Wholesale Ecommerce: How It Works, Types, and Benefits (2025)

Wholesale ecommerce refers to selling products online to other businesses, typically in bulk and at discounted rates. This global industry is massive, projected to reach $25 trillion in 2025.

The benefits are clear: higher order volume and reduced time spent on manual entry and admin tasks. Becoming a wholesaler lets you tap into this vast market and unlock new revenue streams.

So, how can you get in on the action? This guide covers how wholesale ecommerce works, how to choose the right ecommerce platform, and practical tips for building your online wholesale store.

How wholesale ecommerce works

The most common wholesale relationship is between producers (you) and retailers. However, some wholesalers sell to other wholesalers, and some—like Costco—sell directly to consumers.

The biggest advantage of selling wholesale is that it lowers operating costs. By selling items in bulk, you can capture larger orders and reduce marketing spend, which usually leads to a higher profit per unit. It also adds another channel to your sales mix.

The first association many people have with wholesale ecommerce is mega-sites like Alibaba. Wholesale is often seen as a traditional sales channel with a less-than-ideal buying experience. But technology and shifting B2B buyer behavior have transformed wholesale ecommerce.

Today, many retail ecommerce businesses are selling wholesale to drive growth, without enormous capital investment or outsized risk. With the right B2B ecommerce platform, merchants can automate the process from signup to checkout, offer wholesale-specific pricing, and more—whether they start small or scale large.

Wholesale ecommerce trends and statistics for 2025

Market size and growth projections

Wholesale ecommerce spending has shed its unglamorous back-office reputation and become a major force in global online trade. Grand View Research estimates global B2B gross merchandise volume (GMV) will reach $25 trillion in 2025, and climb to roughly $35 trillion by 2027. 

The latest B2B ecommerce trends show digital adoption is already underway. Eight out of ten domestic B2B transactions already happen online, and some 56% of B2B revenue already flows through digital channels.

Regionally, Asia-Pacific accounts for the largest absolute GMV, posting 70% of 2024’s ecommerce transaction value. North America is the fastest-growing region, with a projected 17.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2030.

When broken down by sector, manufacturing leads the charge, generating 24% of the B2B ecommerce market's revenue in 2024. Looking ahead, the healthcare and life sciences industry is poised for the fastest growth, with a CAGR of 21.1% projected through 2030.

B2B buyer behavior evolution

Only seven years ago, most wholesale deals began with a phone call. As millennials and Gen Z made their way into the B2B buying process, the days of handshakes and faxes faded away. But buyers haven’t abandoned human interaction—they are just using their own blend of channels. 

McKinsey’s 2024 B2B Pulse reports that decision makers toggle across 10 touchpoints on average and still adhere to the “rule of thirds”: one-third in-person, one-third remote, one-third pure self-service. B2B ecommerce comfort levels have risen so sharply that orders over $500,000 now close via self-service online, a scenario once unimaginable beyond trade show floors.

Artificial intelligence is pushing this change further. In Forrester’s 2024 Buyers’ Journey survey, 89% of procurement teams now use generative AI at some stage of the buying process, from supplier discovery to RFP scoring. 

AI-curated shortlists and real-time risk models are expected to shrink vendor evaluations from weeks to same-day decisions, pushing suppliers to automate, impress, or vanish from consideration. 

Technology adoption in wholesale

Wholesale has fully moved online, and not only for small orders. Forrester predicts million-dollar-plus deals will soon become the standard online. 

B2B buyers say self-service is faster and easier, and they expect the same one-click, personalized experience they get from consumer sites. Gartner reports that when B2B buyers self-navigate, 65% complete what they consider high-quality deals—compared to just 24% when purchases are conducted through sales reps. 

McKinsey reports 19% of B2B sales teams already implement GenAI successfully, while another 23% are experimenting. Data-driven commercial teams that blend personalized customer experiences with GenAI are 1.7 times more likely to expand market share than teams that do not.

That means brands must prioritize their B2B storefronts first, rather than the showroom. Shopify B2B is built for this shift, and helps wholesalers personalize the buyer experience by letting them: 

• Set wholesale prices by customer using fixed rates, percentage discounts, or volume-based tiers
• Show or hide products, tailoring catalogs to each wholesale buyer
• Assign unique payment terms (like Net 30/60) directly to a company's profile
• Group multiple contacts and shipping addresses under one company profile for a unified experience
• Apply tax-exempt status directly to a customer profile so it's automatic at checkout

B2B wholesale versus retail ecommerce

Now that you know how wholesale ecommerce works, let’s look at the main differences between wholesale and retail ecommerce. The key distinctions are:

• Target audience
• Order volume
• Pricing
• Relationship management

Target audience

Wholesale businesses sell products to other businesses (B2B), including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, or other wholesalers. These buyers usually purchase items in large quantities to resell to end consumers.

