Sole Proprietorship Vs Corporation in Canada: Understanding the Key Differences
Sole proprietorship vs. corporation in Canada: Understand the key differences to choose the best business structure for your needs.
Choosing the right business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platform is an important decision for any growing American company. The right software can streamline your sales process, improve customer relationships and unlock new growth opportunities. The wrong one can create operational bottlenecks and frustrate your wholesale buyers. This guide breaks down the best B2B e-commerce platforms available in the U.S. market, helping you select the perfect solution to scale your operations efficiently.
We will compare the leading contenders on features and pricing, examine what defines a B2B platform, what you should look for and answer common questions to give you the clarity you need to make a confident choice.
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A B2B e-commerce platform is specialized software that enables businesses to sell products or services to other companies online. Unlike business-to-consumer platforms that focus on individual shoppers, B2B platforms are built to handle the complexities of corporate transactions.
These complexities include features like:
Ultimately, a B2B platform digitizes and automates the entire wholesale buying journey, making it as seamless as a modern B2C shopping experience.
If that’s something you’re looking for, we’ve compiled a list below of the best B2B e-commerce platforms on the market right now for your comparison.
BigCommerce is a leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform known for its powerful, built-in B2B functionality. It provides a flexible and scalable solution without requiring extensive technical expertise, making it a strong choice for businesses that want enterprise-grade features with the ease of use of a SaaS model.
Its B2B Edition package offers a suite of tools designed to streamline wholesale operations right out of the box. Key features include corporate account management, shared shopping lists and a B2B-optimized theme.² This makes it one of the best B2B e-commerce integration platforms, as it connects smoothly with essential business systems like ERPs and CRMs.
Trustpilot Review: 1.3 (446 Reviews)
While Shopify is famous for its B2C dominance, its enterprise-level plan, Shopify Plus, offers a comprehensive B2B solution. “B2B on Shopify” allows merchants to run both their direct-to-consumer and wholesale operations from a single, unified backend. This is ideal for American brands that have a hybrid sales model.
Businesses can create password-protected storefronts for their wholesale clients, assign custom price lists, and manage net payment terms directly within the Shopify admin.³ The platform’s extensive app ecosystem also allows for further customization to meet specific business needs.
Trustpilot Rating: 1.2(3k Reviews)
Adobe Commerce is an open-source platform renowned for its immense power and customizability. It is a top choice for large-scale businesses and enterprises with complex product catalogs and unique operational requirements. Because it is highly flexible, it's often considered one of the best B2B e-commerce platforms for manufacturers who need very specific workflows.
With Adobe Commerce, you can manage multiple brands and sites from one dashboard, create personalized buying experiences with AI-driven recommendations and integrate deeply with your existing tech stack.⁴ However, this power comes with greater complexity and typically requires a dedicated development team or agency partner to manage.
Trustpilot Rating: 1.2 (6k Reviews)
OroCommerce is a platform built exclusively for B2B e-commerce. Unlike others that have added B2B features to a B2C core, OroCommerce was designed from the ground up to address the needs of manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers.
It includes a built-in CRM (OroCRM) and offers robust features for managing corporate account hierarchies, creating custom catalogs, handling complex pricing rules and streamlining request-for-quote (RFQ) processes.⁵ Its open-source architecture allows for deep customization, making it a powerful solution for businesses with sophisticated B2B sales models.
Trustpilot Rating: 3.7 (1 Review)
Each of these platforms brings unique strengths to the table. To help you make a clear choice, here is a side-by-side comparison of their core B2B features, ideal use cases and pricing models.
