> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://spreecommerce.org/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# B2B Commerce Model
> Learn about the B2B commerce model and how Spree Commerce supports it.
B2B ecommerce (business-to-business) refers to commercial transactions between companies, rather than between a business and individual consumers. These storefronts serve business accounts — with structured pricing, account management, and ordering workflows designed for professional buyers, not casual shoppers.
Spree supports B2B commerce at multiple levels: core B2B pricing, segmentation, and gated access are available in the free Community Edition; buyer organizations and B2B catalogs are on the open-source roadmap for Spree 6.0; and approval workflows and ERP integrations are available in Spree Enterprise Edition.
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## What is B2B Ecommerce?
B2B platforms typically feature:
* Account-based pricing and customer-specific rates
* Volume pricing and order quantity tiers
* Role-based access and buyer teams
* Bulk ordering and repeat order functionality
* Restricted or gated storefront access
* ERP or procurement integrations
## Why Choose the B2B Ecommerce Model?
* **Streamlined Sales Operations** — Digitizing your B2B sales process reduces manual effort, minimizes errors, and allows for faster order turnaround — especially for high-volume, repeat purchases.
* **24/7 Self-Service for Buyers** — Business buyers increasingly expect ecommerce-like convenience. A B2B storefront lets them browse, check their prices, and place orders on their own schedule.
* **Account-Based Customization** — B2B ecommerce enables personalized pricing, product availability, and tax rules based on account, segment, or market.
* **Scalable Growth** — An ecommerce-driven sales channel can complement or replace traditional sales teams — scaling to more accounts or regions without adding headcount.
* **Integration with Back-Office Systems** — B2B platforms often connect to ERPs, CRMs, and procurement systems to streamline fulfillment, invoicing, and customer management.
## Common B2B Use Cases
* **Wholesale Ordering** — Trade customers log in and see their contracted wholesale prices, with standard retail prices shown to all other visitors.
* **Multi-Tier Distributor Pricing** — Different distributor tiers or named accounts each have independent price lists with their own negotiated rates.
* **Regional Wholesale Expansion** — A single storefront serves wholesale buyers in multiple markets, each seeing wholesale prices in their local currency.
* **B2B2C Hybrid Stores** — Retail and trade customers shop side-by-side on one storefront, with pricing automatically applied based on account type.
* **Trade-Only Portals** — Gated storefronts where unapproved visitors cannot see products or prices until their account has been verified.
* **Buyer Organizations** — Multiple users (buyers, managers, finance) operate under one company account with shared order history. *(Coming in Spree 6.0)*
## How Spree Supports B2B Commerce
### Community Edition
With [Price Lists](https://spreecommerce.org/docs/user/manage-products/price-lists), [Customer Groups](https://spreecommerce.org/docs/user/customers/customer-groups), [Markets](https://spreecommerce.org/docs/user/settings/markets), and gated storefronts, you can configure working B2B scenarios directly in the Spree admin — no development required:
* Offer wholesale pricing to registered trade accounts while retail visitors see standard prices
* Create independent price lists for different wholesalers or distributor tiers
* Combine Customer Group and Market rules to deliver region-specific wholesale pricing in the correct currency
* Gate your storefront so only approved, logged-in buyers can browse products and prices
* Run combined B2C and B2B from a single storefront, with no separate portal or login system needed
### Coming in Spree 6.0
The open-source roadmap includes buyer organizations (company accounts with locations and contacts) and B2B catalogs (curated per-segment product assortments).
### Enterprise Edition
For complex procurement requirements, Spree Enterprise Edition adds role-based order approval workflows and pre-built ERP and procurement system integrations.
## Challenges in B2B Ecommerce
* **Custom Pricing Logic** — B2B pricing often includes tiers, discounts, and customer-specific contracts. Spree's Price Lists engine handles this natively in the admin, no development required.
* **Multi-Region Complexity** — Serving wholesale buyers across multiple markets, currencies, and tax regimes requires flexible pricing infrastructure. Spree's Markets and Price List rules handle this without custom code.
* **Gated Access** — Restricting catalog and pricing visibility to approved accounts is a standard requirement for trade portals. This is supported out of the box in Community Edition.
* **Role-Based Buyer Structures** — Supporting multi-user organizations with shared accounts is coming in Spree 6.0 for open-source.
* **ERP & Fulfillment Integration** — Role-based approval chains and pre-built ERP connectors are available in Enterprise Edition.
Schedule a demo to explore the platform and get your questions answered
See Enterprise pricing for your use case
## Further Reading
* [B2B Capabilities](https://spreecommerce.org/docs/use-case/b2b/b2b-capabilities)
* [B2B Admin Capabilities](https://spreecommerce.org/docs/use-case/b2b/b2b-admin-capabilities)
* [B2B Buyer Experience](https://spreecommerce.org/docs/use-case/b2b/b2b-buyer-capabilities)