For example, a clothing manufacturer sells large quantities of t-shirts to a retail store chain through its ecommerce platform.

Retail businesses sell directly to consumers (B2C). This means selling in smaller quantities and often offering a wide variety of products to meet the diverse consumer needs.

An online clothing store selling individual t-shirts directly to consumers through its website or app is an example of retail.

Order volume

A wholesale ecommerce business deals in bulk orders. Wholesalers often offer large quantities of goods at discounted rates, based on the principle that the more you buy, the lower the cost per unit. For example, a restaurant supply wholesaler sells bulk packs of cooking utensils to restaurants.

Retailers sell products in single units or smaller quantities, based on the individual customer—for instance, an online kitchenware store sells a single set of cooking utensils to home cooks.

Pricing

Wholesalers sell their goods at lower prices per unit, given the higher volumes involved. Lower prices are possible because the cost of selling a large volume of goods to one buyer is less than selling individual units to multiple buyers. For example, a wholesaler sells 100 LED bulbs in bulk at $5 each to a hardware store.

Retailers, selling directly to consumers, charge higher prices per unit because they need to cover the costs of storage, marketing, and selling items. For example, an online lighting store sells a single LED bulb to a customer for $10.

Relationship management

Wholesale ecommerce businesses engage in long-term relationships with customers. Since customers typically require ongoing supplies, customer retention is key. Wholesale ecommerce platforms include features that encourage strong relationships, like customized pricing for specific customers, order history tracking, reordering tools, and more.

While retailers value repeat business, retailers often deal with one-off or occasional purchases from customers. Retail ecommerce platforms often emphasize features like personalized product recommendations, customer reviews, and easy returns.

Types of wholesalers

Whether you want to work with wholesalers or become one yourself, it’s important to know the different ways this B2B business model works.

Manufacturers

Manufacturers produce goods and also act as wholesalers. For example, a company that makes LED lights may sell them in bulk to retailers or to businesses that use them.

Distributors

Distributors aren’t the original manufacturers. They buy directly from manufacturers and then sell in bulk to retailers.

Distributors handle logistics and customer relationships, allowing manufacturers to focus on production. A distributor wholesaler might buy beverages from a manufacturer and sell them to restaurants and grocery stores.

Dropshippers

These online wholesalers don’t hold inventory. Instead, they list a manufacturer’s products on their website, and when they make a sale, the manufacturer ships the item directly to the customer.

For example, Shopify merchants can join Shopify Collective to dropship products from other Shopify brands with automatic inventory sync, built-in net-terms billing, and no up-front stocking costs.

Import/export

Wholesalers in this category specialize in international trade. They import products from other countries or export domestic products. For example, an importer/exporter wholesaler might import wines from France and Italy to sell in the United States.

Marketplace wholesalers

These companies operate on third-party B2B marketplaces like Faire or Tundra. These platforms list products from multiple brands, connect them with retailers, and handle payments. 

For suppliers, marketplaces provide instant access to a massive pool of retailers without the overhead of trade shows or cold outreach. For example, a specialty coffee roaster uploads its catalog to Faire, sets a 12-unit minimum order quantity (MOQ), and lands first-time orders from boutique cafés in three new states within a week.

How B2B ecommerce helps wholesalers

It’s long been believed that B2B customers avoided digital channels. Traditional wisdom held that buying wholesale was too complex for online transactions, which is why many suppliers still haven’t invested in ecommerce.

The availability of information through digital channels has made it easier for B2B buyers to collect data independently. This means suppliers have fewer opportunities to influence wholesale decisions face to face.

Technology like B2B ecommerce platforms makes it easier for wholesalers to sell online and take advantage of several benefits:

It simplifies the buying process

Wholesalers often feel that ecommerce is not suitable for them because of the complex buying process. Concerns over contract pricing, product exclusivity, and customers with special terms and conditions discourage adoption.

While these concerns are valid, the right wholesale ecommerce platform addresses them and drives business growth. You can easily create a private B2B ecommerce website with all the information a client needs, so they don’t need to contact you for basic information.

