementation tips

Test with a small sample of orders across different VAT scenarios (standard-rated, zero-rated, mixed baskets) before enabling automated syncs at scale.

Putting it together: a simple rollout plan

Start with trade accounts, pick a pricing method, configure VAT, then layer in quotes, documents, and promotions.

• Action step: Enable trade accounts, set default band, configure VAT and zones
• Benefit: Get a functioning wholesale channel live quickly
• Example: Launch with bands and bulk pricing, add offers after month one

Phase one: trade accounts and category gating, pricing bands, basic VAT setup, and a single invoice theme. Phase two: bulk pricing ladders, bulk discounts or multi-buy, quotes, and custom fields on orders. Phase three: advanced offers, batch PDF printing, and accounting integrations.

Use the help links in each section to go deeper and train your team on the precedence rules and operational checkpoints that keep B2B trading predictable.

Documentation and training

Maintain internal SOPs for pricing updates, VAT audits, and promotions. Review order status mappings and email templates quarterly to keep customer communications accurate.

Summary

ShopWired brings the core B2B capabilities together—trade accounts, layered pricing, VAT controls, quoting, documents, promotions, and accounting sync—so you can run wholesale and retail from one storefront without custom development. If you’re building or upgrading a wholesale channel, enable the essentials today and expand with the linked guides as you grow. Ready to see it in action? Start a trial and configure trade accounts, pricing bands, and VAT settings in minutes.

• Trade accounts and gated catalogues let you segment access, menus, and pricing for wholesale buyers
• Four-tier trade pricing precedence (individual, band, multiplier, global) plus bulk pricing, bulk discounts, and multi-buy offers
• Quotes, customisable invoice PDFs, order statuses, and order/quote custom fields support B2B workflows end-to-end
• VAT features cover net/gross entry and display, zones, custom/zero rates, reliefs, and EU VAT validation
• Built-in accounting integrations with Xero, QuickBooks, KashFlow, Sage Accounting, and Clear Books streamline reconciliation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between B2B and B2C ecommerce?

B2B ecommerce serves business buyers, often with negotiated pricing, bulk purchasing, and invoicing options. B2C ecommerce targets end consumers with fixed pricing and simpler checkout flows. ShopWired supports both, allowing you to configure features for each audience.

Can I hide my wholesale prices from the public?

Yes. You can activate a theme setting to hide prices until a visitor logs in to a trade account. This ensures that only approved customers can see your wholesale rates while retail visitors see no pricing or a separate retail catalogue.

How can I offer different prices to different customers?

ShopWired offers multiple pricing methods: trade pricing bands, individual trade prices, cost price multipliers, and global discounts. You can assign the appropriate method to each customer and set a default band for new accounts.

Does ShopWired support volume-based discounts for wholesale?

Yes. You can use product bulk pricing for fixed per-unit rates at set quantities or product bulk discounts for percentage savings across groups of products. These tools help incentivise larger orders from trade buyers.

Can I run promotions just for my trade customers?

Yes. Features like bulk discounts, multi-buy offers, and advanced offers can be restricted by visitor type. This allows you to run B2B-only promotions without affecting your retail prices or offers.

Is it possible to manage VAT for international trade customers?

Yes. VAT zones let you control whether to charge VAT based on a customer’s location and apply different rates. You can also validate EU VAT numbers to zero-rate orders for eligible businesses and configure zero or reduced rates for specific products.

Can I give trade customers credit terms?

Yes. You can mark a trade account as having a credit account, enabling them to place orders using the offline payment method. This works well for customers who pay on account rather than at checkout.

Does ShopWired have a quoting feature?

Yes. You can create quotes, send them to customers via a payment link, and automatically convert them into orders when paid. This is useful for negotiated orders or custom product requests.

How does ShopWired handle large product catalogues for wholesale?

You can import and update products, pricing, and trade customer data in bulk using CSV files. SKU-based pricing imports make it easy to manage large catalogues without manual edits for each product.

Can I integrate ShopWired with my accounting software?

Yes. ShopWired integrates with Xero, QuickBooks, KashFlow, Sage Accounting, and Clear Books. You can sync orders, invoices, and VAT data directly to your accounts for faster reconciliation.

What kind of payment options can I offer trade customers?

You can offer the same gateways as retail customers, plus offline payment methods like bank transfer or cheque. For approved customers, you can enable credit account payments to place orders without immediate payment.

Can I create a separate product menu for wholesale customers?

Yes. You can configure a different category menu for trade accounts so they see only the products you want them to buy. This keeps your wholesale range separate from your retail products.

Is ShopWired suitable for businesses that sell both in the UK and internationally?

Yes. You can configure multiple delivery zones, VAT rules, currencies, and pricing strategies for different regions. This makes it easier to run both domestic and export B2B operations from a single platform.

Does ShopWired support custom fields for orders?

Yes. You can add custom fields to orders and quotes to capture extra details like purchase order numbers, delivery instructions, or account references. These can appear on invoices, emails, and in your admin system.

How secure is ShopWired for processing wholesale orders?

ShopWired uses secure, PCI-compliant payment gateways and encrypted connections for all transactions. You can also control access to trade pricing and features through account approval settings.

Can I display different tax information on invoices for trade customers?

Yes. PDF invoice themes can be customised to include or exclude VAT details, show company registration numbers, and adapt for international requirements like IOSS numbers.

What’s the best way to onboard new wholesale customers?

Direct them to your trade account application page, review and approve applications in the admin, and assign them to the correct pricing band. You can automate approval for faster onboarding if desired.

Can ShopWired handle different pricing for different currencies?

Yes. You can set up multi-currency pricing and control VAT display rules based on location or selected currency. This is useful for international B2B sales where you want fixed prices per region.

How do I manage large wholesale orders efficiently?

Use bulk pricing rules, set minimum order quantities, and configure delivery rates that match your logistics costs. Order status workflows and custom statuses help you track large orders through fulfilment.