Build Your Wholesale Infrastructure on Shopify - Free Tutorial

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Enabling Accounts for Customers
3. Making Products Exclusive to Wholesalers
4. Creating a Wholesale Snippet
5. Adding Wholesale Templates
6. Publishing the Theme
7. Approving Wholesale Customers
8. Customizing the Wholesale Menu
9. Modifying the Desktop Navigation
10. Creating a Wholesale Menu

Building Your Wholesale Infrastructure Without an App

In this video, we will guide you through the process of building your entire wholesale infrastructure on Shopify without the need for an app. By the end of this tutorial, your wholesale customers will be able to access exclusive products and see a unique navigation bar that regular customers cannot. We will walk you through each step and ensure that you have complete control over who qualifies as a wholesaler and who does not. So let's get started!

1. Introduction

To begin, we need to make sure that customer accounts are enabled on your online store. This will allow customers to create accounts, which is essential for the wholesale functionality we are about to set up. To enable accounts, go to "Settings" and click on "Checkouts." Here, choose whether accounts are optional or required, depending on your business model.

2. Enabling Accounts for Customers

Once accounts are enabled, let's take a look at how your store currently appears to customers. As an example, we will use the zip jacket product. Currently, any visitor, regardless of whether they are logged in or not, can view and purchase this product. But we want to make the zip jacket exclusive to wholesalers.

3. Making Products Exclusive to Wholesalers

To make the zip jacket available only to wholesalers, we need to make some adjustments to the code. Don't worry; we will provide you with the necessary code to copy and paste. First, duplicate your live theme to ensure that you have a backup in case anything goes wrong during the coding process.

4. Creating a Wholesale Snippet

In this step, we will create a snippet called "wholesale" which will contain the code that controls what wholesalers see when they access exclusive products. Follow the instructions provided, and make sure to save the snippet once you have pasted the code.

5. Adding Wholesale Templates

Next, we will add three new templates: page, product, and collection templates. These templates will allow you to assign the wholesale functionality to specific pages, products, or collections. By doing so, only wholesalers will be able to access these designated areas.

6. Publishing the Theme

Now it's time to make your changes live. Once you have saved all the modifications, click on "Actions" and then select "Publish" to apply the changes to your live store. Be cautious while doing this, as any mistakes or bugs will be visible to visitors.

7. Approving Wholesale Customers

After publishing the theme, you can start approving wholesale customers. When a new customer creates an account, manually add the "wholesale" tag to their account in the Customers section. This will grant them access to exclusive products and pricing.

8. Customizing the Wholesale Menu

Once your wholesalers are approved, you can create a separate menu specifically for them. This menu will contain items that are relevant to wholesalers and not visible to regular customers. Follow the instructions provided to add the wholesale menu and customize its content.

9. Modifying the Desktop Navigation

To ensure a seamless experience, we need to modify the desktop navigation for wholesalers. By editing specific sections of the code, we can replace the default navigation with a custom menu tailored to wholesalers. Follow the instructions carefully and save the changes.

10. Creating a Wholesale Menu

Lastly, let's create the actual wholesale menu. In the Navigation section, add a new menu named "Main Menu - Wholesale." This menu will contain the specific products and categories accessible to wholesalers only. Build the menu according to your wholesalers' needs.

Congratulations! You have successfully built your wholesale infrastructure without the need for an app. Now, only approved wholesalers will have access to exclusive products, custom pricing, and a tailored shopping experience. Keep in mind that this process requires some coding knowledge, but the benefits of having complete control over your wholesale operations justify the effort.

Pros:

• No need to rely on third-party apps for wholesale functionality
• Complete control over who qualifies as a wholesaler
• More cost-effective as apps may come with subscription fees

Cons:

• Requires basic coding knowledge and familiarity with Shopify's platform
• Manual approval process for wholesale customers
• Customizations may require continuous maintenance and updates

Highlights:

• Build your entire wholesale infrastructure on Shopify without the need for an app.
• Control who qualifies as a wholesaler and customize their shopping experience.
• Ensure exclusive access for wholesalers to specific products and pricing.
• Tailor the navigation and menu specifically for wholesalers.
• Enjoy a cost-effective solution with complete control over your wholesale operations.

FAQ

Q: Can I use this method to offer exclusive pricing to wholesale customers? A: Yes, by assigning wholesale customers a special tag, you can provide them with exclusive pricing for specific products.

Q: Can I customize the messages wholesalers see when accessing exclusive products? A: Yes, you can modify the messages by editing the wholesale snippet and updating the text to match your brand's messaging.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of wholesalers I can approve? A: No, you can manually approve as many wholesalers as you want by adding the wholesale tag to their customer accounts.

Q: What if I want to modify the wholesale functionality further in the future? A: You can always refer back to this tutorial or seek assistance from a Shopify expert to make any additional modifications to your wholesale infrastructure.

Q: Can I combine this method with wholesale apps for additional features? A: Yes, you can use apps to enhance your wholesale operations further while still utilizing the infrastructure you built following this tutorial.

Please note: Detailed coding instructions and additional resources can be found in the link provided.