"The myth that a memorable purchasing experience matters—that’s false. The online experience for wholesale ecommerce websites should be as minimal as possible. Buyers want products that perform. Buyers have POs to enter and want the least amount of hiccups possible."

Ecommerce has also made it easier for wholesale customers to find wholesalers and distributors online. When you optimize your website for search engines, it helps potential buyers find you online faster.

It helps automate wholesale processes

Ecommerce automation is one of the biggest advantages of selling wholesale today. From signup to checkout, you’ll spend less time managing orders over the phone and email and more time on strategic priorities.

Ecommerce technology, like Shopify, can:

• Create custom pricing and percentage discounts for specific customers or groups
• Automate and review customer signups
• Let customers purchase, track, and reorder products
• Review orders before invoicing
• Streamline inventory and order management

Shopify Flow extends this automation by letting you build custom workflows. For example, it can tag new wholesale customers for specific pricing tiers or notify your team to review orders over a certain amount.

It improves the buyer experience

B2B buyers have come to expect the same service as their B2C counterparts. Buyers today have the information they need and often skip speaking with a rep. They prefer simple onboarding and ordering experiences. That’s why Shopify includes features like a 24/7 customer accounts portal that customers can access without assistance.

Ecommerce can help wholesalers anticipate buyers’ needs. It can aid the buyers’ research process and guarantee they can access content at every step of the journey.

It increases sales while lowering spend

Selling wholesale online is one of the fastest ways to accelerate business growth. If you’re a manufacturer, selling in bulk can increase product volume, lower unit costs, and boost margins. Shipping in bulk to fewer customers can also lower fulfillment costs.

It helps enter new markets

Moving into a new country or territory comes with logistical challenges. You’ll also be marketing to a new audience that’s never heard of you.

When an established retailer teams up with your business, you can leverage their supply chain to reduce risk and lower setup costs. Wholesalers also save money on marketing by tapping into the retailer’s existing customer base.

It enables data-driven decision-making

The biggest opportunity in wholesale today is the ability to collect, understand, and act on data—and organizations are taking notice. 

According to research by Marketing Profs, there’s an upward trend in spending on technology and data anticipated over the next several years. These investments in data are projected to approach a total of $29.8 billion, reflecting a CAGR of 13% throughout 2024 to 2028. This surge underscores the increasing emphasis on digital solutions and data-driven strategies by enterprise brands.

Shopify links every B2B buyer to their parent company record, capturing roles, negotiated price lists, tax status, purchase orders, and support tickets in a single record. Storefront, ERP, CRM, and analytics pull from this data, so teams see one version of the truth and act instantly. 

How to choose a wholesale ecommerce platform

Here are some guidelines for choosing the best wholesale ecommerce platform for your brand:

A single, unified storefront for B2B and DTC

Running a separate, password-protected site for wholesale was once the only option, but it was always a pain. You had to manage two sets of inventory, update two websites, and hope the customer experience wasn't clumsy.

Today, you can bring both your retail and wholesale businesses together under one roof with Shopify. Your B2B customers simply log into your main retail site, and it automatically shows them their private catalog, special pricing, and payment terms. 

Meanwhile, you run the entire business from one back end with one set of products, one inventory, and one place to manage all your orders. It’s a simpler way to manage sales for everyone.

Custom catalogs for each buyer

Wholesale customers are not all the same, and they shouldn't be treated that way. Custom catalogs let you tailor the buying experience by creating unique product selections and pricing structures for different types of B2B buyers.

Fragrance label WHO IS ELIJAH used this strategy to drive global growth across eight expansion stores. After each region had its own catalog and price matrix, the brand’s international wholesale revenue climbed 50% year over year.

“One of the reasons we needed custom pricing for our wholesale customers was that many of them fall into different B2B categories; some have hard margins, and some we can control,” says the brand’s technical leader, Brylee Lonesborough. “The custom catalog capabilities in B2B on Shopify meant we could set individual pricing categories and attach them to the various types of B2B customers we have so they get a more personalized experience.”

Integrations and flexible APIs

Integrations are the secret to a successful wholesale ecommerce store. Setting up an easy-to-use sales portal is the cost of entry, but integrations determine long-term success.

