Shopify’s Winter ’25 Edition introduces a range of updates tailored for B2B, helping businesses refine operations, enhance customer experiences, and stay competitive. With over 150 new features, this release focuses on making it easier to run and grow your B2B eCommerce operations. Here are the highlights that matter most for your business.
Better Draft Orders
Managing draft orders is now more flexible with new features that let businesses lock product prices, create bundles, and for Plus users, collect deposits and access vaulted card payments. These enhancements make it easier to structure complex orders while maintaining pricing consistency.
For manufacturers and distributors handling large or custom orders, these improvements reduce errors and eliminate the need for manual price adjustments. Sales teams can finalize deals faster, while finance teams benefit from clearer payment terms and more streamlined invoicing.
Checkout Customizations
Shopify now allows B2B businesses to personalize the draft order checkout experience with checkout UI extensions. Companies using Shopify Plus can display tailored shipping messages or terms specifically for B2B customers. Additionally, Shopify Functions now extend to draft orders, ensuring that any custom checkout rules apply consistently.
These updates allow businesses to tailor the buying journey for different customer segments, improving communication and reducing friction at checkout. By adding relevant details at the right touchpoints, businesses can create a smoother, more transparent purchasing process.
Smarter B2B Customer Accounts
Shopify’s customer account extensions provide new capabilities like quoting workflows and downloadable PDF invoices, giving buyers more control over their purchasing process. Additionally, Shopify Plus users can now offer self-serve returns, allowing customers to initiate returns directly from their accounts.
For B2B businesses, these updates reduce back-and-forth communication and administrative overhead. Buyers can quickly generate quotes and process returns on their own, improving efficiency while freeing up sales and support teams to focus on higher-value tasks.
Automated Account Setup
Setting up new customers is now faster with Shopify Flow automations that assign catalogs, permissions, and sales staff to company locations. This ensures new accounts are configured correctly from the start, eliminating delays.
For growing businesses, this means new buyers can start purchasing immediately without waiting for manual setup. Automating these steps improves onboarding efficiency and ensures customers always see the correct products and pricing.
Streamlined Login and Identity Management
B2B buyers can now use custom identity providers for a consistent login experience across platforms. Additionally, Shopify has expanded branding options so that login pages match the look and feel of the rest of the store.
For companies managing multiple digital touchpoints, these updates provide a seamless experience that strengthens trust and brand consistency. Buyers no longer need separate credentials, and login pages now reinforce the company’s identity, improving professionalism and credibility.
Simplified Tax Exemptions for Companies
Shopify now allows businesses to apply tax exemptions at the company or location level, ensuring that B2B buyers receive the correct pricing without extra manual adjustments.
This is particularly valuable for companies with complex tax structures, as it prevents errors and reduces administrative work. By automating tax exemptions, businesses can confidently serve tax-exempt customers without additional verification delays.
More Precise B2B Reporting and Analytics
Shopify has introduced dedicated B2B analytics, enabling businesses to track performance separately from DTC operations. Reports can now be filtered to focus only on B2B sales, providing clearer insights.
This update helps manufacturers and distributors understand buying trends, optimize pricing, and refine their strategies. By separating B2B data, businesses can make informed decisions based on accurate, relevant metrics rather than mixed reporting.
Expanded B2B App Ecosystem
Shopify has added 18 more B2B-compatible apps, including solutions for line sheets, CSV order uploads, preorders, and advanced analytics. These tools help businesses enhance functionality without custom development.
For companies managing large, complex transactions, these apps reduce manual work and improve scalability. Whether it’s bulk ordering or advanced reporting, businesses can now leverage pre-built solutions tailored to their needs.
More Efficient Returns and Supplier Management
New automation tools simplify Shopify Collective returns, allowing businesses to process supplier returns more efficiently, even without third-party apps. Additionally, businesses can now set supplier-specific return policies and flag high-risk orders before they ship.
These updates reduce operational friction, helping businesses manage returns with minimal manual intervention. By identifying high-risk orders early, companies can mitigate fraud and improve supply chain reliability.
Why These Updates Matter for B2B Businesses
Shopify’s Winter ’25 Edition brings powerful updates designed to meet the unique needs of manufacturers and distributors. From streamlining account setup and tax exemptions to improving B2B customer experience and automation, these enhancements make it easier to manage complex transactions and scale efficiently.
As a Shopify-certified partner, Zaelab helps B2B organizations leverage Shopify’s capabilities to modernize their eCommerce operations. Whether you're looking to migrate, optimize your existing Shopify store, or build a fully customized solution, our team brings deep expertise in B2B digital transformation.
Have a project in mind? Talk to a Zaelab expert to explore how Shopify’s latest updates can work for your business.