| Platform | Key B2B Features | Best For | Considerations | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BigCommerce | Customer-specific pricing, bulk order forms, purchase orders, advanced shipping, quote management.6 | Mid-market and enterprise businesses seeking a powerful, user-friendly SaaS solution. | Limited native advanced features compared to platforms like Adobe Commerce or OroCommerce; some functionality requires third-party apps. | Requires custom pricing and terms.7 |
| Shopify Plus | Wholesale channel, custom price lists and catalogs, net payment terms, company profiles, self-serve portal.³ | Growing brands with a hybrid B2B and D2C sales model who need a unified platform. | B2B features are relatively newer and less mature than competitors specializing in wholesale. | Starts at $2,300/month for a 1-year term, or offers a variable platform fee for more complex business structures.8 |
| Adobe Commerce | Advanced quoting, multiple price lists, AI-powered personalization, customer segmentation, inventory management.9 | Large enterprises with complex needs, multiple brands and access to development resources. | Complex implementation requires a dedicated development team or specialized agency, making it resource-heavy. | Custom licensing fees based on Gross Merchandise Value (GMV).10 |
| OroCommerce | Built-in CRM, flexible workflows, corporate account hierarchies, multi-website support, robust RFQ module.⁵ | B2B-focused manufacturers and distributors who need a highly customizable, all-in-one solution. | Open-source flexibility comes at a cost: customization often requires technical expertise or in-house developers. | Pricing requires a custom quote and depends on your deployment type, GMV and number of admin users.11 |
The best B2B site depends entirely on your business's specific needs, budget and technical resources.
For most growing U.S. businesses seeking a balance of power and ease of use, BigCommerce is often the top choice. It provides enterprise-level B2B features without the high development overhead.
For brands with a strong direct-to-consumer presence expanding into wholesale, **Shopify Plus **offers an excellent, unified solution.
For large corporations with complex requirements and a dedicated IT team, Adobe Commerce provides unparalleled flexibility and scalability.
For companies focused purely on B2B, particularly in manufacturing or distribution, OroCommerce delivers a purpose-built platform that can be tailored to exact specifications.
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Signing up to Wise Business allows access to BatchTransfer which you can use to pay up to 1000 invoices in one go. This is perfect for small businesses that are managing a global team, saving a ton of time and hassle when making payments.
Some key features of Wise Business include:
Mid-market rate: Get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees on international transfers
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Access to BatchTransfer: Pay up to 1000 invoices in one click. Save time, money, and stress when you make 1000 payments in one click with BatchTransfer payments. Access to BatchTransfer is free with a Wise Business account
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When evaluating platforms, prioritize features that solve your biggest operational challenges. Key functionalities include customer-specific pricing and catalogs, bulk ordering capabilities, quote management systems and flexible payment options like purchase orders and net terms. It's also critical to assess its ability to manage complex shipping logic and integrate with your existing business software, such as your ERP or CRM.
Manufacturers often have unique needs, such as managing complex product configurations, supporting a network of dealers or distributors, and integrating directly with production systems. For these reasons, Adobe Commerce and OroCommerce are excellent choices. Their open-source nature allows for deep customization to build bespoke quoting tools, create detailed product configurators, and integrate seamlessly with ERP and Product Information Management systems. BigCommerce B2B Edition also serves manufacturers well with its robust, out-of-the-box feature set.
Distributors must prioritize inventory management, order accuracy, and fulfillment speed. The ideal platform should offer real-time inventory syncing across multiple warehouses, support for high-volume orders, and tools for sales reps to place orders on behalf of clients. Look for platforms that excel at handling large and complex catalogs with thousands of SKUs. BigCommerce and OroCommerce are particularly strong for distributors due to their robust catalog management features and ability to handle complex pricing and shipping rules efficiently. This makes them excellent choices when looking for a platform that serves as a central hub for your entire distribution network.
The best B2B e-commerce integration platforms seamlessly connect with your ERP, CRM and accounting systems to keep data accurate and updated in real time. Look for strong customization options, since no two businesses run the same workflows, and ensure the platform supports core B2B needs.
A simple, intuitive user experience reduces training times for both buyers and staff, while robust security and compliance features protect sensitive data. For companies operating internationally, global reach, such as multi-language, multi-currency and regulatory compliance, is essential. Finally, prioritize scalability, responsive customer support and integration flexibility to support your growth.
The arrival of these powerful digital solutions marks an exciting new era for American B2B commerce. You now have the tools to automate complex wholesale operations and deliver a seamless digital experience to your buyers. The key to success is choosing the platform that aligns perfectly with your specific goals, budget, and operational workflows.
By carefully evaluating your needs, you can confidently select a partner that will streamline your business and foster future growth in the competitive digital marketplace.
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This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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