Frequently Asked Questions
What is a wholesale pricing app for Shopify?
Wholesale pricing apps allow Shopify merchants and e-commerce retailers to display different prices to different customers on the same storefront. Rather than maintaining separate wholesale and retail stores, merchants can tag customers as "wholesale," "VIP," or any custom designation, and those customers see their specific pricing when logged in. The technology solves a native Shopify limitation, since Shopify's standard functionality shows the same price to everyone regardless of who's viewing the product.
What is Bold Custom Pricing?
Bold Custom Pricing is Bold's wholesale and B2B pricing solution for Shopify. The app enables merchants to create unlimited customer pricing tiers, offer quantity-based discounts (quantity breaks), and manage complex pricing rules from a single interface. Launched in 2013, it's one of the longest-running wholesale apps in the Shopify ecosystem. The app supports both customer-specific pricing (requiring login) and quantity breaks (available to all shoppers), either separately or in combination.
What happened to Bold Quantity Breaks as a standalone app?
Bold previously offered Quantity Breaks as a separate standalone application. That standalone app is no longer available for new installations. All quantity break functionality has been consolidated into Bold Custom Pricing, where it's available through plans that include the QB (Quantity Breaks) module. Merchants who installed the standalone Quantity Breaks app before it was discontinued remain on grandfathered plans and can continue using it. However, Bold recommends transitioning to Custom Pricing for access to ongoing updates and the broader feature set. New merchants who only need quantity breaks without customer-specific pricing can install Bold Custom Pricing and select the Quantity Breaks (QB) plan at $29/month.
What types of pricing can I set up with Bold Custom Pricing?
Bold Custom Pricing supports a variety of approaches to pricing. They include … Percentage discounts to reduce prices by a set percentage for specific customer groups. Dollar-off discounts to subtract a fixed amount from product prices. Fixed pricing to let retailers set exact prices per product per customer tier. Quantity breaks to offer escalating discounts based on purchase volume (buy 2 save 10%, buy 5 save 20%). These can be combined, allowing wholesale customers to receive both their tier discount and additional quantity break savings.
How do customer tags work in Bold Custom Pricing?
Customer tags are the in-app mechanism that determines which pricing tier a customer sees. Merchants create tags in Bold Custom Pricing (like "Wholesale," "Gold," or "Staff"), then assign those same tags to customer accounts in Shopify. When tagged customers log in, the app detects their tag and displays the corresponding prices. Tags are case-sensitive and must match exactly between the app and Shopify's customer profiles. Customers without tags, or customers who aren't logged in, see regular retail pricing.
What are quantity breaks and how are they different from customer pricing?
Quantity breaks are volume-based discounts designed to encourage consumers to buy more or whatever it is that they’re buying. They can be offered to everyone or restricted to specific customer groups. So. A typical quantity break might work like … Buy 2-4, save 10%. Buy 5-9, save 15%. Buy 10+, save 20%. Quantity breaks don't require that customers login and can work independently of any customer tag pricing. Customer pricing, by contrast, requires customers to be logged in and tagged appropriately. Merchants can use both features together, stacking quantity break discounts on top of customer tier pricing.
What is detailed pricing and when would I need it?
Detailed pricing (available on Premium plans) provides granular control over pricing at the individual product variant level. Rather than applying a blanket percentage discount across a product group, detailed pricing lets you specify exact prices for each size, color, or variant for each customer tier. It's useful when different products require different discount structures, when you need to match specific wholesale price sheets from suppliers, or when margins vary significantly across your catalog. You can manage detailed pricing through an in-app grid interface or via CSV upload for bulk changes.
How does auto-tagging work?
Auto-tagging (Premium plan feature) automatically assigns customers to pricing tiers based on their behavior or attributes. You can configure rules to tag customers after they reach spending thresholds (total lifetime spend), after purchasing specific products, based on order frequency, or by geographic location (country). When customers meet the criteria you've defined, the app automatically applies the appropriate tag, and they begin seeing their new pricing tier on subsequent logins. This enables automated progression through VIP levels without manual customer management.
Can I hide products from certain customer groups?
