How to make an existing Shopify customer a wholesale customer
To give an existing Shopify customer wholesale access in Process Wholesale, open Customers, select Import customers, choose the customers and select Import selected. Imported customers land on the Pending tab tagged B2B_Registeration, and they become wholesale customers (B2B customers) only when you select Accept B2B. Import works on every plan and sends no email by itself.
At a glance
- Plan: All plans
- Where: Process Wholesale > Customers > Import customers
- Applies to: Shopify customers that have neither
B2BnorB2B_Registeration - Result: The customer is tagged
B2B_Registerationand appears on the Pending tab - Next step: Accept B2B, which sends the approval email and adds auto-assigned discounts
Steps to import existing customers#
- In Shopify admin, open the Process Wholesale app and select Customers.
- Select Import customers. The Import customers window says "Select existing customers to add to your B2B program. Only customers without B2B tags are shown."
- Find customers with Search by name or email.... The list shows Customer and Email ("No email" when the customer has none), 10 customers per page.
- Select the checkbox next to each customer you want.
- Select Import selected. The toast reads "Customers imported".
- Select Refresh and open the Pending tab. The imported customers are listed there.
- Approve them: select the pencil button and Accept B2B, or select several and use Accept B2B in the bulk action bar. See approving applications.
If no customers are listed in the import window, the message reads "All customers already have B2B access or try changing your search."
What import does and does not do#
| Import customers | Accept B2B afterwards | |
|---|---|---|
| Tag added | B2B_Registeration |
B2B (replaces B2B_Registeration) |
| Email to the customer | None | "Application approved", if on |
| Auto-assigned discount tags | None | Added |
| Tax exemption | Unchanged | Set to the B2B customer tax exemption setting |
| Wholesale prices at checkout | No | Yes, for the customer's discount tags |
Example. You import three long-standing trade buyers. They appear on Pending with the tag B2B_Registeration and get no email. You select all three and Accept B2B. Each one is tagged B2B, receives the approval email and gets the discount tags selected under Auto assign discount tags.
Alternative: add the B2B tag in Shopify admin#
You can also open the customer in Shopify admin and add the tag B2B yourself. That makes the customer a wholesale customer at checkout and in the storefront, and they appear on the Active tab. It does not:
- send the "Application approved" email,
- add the discount tags from Auto assign discount tags, or
- apply the B2B customer tax exemption setting.
Assign discounts afterwards with Manage discount tags on the Active tab or Bulk assign discount. See assigning discounts.
What your customers see#
Nothing changes for the customer while they are pending after an import, and they receive no email. Once you accept them, they receive "Application approved" (if on) and see wholesale prices the next time they log in with their usual account.
Limits and things to know#
- Imported customers always start in Pending. Import never makes a customer a wholesale customer directly.
- Import shows success for the whole request. "Customers imported" does not confirm each customer. If someone is missing from the Pending tab after Refresh, import them again.
- Only customers without wholesale tags are shown. Customers who already have
B2BorB2B_Registerationdo not appear in the import window. - Existing customers can also apply themselves. A customer who logs in to their account and submits your wholesale signup form is added to Pending. A logged-out shopper who uses an email that already has an account in new customer accounts is asked to log in first.
Troubleshooting#
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The customer is not in the import window | The customer already has B2B or B2B_Registeration |
Look on the Pending or Active tab instead. |
| Imported customers are not on the Pending tab | The list was not reloaded, or Shopify did not accept the tag | Select Refresh. If still missing, import them again. |
| The customer got no email after import | Import sends no email | Accept the customer; the approval email is sent then if it is on. |
| A hand-tagged customer has no discount | Hand tagging skips auto-assigned discounts | Use Manage discount tags on the Active tab. |
Frequently asked questions#
How do I make an existing Shopify customer a wholesale customer?#
Import them with Customers > Import customers, then select Accept B2B on the Pending tab. Accepting adds the B2B tag, auto-assigned discounts and the approval email.
Why are imported customers in Pending instead of Active?#
Process Wholesale treats an import as an application. Every customer needs your approval with Accept B2B before they get wholesale access.
Does importing customers send them an email?#
No. Import sends nothing. The "Application approved" email is sent when you accept the customer, if that email is on.
Can I add the B2B tag in Shopify admin instead of importing?#
Yes. The customer becomes a wholesale customer at once, but no email is sent, no auto-assigned discounts are added and the tax exemption setting is not applied.