So… Handshake’s Not Really Handshake Anymore
If you’ve been relying on Handshake for wholesale orders, you’ve probably felt the cracks. What started as a promising B2B eCommerce solution now feels like duct tape:
Retailers logging into yet another portal
Sales reps are still stuck without proper tools
Manual order entry ends up piling up for your team
The truth is, Handshake isn’t shutting down, but it stopped being built for suppliers a long time ago. And every week you keep working around it, you’re losing hours that could be spent scaling.
This guide explains why Shopify’s Handshake hit its limits, what wholesale suppliers actually need to grow, and how OrderEase offers a modern alternative that doesn’t just replace Handshake; it transforms how you manage B2B orders.
If you were a supplier relying on Handshake for B2B eCommerce, you might have noticed some significant changes, or perhaps the platform's disappearance altogether.
Since the acquisition by Shopify in 2019, the direction of Handshake has transformed from being an e-commerce portal to a large-scale marketplace, giving retailers access to handpicked wholesale suppliers within the Shopify ecosystem. While beneficial for retailers looking for a place to source wholesale products, it leaves many suppliers stranded who want to do business outside of the Shopify environment.
Originally, Handshake offered:
Sales Rep Order Management: A mobile app enabling reps to place orders on the go.
B2B Customer Catalogs: Customizable catalogs tailored for wholesale buyers.
Multi-Channel Integration: Support for various sales channels beyond Shopify.
EDI Capabilities: Electronic Data Interchange for seamless order transmission.
Post-acquisition, these functionalities have been phased out, focusing instead on integrating Handshake as a sales channel within Shopify, primarily serving U.S.-based retailers.
B2B order workflows don't have the simplicity of DTC or small-scale retail:
You sell in large volumes.
Orders require customization.
You have complex fulfillment rules.
Shopify’s Handshake marketplace wasn’t built to support the complexity of true B2B e-commerce.
Limited Flexibility: Suppliers who sell beyond Shopify have to add yet another portal to manage to their day-to-day.
Reduced Features: EDI and sales rep tools were removed, which are critical for B2B order operations.
Poor Buyer Experience: Your buyers have to log in to multiple portals to place orders.
B2B workflows function differently for the supply side of order operations. When you sell in large quantities, need catalogs/pricing, and have multiple locations to fulfill, complexity only increases. Shopify's handshake wholesale marketplace simply was not built to handle and automate B2B order workflows.
Here are the biggest challenges suppliers face when trying to use Handshake today:
Handshake only works if your store runs on Shopify. For suppliers who sell through other channels like EDI portals, marketplaces, or direct licensee orders, there's unnecessary silos that require manual efforts to manage.
Your buyers aren’t all in one place. Some prefer portals, others send PDFs or EDI, and your sales reps still take orders in the field. Handshake doesn’t consolidate these, it adds one more login for buyers to juggle.
Sales rep tools were phased out. Custom catalogs became limited. Advanced wholesale features were stripped back. Suppliers are left with a generic experience that doesn’t reflect the realities of B2B selling.
For growing suppliers, ERP is the source of truth. Handshake doesn’t sync orders, pricing, or inventory bi-directionally. That means manual entry, errors, and wasted hours.
Buyers don’t want another clunky portal. They want a frictionless, branded ordering experience that makes reordering easy. With Handshake, suppliers can’t control that experience.
B2B businesses are already feeling the pain of having to use Shopify - it truly wasn't built to solve the B2B e-commerce workflows you need to manage. What's worse is that it impedes your ability to enhance customer experiences.
Your buyers have to log in individually to multiple supplier sites just to place their orders.
Most tools, whether they're a high-end OMS or what was Handshake, aren't built to consider the entire order ecosystem. From a product development standpoint, it can make sense. For SaaS companies, it's fairly standard to build a product based on your ideal customer. But that means it's solely built for them.
What we end up seeing is order management systems that service brands selling DTC and large retailers that force brands to adapt to their standards.
To scale, suppliers need to:
Sell through multiple channels.
Standardize all orders.
Sync orders with their ERP.
Wholesale suppliers don't just sell through Shopify, so why should they be limited to it?
A better system supports every order source and syncs data where it needs to go.
OrderEase was started by an independent retailer who experienced the disconnect in order operations firsthand. Warren Patterson, CEO of OrderEase, had hundreds of suppliers all using different portals and systems. The result? Him and his team ended up sending old school emailed PDFs. It was faster than logging into an individual portal for every single wholesale supplier.
This is how B2B works - to do business, you need to meet your buyers expectations and needs.
Our platform is designed with suppliers in mind, providing automated order capture however your buyers want to order. Whether they're comfortable with Shopify, want to use our customer ordering portals, or feel most comfortable emailing you.
Multi-Channel Order Capture: Centralize emailed, EDI, B2B portal, rep-entered, and marketplace orders into one system.
ERP Integration: Sync orders and pricing directly with your ERP.
Custom Pricing & Catalogs: Tailor product availability by customer type.
Sales Rep Tools: A mobile app that empowers reps in the field.
EDI and PDF Order Automation: Capture even the most traditional formats.
| Feature | Handshake (Shopify) | OrderEase |
|---|---|---|
| Built for B2B Workflows | ❌ | ✅ |
| Works Outside Shopify | ❌ | ✅ |
| Sales Rep Order Entry | ❌ (Phased Out) | ✅ Mobile + Desktop |
| EDI & Email Order Automation | ❌ | ✅ Native PDF + EDI |
| ERP Integration | ❌ | ✅ Bi-directional |
| Multi-Warehouse Support | ❌ | ✅ |
Making the switch doesn’t need to be complicated.
OrderEase supports a smooth transition with onboarding, support, and integrations that meet your current workflows.
Is Handshake by Shopify shutting down?
No, but it's now a limited marketplace and no longer supports B2B workflows.
Can I use Handshake without Shopify?
No. It’s exclusive to the Shopify ecosystem.
What are the best alternatives to Handshake for B2B?
Look for platforms like OrderEase that support EDI, ERP, rep ordering, and email-based workflows without requiring custom development.
Your B2B business needs more than a rebranded DTC marketplace. While Handshake may no longer meet the needs of most wholesale suppliers, Shopify itself should play a role in your omnichannel expansion.
OrderEase integrates with Shopify to enhance, not compete with, its capabilities. By connecting OrderEase and Shopify, suppliers can consolidate Shopify orders with those from EDI, reps, and portals directly to their ERP. It’s not about choosing one or the other; it’s about investing in a unified order workflow that scales.
If you relied on Handshake, it’s time to upgrade to a platform built for the real complexity of B2B order management.
Handshake may still exist but it isn’t designed for suppliers who need to grow. Staying stuck means more portals, more manual work, and stalled growth.
OrderEase gives you a wholesale platform that:
Centralizes orders from every channel
Automates manual entry (EDI, email, portals)
Syncs everything directly to your ERP
Supports reps, buyers, and distributors seamlessly
Don’t just replace Handshake. Build a wholesale system that scales.