Top 10 best Shopify apps for B2B ecommerce: Essential B2B apps in 2019

E-Commerce has evolved as one of the major revenue-generation models in recent times. Online trials, price comparison and above all, zero physical efforts for purchasing the same product; e-commerce was an instant hit among the consumers and thus the owners.

The inclusion of B2B model in the e-Commerce business has particularly helped to boost the services, further adding a sense of perfection to the entire workflow.

And, why not?

Manufacturers understand that while the best of their individual efforts towards a direct B2C relationship, can get them a handful of on and off customers; B2B as a medium can channelize a more outspread revenue stream.

Major e-Commerce platforms prominently Shopify and Magento helped the business owners propelling their leads. They were quick to realize the potential and readiness of the merchants to be using e-Commerce as a major tool for their B2B sales.

As per Statista, 84 percent of distributors and 79 percent of manufacturers favored e-commerce and are keen to invest more on e-commerce in 2019.

Most of the B2B firms constrained their scope to offline models only. Lack of coding knowledge being the prime reason for staying conventional. The prevailing tools were highly code-dependent.

The time has changed now. With Artificially Intelligent tools taking the lead, E-Commerce platforms like Shopify make it easier for the users to set up stores with predefined blocks and customizable functions.

How does Shopify ease the mammoth task?

Shopify is the home for several apps that are specifically designed to fulfill the wholesale needs. The merchants can witness simplified sales channel that offers a self-service, B2B e-Commerce experience.

As a site owner, you can enlist B2B specific products, utilize your existing assets and customize prices only for your high volume buyers, with a few clicks. The Shopify apps make your job that easy.

With the Shopify apps, your B2B e-Commerce website empowers you to:
→ Quick purchase, track and reorder
→ Set Minimum and maximum price
→ Create custom-price lists and volume-based discounts
→ Streamline the inventory, orders and the customers automatically with the third party apps

As per SEOMelbourne, Shopify has eventually grown into the largest e-commerce platform in the world in last 3 years.

Your online store needs to compliment your B2B business model. With that in mind, our Shopify development company accumulate the essential features your store deserves.

Following are the top ten Shopify B2B apps that fulfill your ecommerce needs to the best. Apart from setting up the desired platform, the apps also assist in building a Shopify B2B theme on your store:

1. Smart Search & Instant Search [Highly optimized internal Searching]

The internal search engine is unarguably the most engaging part in an e-Commerce website. It turns more discerning when you are responsible for managing a plethora of similar yet different products.

We can relate that as many people rely on Google than Bing for their searches in regards to almost everything. Similarly, you need to acquire an efficient internal search Engine that can reduce the efforts of your buyer, thus having them retained for years.

Shopify keeps updating itself with the trends. Smart Search & Instant Search is one such example among Shopify B2B apps. You type a “Sh”, and it indexes the Shirts, the Shoes and everything that needs to be there.

The Shopify search app is trusted by e-Commerce behemoths like Durex, Phillips, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Mediamarkt, National Geographic, and Sennheiser.

Features:

→ Quick Searching
→ Quick indexation
→ Smart recommendation- for upsell and cross-sell
→ Offers flexible Customization through CSS and HTML
→ Reminds the Buyer of his recent searches, thus saving efforts and enhancing the customer experience.

The best part about this Searchanise app is its integration with other handy apps. You can integrate the Currency Converters, Storefront apps, Wishlisting and the leading Product reviewers to the Search Index. Isn’t that something we are looking for- keeping the things more sorted and streamlined.

As of July 2021, the app has been installed on thousands of stores. The app has received more than 1130 reviews by Shopify store owners, averaging 4.7 stars out of 5.

Price: It is available both Free and Paid. The Paid version ranges from $6.3/month to $37.8/month.*

2. Oberlo [for Drop-shipping businesses]

Drop-shipping model is one of the most popular B2B models. While the rest of the models mandate the presence of a warehouse or shipping unit or maybe both; with Drop-shipping, you are entirely cutting the charges involved in shipping and managing a dock.
In the Drop-shipping business, you will only need the right negotiation skills to deal with the manufacturer and the buyer. Play as an intermediate, focus on generating the right leads, and there you earn.
However, Managing things in real life are easier said on paper than in real life. Not every product that you own has to be essentially sold. The market trends keep changing with time. You need to find the right product, that can generate money during and after the sales season.

Oberlo comes up as a rescue here. The Shopify drop-shipping app categorizes the products that are particularly in high demand during the sales seasons. It helps you judge the right product that can boost your earnings.

