Setting Up B2B vs. B2C Payment Option Filtering

Food manufacturers and other businesses serving both wholesale and retail customers face a significant challenge at checkout: these distinct customer segments have fundamentally different payment needs and expectations. B2B customers often require invoice payment options with net terms, while retail consumers expect standard payment methods like credit cards and digital wallets. Offering all options to all customers creates confusion and potential risk.

The solution is to dynamically filter payment gateways based on customer segmentation. Standard Shopify checkout settings don't support customer-specific payment options, but with the Sway Functions Generator, you can create sophisticated payment functions that detect B2B versus B2C customers and display only the appropriate payment options for each segment.

The Business Case for B2B/B2C Payment Filtering

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Access the Payment Functions Section

1. From your Shopify admin, open the Sway Functions Generator app
2. Click on "Functions" in the main navigation
3. Select the "Payment" tab

2. Create a New Payment Function for B2B Customers

1. Click "Create function"
2. From the modal, select "Conditionally Remove Gateways"
3. You'll be taken to the function editor

3. Configure Basic Settings

1. Enter a descriptive campaign name (e.g., "Wholesale Account Payment Options")
2. Set the function status to "Active"

4. Define B2B Customer Segment

This is where you'll specify how to identify wholesale customers:

1. Under "Customer Qualifier," select "Customer Tags"
2. Choose the condition "contains"
3. Enter tags that identify B2B customers (e.g., "wholesale", "b2b", "approved_account")
4. This ensures the function only applies to tagged wholesale accounts

5. Configure B2B Payment Options

Now define which payment options should be available for B2B customers:

1. Under "Payment Gateway Actions," select "Show Only"
2. Choose "Gateway Name Contains"
3. Add your B2B-appropriate payment options (e.g., "Invoice", "Purchase Order", "Net 30")
4. This ensures B2B customers only see wholesale-appropriate payment methods

6. Create a Second Function for B2C Customers

1. Create a new payment function
2. Name it "Retail Customer Payment Options"
3. Under "Customer Qualifier," select "Customer Tags"
4. Choose the condition "does not contain"
5. Enter the same B2B identifier tags
6. Under "Payment Gateway Actions," configure to show only consumer payment methods
7. Add consumer payment options (e.g., "Credit Card", "PayPal", "Shop Pay")

7. Save and Test

1. Save both functions
2. Test thoroughly with both B2B and B2C customer accounts

Advanced Configuration Options

Tiered B2B Payment Privileges

For different levels of wholesale accounts:

1. Create multiple B2B payment functions with different tag qualifiers
2. For example:
   • New wholesale accounts: Purchase order only
   • Established accounts: Purchase order + Net 30 invoice
   • Premium accounts: Purchase order + Net 30/60/90 options
3. Set appropriate priority levels to ensure the correct function applies

Order Value-Based Payment Options

For payment options based on order size:

1. Add cart total qualifiers alongside customer tag conditions
2. Create different payment option sets for different order values
3. For example:
   • B2B orders under $1,000: Credit card or purchase order
   • B2B orders $1,000-$5,000: Credit card, purchase order, or Net 30
   • B2B orders over $5,000: Purchase order, Net 30, or Net 60

Hybrid Account Payment Options

For customers who make both personal and business purchases:

1. Create hybrid payment functions for dual-purpose accounts
2. Use a combination of customer tags and cart attributes
3. For example: Show all payment options to hybrid accounts but prioritize business methods for larger orders

Implementation Example: Food Manufacturer

Here's a real-world example from a food manufacturer serving both restaurants and direct consumers:

1. B2C Customer Experience:

   • Available payment options:
     • Credit/Debit Card
     • PayPal
     • Shop Pay
     • Apple Pay / Google Pay
     • Afterpay (orders under $1,000)
   • No invoice or purchase order options shown

2. New B2B Customer Experience:

   • Available payment options:
     • Credit/Debit Card
     • Purchase Order (requires approval)
     • ACH Direct Transfer
   • No consumer payment options shown
   • No invoice terms available yet

3. Established B2B Customer Experience:

   • Available payment options:
     • Purchase Order
     • Invoice - Net 15
     • Invoice - Net 30 (for orders under $10,000)
     • ACH Direct Transfer
   • Credit card option only shown for orders under $2,000

Merchandising Your B2B Payment Approach

To maximize the effectiveness of your segment-specific payment approach:

1. Create Wholesale Account Benefits Pages - Highlight payment terms as a key benefit
2. Add B2B-Specific FAQs - Address common questions about invoice terms and requirements
3. Develop Application Process Materials - Explain how to qualify for invoice payment privileges
4. Include Payment Terms in B2B Marketing - Feature payment flexibility in wholesale materials
5. Create Account Dashboard Information - Show available payment methods in customer accounts

Real Results: Food Manufacturer Case Study

A food manufacturer implemented B2B/B2C payment filtering with these results:

• 42% increase in wholesale account registrations
• 36% reduction in payment-related support inquiries
• 28% of B2B customers upgraded to larger orders to qualify for better payment terms
• 18% decrease in days sales outstanding (DSO) through better payment term management
• 24% increase in repeat B2B purchases

Measuring Success

To evaluate the effectiveness of your B2B/B2C payment filtering strategy, monitor these metrics:

• B2B Acquisition Rate - Are more wholesale customers signing up?
• B2B Order Value - Are wholesale order sizes increasing?
• Payment Method Distribution - Which payment options are most popular in each segment?
• Days Sales Outstanding - Is your accounts receivable timeline improving?
• Payment-Related Support Volume - Are payment questions and issues decreasing?

Common Issues and Solutions

Next Steps

Ready to implement B2B/B2C payment filtering for your business? Start by:

1. Clearly defining your B2B and B2C customer segments
2. Establishing a consistent customer tagging system
3. Determining appropriate payment method sets for each segment
4. Creating your payment gateway filtering functions
5. Developing educational content about available payment options

For personalized assistance with your B2B payment strategy, book a consultation with our team.