This guide answers a specific, narrower question than a general B2B platform decision: you already run a working direct-to-consumer store, and you want to add a wholesale or bulk channel alongside it, not replace your consumer business with a pure B2B operation.
That distinction changes which platforms make sense, since the priority here is adding a channel without disrupting or duplicating what already works.
This guide ranks 5 platforms specifically for that scenario, distinct from a pure B2B guide covering manufacturers and distributors selling exclusively to other businesses.
In this guide, you’ll learn the real tradeoff between marketplace discovery and owning your wholesale relationships, which platforms let you add wholesale without rebuilding your existing consumer store, and what dedicated wholesale sales-enablement tools solve that a general platform doesn’t.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Faire connects your brand to retailers actively searching for wholesale partners, similar to Etsy’s discovery advantage for handmade sellers, at the cost of a 15% commission plus a $10 one-time fee on new customer orders.
- Shopify’s wholesale channel adds B2B ordering directly onto your existing consumer store admin, letting you manage both channels from one system rather than running two separate platforms.
- BigCommerce’s multi-storefront capability lets you run a distinct wholesale storefront alongside your consumer store from a single backend, useful once wholesale grows complex enough to need its own presentation.
- WooCommerce’s Wholesale Suite plugin adds custom pricing tiers and volume discounts to an existing WordPress store at a relatively low cost, though with real setup and customization work.
- Dedicated wholesale sales-enablement platforms like Brandscope exist specifically for brands managing seasonal pre-books, retailer relationships, and sales rep collaboration, a layer general ecommerce platforms don’t fully replace.
Quick Comparison
| Platform | Starting Price | Wholesale Model | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faire | Free to join, 15% commission + $10 per new customer order | Marketplace discovery | Finding new retail buyers without an existing wholesale network |
| Shopify | $25/month (annual: $23/month) + Plus for full B2B tools | Native wholesale channel alongside DTC | Brands wanting one admin for both consumer and wholesale sales |
| BigCommerce | $39/month, multi-storefront on higher tiers | Distinct wholesale storefront, shared backend | Brands needing a separate wholesale presentation at scale |
| WooCommerce + Wholesale Suite | Free plugin + hosting + Wholesale Suite | Plugin-based pricing tiers and volume discounts | Existing WordPress stores adding wholesale on a budget |
| Brandscope | Custom pricing | Dedicated wholesale sales enablement | Brands managing seasonal pre-books and active sales rep relationships |
The Real Decision Factors for Adding Wholesale
A pure B2B platform decision starts from zero: build a system for businesses buying from businesses. Adding wholesale to an existing DTC brand starts from a different place: you already have a working store, a brand identity, and possibly an existing customer base, and the real question is how to layer a bulk buying relationship onto that without duplicating work or fragmenting your operations.
The first real filter is whether you need retailer discovery or already have wholesale relationships to formalize. A brand with no existing wholesale network benefits from Faire’s marketplace exposure to retailers actively searching for new brands, similar to how Etsy helps a handmade seller find buyers.
A brand that already has retailer relationships from trade shows or referrals benefits more from adding wholesale ordering directly to its existing store, avoiding a marketplace commission on relationships it already built itself.
We evaluated each platform on how well it adds a wholesale channel without requiring a full rebuild of an existing consumer store, marketplace discovery versus owned-relationship tradeoffs, and total cost including commission or plugin fees, cross-referenced against the best platform for B2B guide for the pure B2B scenario this guide is distinct from.
Faire: Best for Finding New Retail Buyers Without an Existing Network
Faire connects your brand directly to retailers actively browsing for new wholesale partners, which removes the hardest problem for a DTC brand with no existing wholesale relationships: how to get discovered by buyers you don’t already know.
The tradeoff is a real commission, 15% plus a $10 one-time fee on new customer orders, a cost that only makes sense while the discovery value outweighs what you’d pay to build those relationships yourself.
Key Features
Built-in retailer discovery: Buyers already searching for new brands find you, unlike cold outreach to build a wholesale customer base from zero.
Net terms and insurance included: Faire covers payment risk on qualifying orders, reducing your exposure to non-paying wholesale accounts.
Low upfront cost: No monthly subscription fee, only commission on orders actually placed through the marketplace.
Storefront customization: Present your brand and catalog distinctly within the marketplace format.
Pros
- Genuine retailer discovery without needing an existing wholesale network or sales team to generate leads.
- Net terms and order insurance reduce payment risk on new wholesale relationships you haven’t vetted yourself.
Cons
- The 15% commission plus $10 per new customer order is a real, ongoing cost that compounds as wholesale volume grows through the marketplace.
- Faire, not you, partly owns the retailer relationship and discovery channel, similar to the tradeoff between Etsy and an owned handmade store.
Who It’s Best For
DTC brands with no existing wholesale network wanting retailer discovery without building a sales team from scratch.