With this B2B e-commerce Shopify App, you can find products manually, as well as by various filters. The custom data field can help you calculate your overall profit during the process.

Features:

→ Easily Find Products to Sell
→ Connect with Suppliers across the world
→ Offers the variants
→ Customized searching
→ One-click Order Shipping
→ Product page customization
→ Automate pricing rules
→ Helps tracking order
→ Sales-tracking
→ Switch between suppliers offering different prices

As a giant in its niche, Oberlo app has been downloaded by thousands of Shopify store. By July 2021, the app has received 2400+ reviews averaging 4.3 stars out of 5. 

Price: It is available both Free and Paid. The Basic plan costs $29.90/month while the Pro plan bills $79.90/month.*

3.

3. QuickBooks Commerce [Analytics, Order Inventory and Customer Management]

Previously known as the Tradegecko Ecommerce platform, Quickbooks is a one-stop solution to all ecommerce needs. The app unites multiple functionalities like Order Management, Inventory Management, and B2B ecommerce platforms under one roof. You can customize the rates for specific buyers and manage the contacts with them altogether.

Features:

→ Manage products in the Inventory
→ Add and manage customer details
→ Keep track of your orders, shipments, and returns
→ Adjust, transfer and keep track of your Stocktakes

The best part about Quickbooks Commerce is- data analysis. Business is all about data; how about a tool that not only tracks your previous data but also predicts your future graphs? Along with the record of your sales, orders, and reports; the intelligently powered Analytics predict the future market demand and your readiness towards it.

Price: Starts from $39 and goes up to $699 .*

With a highly automated app helping you manage the products and the customers, you can even look forward to cross border e-Commerce.

4. Frequently bought together: [for Upsell, Cross-sell and bundling]

There is a reason why every offline retail shop place chocolates near the counter. The customers won’t exit empty-handed, even if they fail to find the desired item. So does our next Shopify Application.

Frequently Bought Together recommends products relevant to the searched item, if not exact; technically called “Cross-selling”.

Meanwhile, it also encourages the buyer to order the desired items in larger quantities, in return for lower rates. We know it by the term “Upselling”. The app also helps you with “bundling” that lets your buyer purchase the correct item plus, the cross products at cheaper rates.

In every form, the app makes sure by the time the buyers exit, they end up paying you happily.

With nearly 1800 reviews averaging 4.9 stars out of 5, it is a must have app for Shopify stores. 

Price: It costs $9.99/ month. Recurring charges, including monthly or usage-based charges, are billed every 30 days.*

The app is free for new stores that are built within three months of app download.

5. Bold Custom Pricing: [Wholesale, categorization, Email Marketing]

B2B Suppliers have perfected this art called Custom Pricing. An old buyer and a new buyer have one essential difference- market acquisition or exposure.
Custom pricing plays a significant role here. You can set a lower price for your old buyers and thus offering a better profit margin and retention for ages.
With Bold Custom Pricing, the buyers can log in and can avail themselves with the same products at far cheaper rates.

Features:

→ Manage wholesale pricing
→ Create bulk discounts per individual product variant
→ Integrates with ERP’s and 3rd party applications
→ Create rules for tagging customers under various segments
→ Auto-tag customers based on the country and the products

The best part about Bold Custom Pricing is Email Marketing. As per Forbes, it is imperative to engage your customers through your services, in the current times. With this Shopify B2B App, the buyers are regularly updated with schemes and offers, as per the tag they own.

The app is highly popular with thousands of active downloads and 950+ reviews averaging 4.3 stars out of 5.

Price: The Basic version costs $39.99/month while the premium version costs $59.99/month.*

6. Charge me later: [Order now, pay later for wholesaler]

A Seller-Buyer relation is inevitable in a B2B eCommerce process. The trust and the payment go hand-in-hand. If you are new to the process, prepare yourself for a position where your old buyer might lend your products for a post-sell payment.
Charge me Later helps you at this. The Shopify Wholesale app takes help of the secured “Draft order” system and lets your buyers order the products without payment. Under the Net30 or Net60 system, you can generate an invoice, weeks or months after the order date. The transaction is done through Shopify. You can click the checkmark when the payment is received.

With Net30 system, your buyers are eligible to allow themselves a discount of up to 2%, if paid within the first ten days (Weekends inclusive). Being offered a discount, you can expect a recurring business with the other party.