Yes. Bold Custom Pricing includes functionality to restrict product visibility based on customer tags. You can hide retail products from wholesale customers, hide wholesale-only items from retail shoppers, or create any visibility rules that match your business needs. This is particularly useful for businesses with products that should only be available to specific customer segments.
Do customers need to create accounts to see wholesale pricing?
Yes. Customer-specific pricing requires customers to be logged into their Shopify account. The app identifies customers by their account tags, which means anonymous or guest shoppers cannot receive customer-specific pricing. Quantity breaks, however, work without customer accounts since they're based on cart quantity rather than customer identity. If you're running a wholesale program, you'll need to enable customer accounts in your Shopify settings (either optional or required) and ensure your wholesale customers create accounts and log in when ordering.
What's the difference between the discount methods (V1, V2, V3)?
Bold Custom Pricing offers three technical approaches for applying discounts:
- The Variant Dependent Method (V1) creates duplicate product variants for each pricing tier. Tagged customers are shown these hidden variants with built-in discounts. This method counts against Shopify's 100-variant-per-product limit.
- The Draft Order Method (V2) applies discounts at checkout by creating a draft order with pricing adjustments. No duplicate variants are created.
- The Accelerated Draft Order Method (V3) is the default for new installations. It works similarly to V2 but with performance improvements. This method is required for integration with Bold Discounts.
The choice affects integration compatibility with other apps and how discounts display throughout the shopping experience.
How is Bold Custom Pricing different from Shopify's native B2B features?
Shopify has introduced native B2B functionality for Shopify Plus merchants, including company accounts, price lists, and payment terms. Bold Custom Pricing serves a broader market and offers capabilities beyond Shopify's native tools. Bold works on any Shopify plan, not just Plus, making wholesale pricing accessible to merchants at every level. Bold provides quantity breaks as a core feature, which Shopify's native B2B doesn't emphasize. Bold's auto-tagging automatically promotes customers through pricing tiers based on spend, order frequency, or product purchases, reducing manual customer management. And Bold integrates natively with Bold Memberships, enabling paid membership programs where customers pay recurring fees to access exclusive pricing tiers. For merchants already on Shopify Plus who need only basic B2B price lists, native features may be sufficient. For merchants on any Shopify plan who need quantity breaks, automated customer tiering, or paid membership pricing programs, Bold Custom Pricing delivers functionality that Shopify's native tools don't match.
How does Bold Custom Pricing compare to Wholesale - All in One?
Both apps serve wholesale pricing needs, but Bold Custom Pricing offers deeper functionality for merchants with complex requirements. Bold has operated since 2013, providing over a decade of development and refinement. Bold offers three distinct discount methods (Variant Dependent, Draft Order, and Accelerated) that give merchants flexibility in how pricing is technically applied, which matters for compatibility with other apps and checkout customizations. Bold's auto-tagging on the Premium plan automatically moves customers between pricing tiers based on spending thresholds, order frequency, or specific product purchases, eliminating manual customer management. Most distinctively, Bold integrates natively with Bold Memberships, enabling merchants to charge customers recurring fees for access to wholesale or VIP pricing tiers. Wholesale - All in One includes a wholesale signup form feature and has a lower entry price point. For merchants who need straightforward wholesale pricing with minimal setup, it's a viable option. For merchants who need automated customer progression, paid membership integration, or compatibility with the broader Bold app ecosystem, Bold Custom Pricing provides capabilities that Wholesale - All in One doesn't offer.
How does Bold Custom Pricing compare to Pareto Quantity Breaks & Discounts?
Pareto and Bold Custom Pricing target overlapping but distinct use cases. Pareto focuses primarily on quantity breaks, volume discounts, bundles, and promotional offers like BOGO and free gifts. It has a free plan, a "Built for Shopify" badge, strong Shopify POS integration, and a 4.9-star rating. Bold Custom Pricing is a broader wholesale and B2B solution that includes quantity breaks as one module within a larger feature set. Bold's advantages include customer group pricing with multiple discount methods, tax exemption controls by customer tier, the ability to hide products from specific customer groups, auto-tagging based on purchase behavior, and native integration with Bold Memberships for paid membership programs. If you primarily need volume discounts and promotional bundles, Pareto is a focused, well-rated option. If you need comprehensive wholesale pricing infrastructure with tiered customer management and Bold ecosystem integration, Custom Pricing offers more depth.