Pricing
Free to join. 15% commission plus a one-time $10 fee on new customer orders; repeat orders from the same retailer carry a lower rate.
Shopify: Best for One Admin Managing Both Consumer and Wholesale Sales
For a DTC brand already running Shopify, adding a wholesale channel keeps both consumer and wholesale sales in the same admin, with shared inventory and product data rather than running two disconnected systems.
Shopify Plus adds deeper native B2B tools, company profiles, customer-specific pricing, NET terms, for brands whose wholesale channel is growing into a meaningful part of the business.
Our Shopify vs Shopify Plus comparison covers whether that upgrade is worth it at your current wholesale volume.
Key Features
Native wholesale channel: Add B2B ordering directly to an existing Shopify store without migrating to a separate platform.
Shared inventory and catalog: Wholesale and consumer sales draw from the same product data, avoiding manual duplication or sync errors.
Customer-specific pricing (Plus): Wholesale accounts see negotiated pricing automatically, without a separate price list to manage manually.
NET payment terms (Plus): Approved wholesale accounts can check out on NET 30 or similar terms rather than immediate payment.
Existing app ecosystem: Wholesale-specific apps extend functionality without requiring a platform migration.
Pros
- Keeps wholesale and consumer sales in one system, avoiding the operational overhead of running two separate platforms for one brand.
- Deeper B2B tools are available natively at the Plus tier as wholesale grows, without a disruptive migration to a different platform.
Cons
- Full B2B functionality, quote management, complex approval workflows, requires the Shopify Plus tier, a real cost step up from the base plan.
- Wholesale-specific customization still often requires apps to fill gaps that dedicated wholesale platforms handle natively.
Who It’s Best For
DTC brands already on Shopify wanting to add wholesale without running a separate platform, especially those planning to grow wholesale into a meaningful revenue channel over time.
Pricing
Basic plan is $25/month billed monthly. Shopify Plus (for deeper B2B tools) starts at $2,300/month (negotiated).
BigCommerce: Best for a Distinct Wholesale Storefront at Scale
BigCommerce’s multi-storefront capability lets a brand run a visually and functionally distinct wholesale storefront alongside its consumer store from a single backend, useful once wholesale buyers need a meaningfully different browsing and ordering experience than retail customers get.
See our full BigCommerce review for more on its native capabilities.
Key Features
Multi-storefront from one backend: Run separate consumer and wholesale storefronts with shared inventory and a single ERP connection.
Native B2B Edition: Company accounts, quote management, and NET terms available without third-party apps filling core gaps.
Zero transaction fees: A direct margin advantage as wholesale order volume and average order size grow.
Headless and MACH-compatible architecture: Supports custom wholesale ordering experiences for brands with development resources.
Pros
- A genuinely distinct wholesale storefront experience is possible without duplicating backend infrastructure or ERP connections.
- Native B2B Edition features reduce the third-party app dependency that a base Shopify wholesale setup often requires.
Cons
- The B2B Edition and multi-storefront capability are typically priced above BigCommerce’s base plans, a real cost step to budget for.
- Less proven track record specifically in high-complexity wholesale scenarios compared to dedicated B2B-first platforms.
Who It’s Best For
Brands whose wholesale channel has grown complex enough to need a distinct storefront experience, without wanting to fully replatform to an enterprise B2B system.
Pricing
Standard plan starts at $39/month; B2B Edition and multi-storefront capability are priced separately based on requirements.
WooCommerce + Wholesale Suite: Best for Adding Wholesale on a Budget
For a DTC brand already running WooCommerce, the Wholesale Suite plugin adds custom pricing tiers, volume discounts, and a separate wholesale registration and login flow without requiring a platform migration. It’s a genuinely lower-cost way to test a wholesale channel before committing to a more expensive dedicated solution.
Key Features
Tiered wholesale pricing: Set volume-based discounts and customer-group-specific pricing directly within an existing WooCommerce store.
Separate wholesale registration: A distinct signup and approval flow for wholesale accounts, keeping retail and wholesale customers appropriately separated.
No platform transaction fees: Only standard payment gateway fees apply, preserving more margin on wholesale orders.
Works within existing WordPress site: No migration or rebuild required for a brand already running WooCommerce.
Pricing
Core WooCommerce plugin is free. Wholesale Suite pricing varies by plan; realistic total cost including hosting and the plugin runs a few hundred dollars per year on top of existing WooCommerce costs.
Brandscope: Best for Seasonal Pre-Books and Active Sales Rep Relationships
Brandscope is purpose-built specifically for wholesale, not adapted from a general ecommerce platform, which shows in features general platforms don’t fully replicate: seasonal pre-book and refill order management, sales rep collaboration tools, and digital catalog and educational asset distribution to retail partners.
Key Features
Seasonal pre-book management: Native support for forward orders and seasonal catalogs that go live months ahead of shipping, common in fashion and lifestyle wholesale.