A good wholesale ecommerce platform will let you:

• Create custom storefronts and experiences
• Integrate with existing systems like an ERP or CRM through a flexible API and software development kid (SDK)
• Connect your online business tools with ecommerce automation
• Automate both simple tasks to complex workflows

Choose a platform with a reliable API and developer tools. Look for unlimited development environments so you can test changes before going live.

Optimized for search and content marketing

B2B buyers are no different from B2C buyers when it comes to finding solutions. Both groups search Google to find the right supplier that meets their needs. The difference is that B2B buyers won’t land on a product page and check out with their credit card straight away. They have to sort through logistics, have a few board meetings, and consider storage facilities before committing to a supplier.

This is why it’s important to find an ecommerce platform with strong SEO features.

Some search-friendly elements to look for are:

• Apps and plugins to help with SEO
• Optimized product and collection pages
• Content marketing capabilities like blog-hosting and FAQ pages

Many B2B and wholesale ecommerce sites focus too heavily on data. You should be data-informed, but today’s shoppers discover products through many channels, so top-of-funnel marketing and brand awareness matter too.

Support omnichannel inventory management

Omnichannel inventory management is an important aspect to consider when choosing a B2B platform. If you have (or plan to have) multiple sales channels, you’ll need a platform that integrates with all channels, including physical stores, online shops, and third-party marketplaces.

A good B2B commerce platform ensures real-time syncing of inventory levels across all channels, so when a product is sold in one channel, the inventory is updated on all channels. This prevents overselling and understocking, which harm your reputation and lead to lost sales.3

Mobile-first wholesale experience

Procurement happens anywhere and everywhere. Buyers can price check while boarding a flight to New York or send replenishment POs from warehouse aisles. The impact of getting this mobile experience right is significant, as Dermalogica Canada discovered.

“Customers used to be so frustrated by our platform that they’d rather call us on the phone to place orders,” said Nicholas Lachhman, associate ecommerce director at Dermalogica Canada. “Now we’re seeing customers be so comfortable with the experience that they’re placing orders for thousands of dollars worth of product from their mobile phones.”

Payment flexibility for large orders

A 2023 B2B payments study found that 81% of B2B buyers say choosing their own invoicing schedule is “very or extremely important,” and more than half would switch suppliers to have that option.

With Shopify B2B, you can set payment terms for each company you sell to. Terms can vary depending on order size and the relationship. Shopify offers up to eight net payment term options (including net periods, due on receipt, and due on fulfillment), and lets you set custom payment due dates.

Wholesale ecommerce platform comparison

When comparing different wholesale ecommerce platforms, it helps to use a framework for weighing features and use cases. 

Here are five pillars you can use in your search. To make this evaluation clearer, use a simple scoring system for each pillar. 

As you assess each platform, grade its capabilities on the following 1-to-5 scale:

• 1 = A solution likely suitable for smaller operations with simpler needs.
• 3 = A mid-tier solution for growth.
• 5 = A top-tier solution built for maximum scale and customization. 

Business scale

Your wholesale platform needs to be a partner in your growth. As your business expands, your technology must handle increasing orders and integrations, while remaining fast for buyers, even with 100,000 SKUs.

Before choosing a platform, stress test its capabilities:

• Order volume: Can it handle your largest wholesale orders without delays?
• Account capacity: How many customer accounts and internal staff can it support?
• Catalog size: Is there a limit on the number of products, variants, or SKUs you can manage?
• Performance under pressure: Will the platform remain fast and reliable as you add more products, customers, and international stores?

To help you evaluate different platforms, use this simple grading scale to see where they stand.

• 1 = Basic: Good for smaller catalogs (under 1,000 SKUs) and single-currency sales).
• 3 = Growing: Can handle multiple storefronts and larger catalogs (up to 50K SKUs).
• 5 = Enterprise-Grade: Built for scale with 100K+ SKUs, unlimited buyer accounts, and automatic performance scaling.

Technical architecture requirements

Your ecommerce platform will become the hub for your wholesale business. The technical architecture has to be flexible enough to connect with your existing systems and adapt to your future requirements. How else will you build those branded experiences and operate efficiently? 

Here is what to look for:

• Integration power: How easily does it connect to your critical systems like an ERP, CRM, or accounting software? Does it offer unified commerce, a flexible API, or just a few rigid, prebuilt connectors?
• Deep customization: How much control do you have over the user experience? A strong platform lets you extensively modify core components like the checkout flow and complex pricing logic.
• Headless capabilities: Does it give you the option to go headless? This decouples the front-end presentation layer from the back end to build completely custom shopping experiences.
• Developer tools: Does it support a professional development workflow with staging environments for testing and modern deployment processes (CI/CD)? 