Price: The Basic version costs $8/Month and the Plus version costs $19.99/month.*

7. AfterShip Returns Center : [For easy return]

Top e-Commerce websites like Amazon and Flipkart are preferred over the lesser known websites for several reasons. Easy return is one of them. As per Invescpro, more than 30% of the ordered online are returned for innumerable reasons. In fact, a majority of the customers prioritize the return policies of the e-Commerce websites over the rest.

The E-Commerce business models, especially the B2B is complex due to the involvement of multiple levels in the process. An easier return-model with lower return charges can encourage your buyers for recurring business from time to time.

AfterShip Returns Center application in the Shopify App Store can help you at this. The application offers fixed free returns per month. Charges as low as $0.5 is applied on every return, once the maximum quota is breached.

Features:

→ Easy return and exchange
→ low return costs
→ Customizable branded returns center
→ Manage all returns and RMA requests
→ Track the returns
→ Set up eligibility rules to prevent your customers from returning any old order or product in some categories.
→ Automatically select a return method and set shipping rates based on the region and reason of returns

Price: The Starter Pack is free to install. The paid versions range from $9.99/month to $99.99/month.*

8. SEO Manager: [For good ranking]

What is the purpose of having an online store if it is not showing up in your search page? With the growing competition across the globe, it is difficult to stay on the first page of the search. While this is something that can’t be automated, there are specific tools that can assist you in achieving better search ranks.
SEO Manager is specifically designed to boost your store rankings. It takes a quick look at the key ranking factors your site lacks in, and comes up with the desired solutions.

Features:

→ Keyword suggestions
→ Edit titles and description
→ Google result simulator
→ Google sitemap, Console and trends
→ SEO issues scan suggestions
→ Image ALT text issues scan
→ Index/No Index
→ Advanced meta settings
→ Google page speed integration
→ Google mobile-friendly test
→ Product “unavailable after” meta
→ Managing “out of stock” and 404 error
→ Sitemap management
→ Google knowledge graph support
→ JSON-LD Data Support
→ Local business structured data

That covers every aspect of Search Engine Optimization that your B2B e-Commerce business deserves.

As of July 2021, the app actively serves thousands of Shopify stores wit more than 1700+ user reviews. 

Price: The price is fixed: $20/month.*

9. Request a Quote: [Retailers can request from the B2B Site owner]

The B2B channel is never unidirectional. While the apps mentioned above can offer you the right exposure to new buyers, there are few applications in Shopify store through which the customers can reach out to you directly.
Request a Quote adds a customized button for your website. They can add the products they are interested in to the wishlist, and when they click the button, their list is sent to the Site owner along with the customer details. The customer can ask for special discounts based on the quantity of the order.
The site owner can offer special rates which leads to better understanding and sales.

Features:

→ Customers can add products to the wishlist
→ Better chances of Stock-clearing
→ Assured sales
→ Ideal for B2B business model

Price: The price ranges from $9.99/month to $19.99/month.*

10. Marketplace Integration tool

The B2B business model entirely depends upon the sales and thus the commission sharing. As a Supplier, you can’t just keep accumulating items to your dock, you have to clear your stocks as well. The bulkier is the sales, better is your earning.
An open marketplace can provide better exposure to your products. Not only they offer a good variety of products, but they can also help to sell your products in bulk.
There are few Marketplace integration tools in Shopify that can connect you with the giant retailers and thus helping achieve your targets faster. Walmart Marketplace Integration and Codisto LINQ are two such Shopify applications. While the former connects you to Walmart, the latter helps you selling on Amazon and eBay.

Price: The Walmart integration app bills $60 monthly and $360 annually. The Codisto app price ranges from $29/month to $249/month.*

Final words on the best B2B Shopify Apps

Managing the functions manually might prove as a cheaper option. However, with customized automated apps you are offered a better coverage with lesser efforts. Above all, they save us a lot of quality time for better productivity. The cost involved can be easily covered by the accelerated outcome your site generates in a few days.

The highly automated apps discussed above have solved the chief puzzles for our B2B e-Commerce clients. At The Brihaspati Infotech, we have helped our clients with the much-needed apps and the desired customization at every step.

Our understanding of the Buyers’ persona and the ways to nurture the right Shopify apps has helped them generate more leads. Hiring a Shopify Developer from The Brihaspati Infotech has a major advantage; we offer the desired back-end support to keep all the apps in the right synchronization. We keep in mind the latest trends and the basic human psychology at every step that promotes conversion in the most natural way.

* Prices are subject to be changed. Refer to the plugin site for the latest prices. The Brihaspati Infotech doesn’t endorse any of these third-party apps.