The Question We're Asked Regularly

As wholesale businesses modernise their digital channels, one question comes up repeatedly:

"Do you use Shopify for B2B?"

It's a reasonable question. Shopify has strong brand recognition, a broad ecosystem, and is well known in ecommerce circles.

But for established wholesale operations, brand familiarity is not the deciding factor.

The deciding factor is operational fit.

The Short Answer

Coretonomy does not use Shopify for B2B wholesale.

That isn't a criticism. It's a matter of architectural alignment.

Wholesale commerce operates under a different set of structural realities than direct-to-consumer retail. When those realities are forced into tools designed primarily for retail ecommerce patterns, complexity shifts into operations.

And that is where risk increases.

Why B2B Wholesale Is Structurally Different

Wholesale ecommerce is not simply "retail with login accounts." It involves operational rules that sit much closer to ERP logic than storefront logic.

These include:

  • Customer-specific pricing agreements
  • Credit terms and account-based purchasing
  • Complex product structures and variants
  • Bulk ordering behaviours
  • Offline order channels (sales agents, trade shows)
  • Stock allocation considerations
  • Long-standing ERP dependencies

These are not edge cases. They are the norm in established wholesale environments.

A platform that sits at the centre of B2B commerce must be designed around these rules — not adapted to them later.

Why We Provide a Wholesale-First B2B Platform

Coretonomy provides its own proprietary B2B ecommerce platform built specifically for wholesale operational structures.

The design premise is simple:

Wholesale ecommerce should extend ERP logic, not compete with it.

This means:

  • Pricing structures align with ERP data models
  • Customer account behaviour reflects real trading relationships
  • Order flows support operational controls
  • Data integrity remains consistent across channels

The platform is not treated as the "front-end of everything." It is part of a broader architecture where ERP remains central.

Where Shopify Does Fit

Shopify is an excellent tool for direct-to-consumer commerce.

Its strengths include:

  • Rapid storefront deployment
  • Strong theme ecosystem
  • Consumer checkout optimisation
  • App-based feature expansion

For D2C channels, these strengths are valuable.

That's why Shopify can be integrated as a channel, where appropriate.

The key distinction is architectural:

Shopify can serve the D2C experience — without becoming the operational centre.

The Risk of Letting Retail Architecture Drive Wholesale Operations

Problems arise when a retail-first platform is placed at the centre of a wholesale business's system landscape.

This can lead to:

  • Pricing logic existing outside ERP
  • Order flows bypassing established controls
  • Data duplication between systems
  • Manual reconciliation processes
  • Increased integration complexity over time

None of these issues appear immediately. They emerge as channels expand and operational edge cases accumulate.

What began as a "quick digital win" gradually becomes an integration burden.

Different Tools for Different Jobs

The goal is not platform loyalty. It is operational stability.

Wholesale and D2C serve different buying behaviours, order structures, and financial controls. Expecting a single platform to act as the natural centre for both often creates architectural compromise.

A more stable approach is:

  • A wholesale-first B2B platform aligned with ERP
  • D2C channels supported by tools optimised for retail
  • Integration architecture ensuring consistent data
  • ERP retained as the system of record

This separation of roles reduces the likelihood of digital growth introducing operational strain.

ERP Remains the System of Record

The constant in this architecture is ERP.

ERP is where:

  • Stock accuracy originates
  • Pricing structures are governed
  • Customer terms are defined
  • Financial truth resides

Channels can change. Tools can evolve. Customer experiences can modernise.

But the operational centre should remain where the business already manages its core data and controls.

That principle is what prevents ecommerce expansion from destabilising established operations.

Conclusion

The question is not whether a platform is popular.

The question is whether it fits the operational structure of wholesale commerce.

For B2B wholesale, that means:

  • ERP-respecting architecture
  • Specialist wholesale rules
  • Controlled integration
  • Clear separation between B2B and D2C roles

That is why Coretonomy provides its own wholesale-first B2B platform — and integrates Shopify where it makes sense, rather than letting it become the centre of the system landscape.