Global B2B Commerce: Customize Checkout for Different Manufacturing Markets
Selling to wholesale buyers across different countries means adapting your checkout to local payment expectations, tax documentation requirements, and compliance regulations. A German distributor expects different payment terms than a Brazilian importer, and each has different tax documentation needs.
Shopify provides several layers you can combine to create country-appropriate checkout experiences for international B2B buyers: company-level payment terms, conditional payment method display, tax ID collection, and compliance field handling.
This guide walks through how manufacturers can configure each layer to serve wholesale customers in different markets.
Setting Country-Appropriate Payment Terms by Company
In Shopify B2B (available on Shopify Plus), you assign payment terms at the company or company location level. This means each wholesale customer sees and checks out with the terms you've negotiated with them.
Configuring Payment Terms
Go to Customers > Companies in your Shopify admin
Open the company record
Under Payment terms, select the appropriate option
Common term structures for international wholesale:
Net 30/60/90: Standard invoice terms where payment is due within the specified days
Due on fulfillment: Payment collected when order ships
Due on receipt: Payment expected immediately upon invoice receipt
Deposit required: Partial payment upfront with balance due later
Location-Level Terms
For companies with multiple locations (different subsidiaries, regional offices, or warehouses), you can set different terms per location. This is useful when:
Different countries have different creditworthiness assessments
Local subsidiaries operate under different payment arrangements
Currency or banking considerations vary by region
Payment Collection Options
Beyond terms, you can configure whether to:
Collect payment at checkout: Customer pays immediately using available payment methods
Collect payment later: Order is placed on terms, and you invoice separately
Controlling Payment Methods by Country and Customer Type
Different markets expect different payment options. German B2B buyers might expect bank transfer (SEPA), while US buyers expect credit cards or ACH. You may also want to show different options to B2B customers than to retail consumers.
Using Payment Customization Functions
Payment Customization Functions let you hide, reorder, or conditionally offer payment methods based on checkout context. You can build logic based on:
Shipping country
Customer tags or B2B status
Order value thresholds
Cart contents
Example scenarios:
Show bank transfer only for orders shipping to Germany, Netherlands, or Austria
Hide "buy now, pay later" options for B2B customers
Require wire transfer for orders over $10,000 to certain regions
Display local payment methods only in their relevant markets
Using Checkout Blocks for B2B/D2C Differentiation
The Checkout Blocks app (free from Shopify) provides a way to contextualize payment methods between B2B and D2C customers without custom development. This is useful for blended stores serving both customer types.
Market-Based Payment Provider Availability
Some payment methods are only available in certain markets based on the payment provider's coverage. Shopify Markets handles some of this automatically (local payment methods appear when relevant). For country-specific logic beyond default provider availability, you can implement conditions within a Payment Customization Function to show or hide methods based on shipping destination.
Collecting Tax Documentation for Wholesale Customers
B2B transactions often require tax ID verification to apply appropriate tax treatment. Shopify lets you store tax documentation on company and location records.
Storing VAT and Tax IDs
Go to Customers > Companies in your Shopify admin
Open the company (or specific location)
Under Taxes, enter the Tax ID
If you're using Shopify Tax and the company or location shipping address is in the UK or EU, the field changes to VAT number and Shopify Tax validates it automatically.
Tax Collection Settings
For each company, you can configure how taxes are handled:
Collect tax: Standard tax collection applies
Don't collect tax: No tax charged (for tax-exempt customers)
If you're selling into regions where you have tax obligations, register your VAT or tax numbers in Shopify:
Go to Settings > Taxes and duties
Add your tax registrations for each relevant jurisdiction
This ensures your invoices and tax documentation include the correct seller tax information for each market.
Tax Exemption Documentation
For wholesale customers claiming tax exemption, maintain documentation of their exemption status. While Shopify stores the tax ID, you may need to keep exemption certificates or other documentation on file for audit purposes.
Handling Country-Required Compliance Fields
Certain countries require additional information at checkout for customs, tax, or regulatory compliance. Shopify can collect these fields automatically for specific destinations.
Countries with Built-in Compliance Fields
Shopify provides native collection for compliance fields in several markets:
When shipping to these destinations, Shopify prompts customers to enter the required information during checkout.
Avoiding Duplicate Field Collection
If you've already customized your checkout to collect these fields (through apps or custom code), enabling Shopify's native collection could cause customers to enter the same information twice.
Before enabling native compliance fields:
Review any existing checkout customizations
Remove duplicate field collection from custom implementations
Decide whether native or custom collection better fits your workflow
When Native Fields Appear
Shopify displays these fields based on the shipping destination selected at checkout. The fields appear automatically when:
The destination country requires the documentation
You haven't disabled the native collection
The shipping method triggers the requirement
Adding Custom Compliance Fields
When Shopify's standard fields don't cover your requirements, Checkout UI Extensions let you add custom fields and logic.
Common Custom Field Scenarios for Manufacturing
Importer of record confirmation: Checkbox confirming the buyer accepts importer responsibilities
End-use declarations: Statements about intended product use for export compliance
Resale certificates: Documentation for tax-exempt resale purchases
Project or PO references: Internal reference numbers required by the buyer's procurement system
Building Country-Conditional Fields
Checkout UI Extensions can read the shipping country and conditionally display content. For example:
Show EORI number field only for EU destinations
Display importer license field only for regulated product categories shipping to specific countries
Require additional declarations for destinations with export control considerations
Implementation Considerations
Shopify Plus requirement: Some Checkout UI extension placements (such as those in the information, shipping, and payment steps) are only available on Shopify Plus. Review the available extension points for your plan before planning custom implementations.
Validation: Build validation logic to ensure required fields are completed before checkout proceeds. Invalid or missing compliance data can cause shipment delays or customs holds.
Data storage: Determine where custom field data will be stored (order metafields, notes, or external systems) and how it will flow to your fulfillment and documentation processes.
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