Use this grading scale to evaluate the technical foundation:

• 1 = Basic: Limited flexibility with few native connectors and a restrictive API.
• 3 = Flexible: Offers modern tools like REST APIs and webhooks, plus a basic staging environment for testing.
• 5 = Enterprise-Grade: Designed for unified commerce across all channels (B2B, DTC, POS), ready for headless builds, and supports sophisticated CI/CD pipelines for developers.

Wholesale-specific functionality

Even though you can run a B2B and DTC store on the same platform, there are still different features to look for. These capabilities help manage complex buyer relationships and boost average order value (AOV):

• Flexible pricing: Can you create complex pricing rules? Look for support for customer-specific price lists, automated volume discounts, and tiered pricing for different customer groups.
• B2B order management: Does it support the entire wholesale order lifecycle? This includes quote-to-order workflows, internal approval queues for purchase orders, and easy bulk-ordering tools.
• Advanced customer segmentation: Can you create truly distinct buying experiences? The platform should let you segment customers into groups with product catalogs, payment options, and pricing.
• Net terms and checkout: Does it handle professional B2B payments? Ensure it offers integrated Net 30/60/90 payment terms directly in the checkout, with loyalty status and related discounts applied.

A good rubric to follow:

• 1 = Basic: Limited to a single price list and does not offer net terms or PO support.
• 3 = Flexible: Supports tiered pricing rules and allows customers to check out using purchase orders.
• 5 = Enterprise-Grade: A complete suite with customer-specific catalogs, full quote-to-cash workflows, and integrated net terms at checkout.

Operational efficiency factors

A great wholesale platform will also save your team time and reduce operating costs. Better tools mean your team spends less time chasing invoice payments and more time building relationships with key accounts. 

Consider features that’ll have an impact on your team’s bandwidth, like:

• Intuitive admin panel: An easy-to-use back end that allows non-technical staff to manage daily tasks like editing catalogs, updating customer profiles, and processing orders without developer help
• Automation tools: Built-in automation for processes like inventory syncing across channels, sending order status communications, and approving new customer signups
• Wholesale-specific analytics: Dashboards and reports that provide deep insights into B2B performance, including sales by company, top wholesale products, and sales rep commissions

Use this scale to gauge how a platform will impact your team’s daily workflow.

• 1 = Basic: Requires manual order entry and edits, offering little to no automation and increasing staff workload.
• 3 = Flexible: Includes basic workflow automation (like order confirmations) and allows for scheduled, standard reporting.
• 5 = Enterprise-Grade: Features advanced, event-based workflows, customizable role-based dashboards, and deep B2B analytics.

Cost structure analysis

The sticker price of a platform is only the beginning. To know the true financial impact, look at the following cost structures too:

• Total cost of ownership (TCO): Consider transaction fees, payment processing rates, and ongoing maintenance on top of the monthly license.
• Implementation investment: Factor in the initial setup and data migration costs. Ask for typical implementation hours and a clear project timeline to launch.
• Potential hidden costs: Investigate any additional fees that might not be obvious, such as charges for exceeding API limits, storage, or costs for essential third-party apps.
• Return on Investment (ROI): Project the platform's financial impact. Request case studies or benchmarks to help estimate the payback period based on expected revenue lift and efficiency gains.

You can even use a scoring rubric for cost structure analysis:

• 1 = High and variable: A model with significant setup fees plus a percentage of your GMV, making costs unpredictable as you grow.
• 3 = Mid-tier: A standard license fee combined with low, predictable per-order transaction costs.
• 5 = Predictable and scalable: A transparent license fee with minimal or no transaction costs.

💡Did you know? According to an independent study, Shopify’s Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is up to 36% lower than major competitors due to significantly better platform efficiency, implementation, and operating costs.

Putting wholesale ecommerce together

If you’re going to sell wholesale today, you need an online platform that delivers an excellent user experience and delights potential customers.

B2B Ecommerce by Shopify offers first-party B2B features built directly into the admin. Choose between a blended B2B and DTC store, or a dedicated B2B-only store, and set price lists, payment methods, currency, and more for each B2B customer you sell to. You can also use Shopify’s customizable features, like themes, discounts, and API access, to enhance your store.