E-commerce
October 1, 2026
Are you wondering how to manage custom pricing on BigCommerce for your business clients or loyal shoppers?
The answer lies in one term: price lists. This feature, available on the Enterprise plan, allows you to display a different rate depending on the logged-in customer group, without touching your main catalog.
The stakes are high: offering an attractive wholesale rate while maintaining a consistent public price. The difficulty often lies in maintaining these lists, especially when your catalog is large. Incorrect configuration can lead to display errors, orders at the wrong rate, and a loss of customer trust.
So how do you manage custom pricing on BigCommerce? On the agenda:
Why offer different prices depending on the customers?
How to create a customer group in BigCommerce?
How to set up a price list effectively?
How to import or export your rates via CSV?
How does Qstomy help manage pricing issues?
Let's get started.
Summary
Why offer personalized pricing on BigCommerce?
Not all of your customers pay the same price, and that is normal. An individual who buys a stove insert once every five years does not have the same expectations as an installation company that places an order every week. This difference in behavior justifies a segmented pricing approach.
Offering a preferential rate to your regular buyers is a powerful loyalty lever. This shows that you understand their business and want to build a long-term relationship, not just close a one-off sale. A professional who feels valued will return more easily and increase their average basket size.
On BigCommerce, this logic is translated into price lists associated with customer groups. You set your discounts once, and the correct price is automatically displayed upon login. Your teams do not have to enter promo codes for each order, and your professional clients save valuable time. This automation also reduces the risk of human error and ensures a seamless purchasing experience.
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What is a price list in BigCommerce?
A price list is a set of alternative prices applied to product variants. In practice, it replaces the displayed price for a given group of customers, without modifying your main catalog price. It is a powerful tool to differentiate your offer without complicating your daily management.
Let’s take an example: you sell steel stove pipes, available in three colors. A retail customer sees the public price. A wholesale customer, once logged in, sees a reduced price, calculated as a percentage or set at a specific amount. This flexibility allows you to meet the expectations of each segment.
The granularity is fine: you can define a different price for each variant, for example, a higher discount on the color most ordered in bulk. This flexibility allows you to align with your commercial strategy without multiplying product sheets. You thus keep a single, clear catalog, while offering conditions tailored to each customer.
How do I create a customer group in BigCommerce?
Before configuring your pricing, you need to gather your clients into groups. In the BigCommerce administration, open the "Customers" menu, then "Customer Groups". This step is essential to structure your commercial approach.
Click on "Create a Customer Group" and give it an explicit name, such as "Wholesalers" or "Partner Companies". You will then be able to assign each customer account to this group, manually or when the account is created. Remember to define clear criteria for assignment, such as purchase volume or contract type.
BigCommerce also allows you to directly enter a discount at the group level. But for more flexibility, we recommend using a price list. This will allow you to manage discounts by product or by category, rather than a simple global percentage. This approach gives you precise control over your pricing policy.
How to set up a price list in BigCommerce?
Once your customer group is created, head to "Products", then "Price Lists". You can create a new list or edit an existing one. This centralized interface allows you to manage all your differentiated pricing in one place.
The list is presented as a table, similar to a spreadsheet. You can add or remove columns via the "Edit columns" drop-down menu. The essential columns are the product name, SKU, list price, and the discount field. Customize the display according to your needs for quick reading.
The "List price" corresponds to your retail price. Enter a percentage in the "Discount" column to automatically reduce this price. If you prefer to set a specific amount, use the "New price" field. The list is then associated with your customer group. This association is the key point for the rates to apply correctly.
How does the percentage discount work?
The percentage discount is the easiest option to maintain. If your retail price changes, the wholesale price follows automatically, since the percentage remains the same. This saves you from having to update each list manually with every price variation.
For example, a product at 100 euros with a 20% discount will be displayed at 80 euros for the "Wholesalers" group. If you increase the retail price to 110 euros, the wholesale price becomes 88 euros, without any intervention on your part. This responsiveness is a major asset in a dynamic business environment.
This method is ideal for catalogs where margins are consistent. It prevents data entry errors and ensures consistency across your different sales channels. Just remember to check that your retail prices remain high enough to preserve your margin after the discount. Regular monitoring of your margins will allow you to adjust your percentages if necessary.
How to set a precise price in a list?
Sometimes, a percentage is not enough. You may have a rounding strategy, or wish to offer a specific net rate to a major account, with no direct link to your public price. This approach is common in business negotiations where each contract is unique.
In this case, use the "New price" field in your list. Enter the exact amount that will be displayed for the target customer group. This amount fully replaces the catalog price, without any intermediate calculation. This way, you retain complete control over the displayed rate.
