dspot: B2B E‑store Built on Shopify Basic
A fully functional B2B store on the Shopify Basic plan – smart, scalable, and cost-effective.
Client
dspot supplies professional hardware to business customers across seven European markets. The goal was to maintain low operational costs while delivering a robust B2B experience – all on the standard Shopify Basic plan.
Challenges
- Multiple billing addresses per user – a feature typically available only on Shopify Plus.
- Custom pricing and dynamic market/currency assignment at checkout.
- Invoicing system tailored to internal requirements, without incurring 2% fees from third-party apps.
- Low TCO (total cost of ownership) – avoiding expensive plans or marketplace-based apps.
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Solution
- Custom UI component in the Dawn theme – allows users to select a saved billing address before checkout. The component calls a Node.js microservice, which sets the selected address as the default in the Shopify customer profile.
- Draft‑order checkout – once the address is selected, a draft order is created with custom pricing and market assignment based on the selected address.
- Node.js invoice microservice (Easy-Invoice) – generates comprehensive PDF invoices, eliminating the need for external billing apps and ensuring price consistency with the online store.
- Nodemailer + Microsoft Exchange – invoices are sent directly from dspot’s Exchange account via a custom admin action.
Results & Benefits
- A fully functional B2B e-store on Shopify Basic, without needing to upgrade to Plus.
- Lower operational costs – thanks to a custom invoice service, no need for paid apps.
- 9.4% conversion rate (May–October 2024), driven by a streamlined ordering process.
- Flexible address management– corporate buyers can easily switch billing information without customer support intervention.
What’s the takeaway?
The dspot project proves that even on Shopify Basic, it’s possible to build a robust B2B solution using smart microservices and custom UI elements.
Looking for a similar approach? Let’s discuss how Shopify can help streamline and scale your business.
Miro Kramar