How does Bold Custom Pricing compare to SparkLayer B2B?
SparkLayer has positioned itself for larger B2B operations with features like sales agent ordering, ERP integrations (NetSuite, QuickBooks), and advanced company account management. Bold Custom Pricing is more focused on pricing flexibility and integrates with the Bold ecosystem rather than external ERPs. SparkLayer starts at $49/month with higher tiers reaching $299/month and custom enterprise pricing. Bold Custom Pricing starts at $29/month. For complex B2B operations requiring ERP connectivity, SparkLayer may be more appropriate. For straightforward wholesale pricing with Bold app integration, Custom Pricing is typically sufficient.
How do I set up wholesale pricing for the first time?
The basic setup flow involves several steps. Install Bold Custom Pricing from the Shopify App Store and complete the theme installation. Create your customer tags in the app (such as "Wholesale" or "VIP"). Set up product pricing groups to define which products receive discounts and at what rates. Assign the matching tags to customer accounts in Shopify. Test by logging in as a tagged customer to verify correct pricing displays. For detailed guidance, visit the Bold Commerce Help Center or contact their support team.
How do I migrate from the standalone Quantity Breaks app to Custom Pricing?
If you're on the grandfathered standalone Quantity Breaks app and want to transition to Bold Custom Pricing, Bold provides documentation for the migration process. The transition involves installing Custom Pricing, selecting a plan that includes the QB module, recreating your quantity break rules in the new app, completing the theme code installation for Custom Pricing, and then uninstalling the standalone app once everything is verified. Bold's support team can assist with the migration. Visit the Bold Commerce Help Center and search for "Switch from Quantity Breaks to Custom Pricing" for step-by-step instructions.
Can I import pricing from a spreadsheet?
Yes, on Premium plans and above. Bold Custom Pricing supports CSV import and export for bulk pricing management. You can export your current pricing structure, modify it in a spreadsheet application, and re-import the updated prices. This is particularly useful for stores with large catalogs or when you need to update prices across many products simultaneously. The CSV format follows a specific structure documented in Bold's help center.
How do I troubleshoot pricing not displaying correctly?
Common issues and solutions include: confirming the customer tag in Custom Pricing exactly matches the tag on the customer's Shopify profile (case-sensitive). Verifying the customer is logged in when viewing products. Checking that theme installation is complete and code is present on product pages. Ensuring the product is included in an active product pricing group. Confirming the discount method (V1, V2, V3) is appropriate for your setup. Bold's support documentation includes a troubleshooting guide, and their support team can assist with complex issues.
How does Bold Custom Pricing integrate with Bold Memberships?
The integration enables merchants to charge customers for access to pricing tiers. Bold Memberships handles the recurring membership billing and access control. Bold Custom Pricing handles the actual pricing rules. When a customer subscribes to a membership plan in Bold Memberships, they're automatically tagged with the plan's associated tag. Custom Pricing reads this tag and displays the corresponding discounts. This creates paid VIP or wholesale programs where customers pay a monthly or annual fee to access better pricing.
Can I use Bold Custom Pricing with Bold Subscriptions?
Bold Custom Pricing can work alongside Bold Subscriptions, though the integration is less direct than with Bold Memberships. Tagged customers can see their custom pricing on subscription products. However, the discount application to recurring subscription orders depends on how both apps are configured. Contact Bold support for specific guidance on combining these apps for your use case.
Does Bold Custom Pricing work with other discount apps?
Bold Custom Pricing integrates with Bold Discounts when using the Accelerated Method (V3). When products are discounted in both apps, the highest/best discount applies. For third-party discount apps, compatibility varies. Running multiple discount apps simultaneously can create conflicts, so testing is recommended. Generally, it's advisable to use one primary method for each type of discount rather than layering multiple apps that affect the same pricing.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. There is a free trail. Bold Custom Pricing offers a 14-day free trial on all plans. All features available on your selected plan are accessible during the trial. Development and sandbox Shopify stores can use the app free indefinitely for testing purposes.