This approach is useful for high-value products or negotiated contracts. However, it requires more regular maintenance, as each price change must be entered manually in the list. Reserve it for strategic products, where price accuracy is more important than ease of management.
How to import a price list in CSV?
Manual entry is suitable for small catalogs. For businesses managing thousands of items, CSV import is much more efficient. BigCommerce offers a dedicated app: "Price Lists Import & Export". This app saves you a considerable amount of time.
Install the app from the BigCommerce marketplace. It will then appear in your "Apps" menu. A CSV template is provided, with required fields and some optional fields. This template guides you to structure your data correctly.
The file must contain at least: the price list identifier, its name, the product name, the SKU code, the currency, and the new price. Once your file is ready, simply import it to update your list. This method is ideal for bulk updates, for example during a pricing grid change.
Which fields are required in the CSV file?
A poorly filled out CSV file can lead to import errors. Here are the essential fields to fill in for each row:
List Identifier: you can find it in the URL of the list page in the administration.
List Name: the name you assigned during creation.
Product Name: as it appears in your BigCommerce catalog.
SKU Code: the unique code of the relevant variant.
Currency: for example "EUR" for the euro.
Price: the new rate to apply.
The template provided by BigCommerce includes these fields and a few additional options. Use it as a basis to avoid formatting errors. Also, check that the SKU codes match exactly those in your catalog, as a simple typo can prevent the import.
How do I export an existing price list?
Exporting is just as important as importing. It allows you to keep a copy of your prices, modify them in a spreadsheet, or integrate them into another management tool. It is a valuable backup for your business.
From the "Price Lists Import & Export" application, you can generate a CSV file of your current list. This file contains all the necessary fields, including the list identifier, which makes subsequent modifications easier. This allows you to work on a copy without any risk of breaking your online configuration.
This feature is valuable for wholesalers who work with external management software. You can recalculate your prices based on the cost of raw materials, for example, and then re-import the file into BigCommerce in just a few minutes. This synchronization allows you to remain competitive while keeping management centralized.
How to avoid common mistakes with price lists?
The first mistake is forgetting to associate the price list with a customer group. Without this association, the list remains inactive and your professional customers see the public price. This can lead to orders with incorrect pricing and complaints.
The second mistake is confusing the catalog price with the new price. The catalog price is your reference, the new price is the one that is displayed. Always check that you are filling in the correct field. Confusion here can lead to overly large discounts or incorrect prices.
Finally, remember to test the list with a test customer account. Log in with this account and verify that the correct rates are displayed. This quick check saves you from calls from unhappy customers and orders with incorrect pricing. Systematic testing before each go-live is a good practice to adopt.
How does Qstomy help manage custom pricing questions?
BigCommerce price lists control the display, but not the questions that come with tiered pricing. A retail customer might wonder about a price difference, while a professional might ask how to get a discount. This is where Qstomy comes in.
Qstomy, an AI agent for Shopify, guides your customers toward making a purchase by answering their questions instantly. It can explain why a price differs based on account status, or direct a visitor through the process of becoming a wholesale customer. It also tracks packages and handles customer service requests. This proactive assistance improves the customer experience.
By centralizing these exchanges, Qstomy reduces the workload of your support team and improves conversion rates. Your customers get clear answers, even outside of business hours, and you maintain control over your pricing policy. This allows you to focus on growing your business.
What is the checklist before launching your personalized pricing?
Before deploying your price lists, take the time to validate each step. Here is a checklist to avoid unpleasant surprises and guarantee a successful setup.
In brief
Groups: create your customer groups and assign the relevant accounts.
Lists: configure your price lists with a percentage discount or fixed price.
Association: link each list to the correct customer group.
Test: log in with a test account to verify the display.
Support: prepare your answers to questions about price discrepancies.
FAQ
Can I have multiple price lists for the same group? No, a customer group is associated with only one price list at a time. However, you can create multiple groups.
Do price lists work with variants? Yes, each variant can have its own price in the list, offering great flexibility.
What happens if a product is not in the list? The customer in the group will see the standard catalog price. Make sure all your sensitive products are included in the list.
To go further: Can we sell Amazon products on Shopify? - Qstomy, How to handle customer questions about web-exclusive products - Qstomy, How to handle customer questions about web offers not available in store - Qstomy, How to handle customer questions about different prices online and in store - Qstomy, How to handle customer questions about products sold in pre-configuration - Qstomy, How to handle price matching requests in e-commerce - Qstomy, Complex product online: helping the customer choose without overwhelming them with details - Qstomy.
Enzo
October 1, 2026
