Setting Up Retail & Bulk Purchasing Options in WooCommerce

The way online stores operate today isn’t as straightforward as it used to be. Maybe you started with a simple WooCommerce shop selling directly to individual customers. It worked. Orders came in. But now, you’re getting inquiries from resellers. A local café wants to order 100 glass jars. A yoga studio asks if they can buy essential oils in bulk. Someone else wants to buy cleaning supplies by the carton instead of one by one.

That’s when the challenge hits: your store isn’t set up to handle both retail and bulk buyers, and it’s costing you opportunities.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many growing WooCommerce stores reach this exact crossroads.In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to offer both retail and bulk purchasing options, also known as WooCommerce bulk purchase options, without the headaches of custom coding or maintaining separate stores.

Whether you sell by the piece, the pack, or the pallet, there’s a smarter way to do it. Let’s dive in.

Why Supporting Both B2C and B2B Is a Strategic Move?

Before commenting, I have seen and read a couple of articles,

According to Forrester’s B2B eCommerce Forecast 2022 to 2027, U.S. B2B eCommerce transactions are projected to hit $2.3 trillion by 2025, accounting for 24% of all B2B sales. 

At the same time, Statista reports that global retail eCommerce sales are expected to reach over $6.3 trillion in 2024, and continue climbing.

The takeaway is simple. Both markets are growing fast. Why limit your WooCommerce store to one type of buyer when you can serve both?

Retail buyers typically buy one or two items at a time. B2B buyers often order in bulk and expect volume-based pricing, tax-exempt billing, and shipping options tailored to their business needs. If your store can meet both of these expectations, you expand your market dramatically.

Here’s what businesses gain when they support both audiences:

• More revenue channels without managing separate stores
• Personalized shopping experiences for each user type
• Smarter pricing models that reward loyal and high-volume buyers

WooCommerce is already trusted by over 6.5 million websites, including brands that serve both consumers and businesses. With the right tools, you can join them.

WooCommerce Quantity-Based Pricing: Retail vs. Bulk Buying Explained

A solo shopper might come in for a single candle. A hotel chain might want a box of 50. That’s the real difference between retail and bulk buying. It’s not just about the number of items in the cart. It’s about intent, purchasing behavior, and expectations.

Here’s a simple breakdown:

Now here’s the challenge: default WooCommerce doesn’t support quantity-based pricing or multiple pricing tiers. You’ll need to extend its capabilities using plugins and settings that introduce pricing flexibility.

WooCommerce B2B and B2C Store Setup: How Our Plugin Solves It Without Complex Coding

If you’re looking for a no-fuss solution that instantly adds retail and bulk support to your WooCommerce store, our plugin WooUnite is built exactly for that.

More Explore WooUnite

WooUnite allows you to:

• Sell a single product in multiple units (box, carton, roll, weight, liter, etc.)
• Set pricing based on unit type, not just quantity
• Make complex B2B transactions feel like simple B2C checkouts
• Avoid duplicating product listings or juggling third-party scripts

Whether you sell construction materials, office supplies, groceries, or wellness goods, WooUnite turns your product catalog into a scalable pricing engine. No need for custom development or maintenance-heavy plugins. Just install, configure your product units, and you’re ready to go.

Our clients have used WooUnite to introduce bulk pricing without breaking UX, reduce SKU confusion, and offer smart unit-based sales that drive higher cart values.

How Unit-Based Dynamic Pricing Helps You Sell Smarter with WooUnite

A local organic tea brand lists their signature blend on their WooCommerce store. Instead of uploading the same product three times to show 100g, 250g, and 1kg options, they use WooUnite to set up unit-based pricing.

Now, when a health store wants to stock their shelves, they simply choose the 1kg unit and check out at a bulk-friendly price. Meanwhile, a casual tea lover at home picks the 100g pack at regular price: same product, different units, no confusion.

That’s the power of WooUnite working in the background. It doesn’t shout. It simply performs. Bulk orders begin to flow in more smoothly. Customers intuitively select the units that suit them best-boxes, liters, rolls-and check out without a hitch.

Your inbox? Quieter. Fewer messages like “Do you offer this in cartons?” or “What’s your bulk discount?” The interface already answered those questions. Order values rise-not through flashy offers, but because buyers clearly understand their options and see the value in larger purchases.

And if you sell subscriptions or recurring essentials, WooUnite brings structure to your backend. No more SKU chaos or repetitive configurations.

