Currently, Shopify Collective focuses on physical products and direct-to-consumer businesses. For B2B sales or large-scale wholesale operations, we can help you set up and automate a dedicated Shopify solution tailored to your needs.
What is Shopify Collective?
Shopify Collective is a service that connects shops that offer their own products (suppliers) and shops that distribute products from other suppliers (retailers). As a business, you may be one or both, and we’ll give you more details on each role below. Moreover, as you certainly know, one owner can operate several Shopify stores, each one with its own sales channels and customer bases. So there are many possible combinations of business models to explore.
Shopify Collective Early Access in the US
Shopify is interested in getting more diverse and reliable suppliers on their platform. You must have received an invitation automatically if your shop qualifies for the Shopify Collective feature. Check your inbox and click the "Install Shopify Collective" link for seamless integration of your US store with new and exciting opportunities that Shopify has to offer.
The good news is, there is no fee for the use of Shopify Collective. As long as your shop uses Shopify Payments and qualifies for the Shop App, you're good to go (given that at least one of your stores operates in the United States and uses USD currency).
Shopify stores are eligible for Shopify Collective as either suppliers or retailers if they are:
based in the US,
sell in US Dollars,
gross revenue in the last 12 months has reached $50,000 USD,
the store is featured on the Shop app,
Shopify Payments is activated.
More information about the requirements of the Shopify Collective app can be found on Shopify’s website. This information applies to both suppliers and retailers.
Suppliers have somewhat stricter requirements:
the store must be in compliance with Shop merchant guidelines.
the store must comply with requirements for using Shopify Collective sales channel.
Most of these requirements are rather easy to meet if you already have a relatively successfully operating store on Shopify.
Shopify Collective Suppliers and Retailers
As mentioned above, there are two possible roles in Shopify Collective: suppliers and retailers. Each of them has their own dedicated app, but you are allowed to use both apps for your business. A supplier can also be a retailer, selling products from other suppliers.
Let's explore each role in detail.
Suppliers
In Shopify Collective, suppliers are businesses that offer their products to other Shopify merchants (retailers). These suppliers—also known as distributors—can list their products on the platform for retailers to add to their own online stores. Suppliers maintain full control over their inventory and fulfilment processes, ensuring they can uphold their brand standards.
You can invite potential retailers by adding a "Become a distributor" button to your website and setting up Price Lists with wholesale rates. This creates opportunities to expand your reach and boost sales as part of your marketing strategy. Remember that offering unique products or competitive prices is still essential to attract and retain distributors.
Retailers
On the retailer side, merchants can browse and sell products from various suppliers within Shopify. All retailers who are using Shopify Collective can see all products listed on it by suppliers, unless the discovery feature is deactivated. Since customers will compare prices across stores, you’ll still need a strong marketing strategy—even when suppliers offer competitive wholesale rates.
Retailers can select items that complement their existing product range, giving customers more choices without managing extra inventory. This also provides an opportunity to test market demand for new products before developing similar ones. Through these supplier partnerships, retailers can enhance their store's appeal, expand their customer base, and boost revenue through commission-based sales.
Shopify Collective App
There are two Shopify Collective apps: the Supplier App and the Retailer App. You can use either one or both, depending on your business needs. Both apps are straightforward and easy to use if you're already familiar with running a business on Shopify.
There are several limitations, most of them also quite expected, as long as the store is selling products from a different store.
Shopify Collective app doesn't support digital products or gift cards,
Shopify Collective app doesn't pass duties, taxes, or tariffs to suppliers,
You can't use the Pause and Build plan with the Shopify Collective app.
The following apps and features are incompatible with the Shopify Collective app:
Managed Markets,
Metafields,
Shopify POS in-person and pickup in store.
Other than that, most of Shopify's store functionality is available through seamless integration on Shopify Collective. The service keeps growing and developing, as merchants bring in new products and strategies, - and you might be the one who discovers new ways to create value for your customers with it.
Shopify Collective Dropship
Retailers in Shopify Collective enjoy benefits similar to traditional dropshipping. They don't need physical warehouses or complex supply chain management since their inventory is based on their suppliers' stock. While this technically qualifies as dropshipping, the latter is more commonly associated with a specific mindset rather than a particular business model.
At the same time, Shopify Collective offers protection for suppliers, retailers, and, most importantly, customers, against common dropshipping pitfalls. The platform automatically synchronises product listings, eliminating overselling risks. Tracking numbers for delivery are also automatically synchronised. While pricing and delivery can be automated, merchants remain responsible for managing purchases, deliveries, customer service, refunds, returns, and dispute resolution. Suppliers who violate best practices—such as providing misleading product listings—risk being banned from the Shop App.
There’s one more thing to consider. Unlike traditional dropshipping businesses that typically source products from international markets (particularly China), Shopify Collective currently operates exclusively in the US market. Of course, there are other dedicated Shopify apps for dropshipping, but Shopify Collective makes a different case, at least, for now. As the service grows, it may expand into other markets and explore new business opportunities beyond our wildest imagination.
Shopify Collective Reviews Have Been Mostly Positive
Shopify Collective nurtures collaboration and cross-promotion of physical goods in Shopify stores on the American market. It provides new and easy ways to thrive to online retail, offering US-based merchants the opportunity to expand their reach through collaborative selling. Whether you're a supplier looking to distribute your products more widely or a retailer aiming to diversify your inventory without the traditional overhead, this platform provides a structured, secure environment for business growth. As the platform continues to evolve, it may well reshape how we think about e-commerce partnerships and product distribution in the digital age.