Sales rep collaboration tools: Built specifically for brands with an active outside sales team working retailer relationships.
Digital catalog and asset distribution: Centralized management of marketing and educational materials shared with retail partners.
Integration with existing Shopify or ERP systems: Complements rather than replaces an existing consumer store setup.
Pricing
Custom pricing; contact Brandscope directly for a quote based on catalog size and sales team structure.
Wholesale Rollout Mistakes to Avoid
Choosing a Marketplace Before Calculating Its Real Commission Cost
Faire’s 15% commission plus $10 per new order is a real, compounding cost as wholesale volume grows. Calculate whether the discovery value still justifies that cost once you have an established set of repeat wholesale accounts, or whether transitioning some relationships to a direct, owned channel makes more sense at that point.
Adding Wholesale Pricing Without a Separate Account Approval Flow
Mixing retail and wholesale pricing without a proper account gating system risks retail customers discovering and attempting to access wholesale pricing. Confirm your platform or plugin genuinely separates these customer groups, not just the pricing display.
Underestimating the Operational Complexity of Seasonal Wholesale Buying
Wholesale buying often happens in cycles, pre-orders, forward orders, seasonal catalogs live months ahead of shipping, that a standard ecommerce platform treats as an edge case. If your wholesale model is genuinely seasonal, confirm your platform or a dedicated tool like Brandscope actually supports that cycle before committing.
Replatforming Entirely When Adding Wholesale Would Have Sufficed
A DTC brand with a working consumer store doesn’t usually need to abandon that platform just to add wholesale. Shopify’s wholesale channel, BigCommerce’s multi-storefront, or a WooCommerce plugin can add the channel without the cost and disruption of a full platform migration.
How to Choose eCommerce Platform for Wholesale
If you have no existing wholesale network and need retailer discovery, Faire’s marketplace removes the hardest early problem, at a real commission cost.
If you’re already on Shopify and want one admin managing both consumer and wholesale sales, Shopify’s native wholesale channel, with Plus for deeper B2B tools as it grows, avoids running two separate systems.
If your wholesale channel has grown complex enough to need a distinct storefront experience, BigCommerce’s multi-storefront capability supports that without a full replatform.
If you’re already on WooCommerce and want to test wholesale on a budget, the Wholesale Suite plugin adds core functionality without migrating platforms.
If your wholesale model involves seasonal pre-books and an active outside sales team, a dedicated tool like Brandscope handles workflows general platforms treat as edge cases.
FAQ’s
Should I use Faire or add wholesale directly to my Shopify store?
It depends on whether you already have wholesale relationships. Faire is stronger for discovering new retail buyers you don’t already know.
Adding wholesale directly to Shopify is stronger once you have existing relationships you want to formalize without paying an ongoing marketplace commission on them.
How much does Faire really cost compared to running my own wholesale channel?
Faire charges 15% commission plus a $10 one-time fee on new customer orders. Running your own wholesale channel through Shopify or BigCommerce avoids that commission but requires you to generate retailer discovery yourself, whether through trade shows, referrals, or outbound sales effort.
Can I run both a Faire storefront and my own wholesale channel at the same time?
Yes, and many established wholesale brands do exactly this, using Faire for ongoing discovery of new retailers while managing existing, established accounts directly through their own store to avoid the commission on relationships they’ve already built.
What’s the difference between this guide and a best platform for B2B guide?
This guide covers a DTC brand adding a wholesale channel alongside an existing consumer store. A pure B2B guide covers manufacturers and distributors selling exclusively to other businesses with no consumer storefront at all, a meaningfully different starting point and platform calculation.
Do I need a dedicated wholesale platform like Brandscope, or can Shopify handle it?
It depends on your wholesale model’s complexity. Shopify’s wholesale channel handles straightforward B2B ordering well.
A dedicated tool like Brandscope becomes worth it once your wholesale business involves seasonal pre-books, an active sales rep team, or retailer relationship management that a general ecommerce platform doesn’t fully support.
How do I keep retail customers from seeing wholesale pricing?
Both Shopify’s wholesale channel and WooCommerce’s Wholesale Suite plugin include account-gating features that show wholesale pricing only to approved, logged-in wholesale accounts, keeping retail and wholesale pricing properly separated.
Final Thoughts
For a DTC brand adding a wholesale channel, the decision comes down to whether you need retailer discovery or already have relationships to formalize, and whether your existing platform can absorb the wholesale channel without a disruptive rebuild.
Faire solves the discovery problem at a real commission cost, while Shopify and BigCommerce let an existing brand add wholesale without abandoning its consumer store, and dedicated tools like Brandscope serve genuinely complex, seasonal wholesale operations.
If you’re deciding whether your wholesale needs have actually grown into a pure B2B operation, or want to understand the full platform landscape, the best platform for B2B guide and the BigCommerce vs Shopify comparison are good next stops.