With WooUnite:

• Shoppers get clarity with unit choices that match their needs.
• You reduce SKU clutter and avoid duplicate listings.
• Larger units lead to larger carts, with better perceived value.
• Shipping and packing become easier because units are clearly defined.

If your store sells anything that comes in packs, rolls, bottles, or cases, WooUnite’s unit support isn’t just helpful: it’s a smarter, cleaner way to scale your WooCommerce store.

“It’s a win-win for everyone: your customers enjoy more transparent and flexible purchasing, and you increase efficiency and revenue without overcomplicating your operations.”

WooUnite Plugin Success Story: Eighths & Ounces Case Study

Client Example: Eighths & Ounces

Eighths & Ounces, a lifestyle and wellness brand, uses WooUnite to sell herbal goods in multiple units. Whether customers order by weight, bottle, or case, the experience is seamless. WooUnite allows them to offer flexible unit choices while keeping the storefront clean and intuitive. 

Visit their live store to see WooUnite in action: eighthsandounces.com

Use Cases:

• Refill-based cleaning product brands can sell per pouch, bottle, or refill pack.
• Craft supply stores can offer unit sales per meter, roll, or box.
• Beverage suppliers can list one product with case-wise and bottle-wise pricing.

Which Industries Get Benefits from Offering Bulk Purchase Options?

Not sure if your store needs to support bulk buying? Consider this:

• Wellness brands often sell to both individuals and health professionals
• Food suppliers cater to families and restaurants
• Clothing labels sell to both shoppers and boutiques
• Electronics retailers need quantity pricing for business clients

If your product has demand beyond individual buyers, bulk pricing is not just a feature; it’s a growth lever.

A 2023 report from Statista found that over 30% of U.S. small businesses purchase supplies online at least once a month. 

If you’re not set up for bulk sales, you could be missing those customers.

Top Reasons to Add WooCommerce Bulk Purchase Options

Real Benefits You’ll Notice Right Away..

WooUnite is designed to deliver measurable results, not just added features. Once set up, here are the benefits you’ll experience almost immediately:

• Increased average order value through bulk-friendly unit pricing
• Streamlined purchasing experience for both B2C and B2B customers
• Fewer support queries thanks to clear pricing and unit structures
• Improved checkout flows for complex orders
• Greater customer satisfaction, especially for recurring and wholesale buyers

Whether you’re running a fast-growing online wellness store or managing inventory-heavy food and beverage sales, these benefits are immediate and scalable.

Make Bulk Orders Simple with a Request a Quote Feature

Sometimes, a buyer wants to place a big order or needs something custom. Instead of making them go through the regular checkout, give them a simple way to contact you first.

That’s where the “Request a Quote” option helps.

It allows buyers to send you a message about what they need. Maybe they want 500 units instead of 50, or they need special shipping. You can respond with custom pricing, delivery options, or any other details they care about.

This is great for:

• Products that are made just for the customer
• Big orders where delivery or pricing depends on quantity
• Businesses used to negotiating prices, like factories or furniture shops

When you use this with WooUnite, it gives your store more flexibility and makes wholesale customers feel supported and valued.

Industries – WooUnite Serves Best!

WooUnite is especially effective for industries where unit flexibility, packaging formats, or bulk pricing matter. This includes:

• Natural health and wellness (essential oils, supplements)
• Food and beverage (grains, bottled drinks, packaged snacks)
• Manufacturing supplies (bolts, pipes, fabrics, sheet goods)
• Consumer packaged goods (cleaning supplies, beauty care, household essentials)

For more industry-specific solutions, visit our Use Cases section or explore all compatible plugins in our WooUnite product page.

Ready to Upgrade Your WooCommerce Store?

Thinking about how to grow your WooCommerce store without doubling your workload? Here’s the shortcut: WooUnite.

This isn’t just another plugin. WooUnite is built to make your store work smarter:

• Offer one product in multiple units like box, liter, or roll
• Create custom pricing for each customer type automatically
• Handle retail and wholesale from the same product catalog
• Let big buyers request quotes without extra effort

Stores using WooUnite have seen up to 40% higher average order value and 50% fewer support requests related to product sizing and bulk pricing.

From clearer pricing to fewer SKUs, WooUnite takes care of the complexity so you can focus on scaling. It’s simple, effective, and designed to grow with your business.

Curious what your store could look like with less chaos and more conversions?

Need help getting started?