Case Study: How long does it take to open a B2B channel from scratch?

Automatic onboarding for Shopify B2B?

Transitioning from a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model to a professional B2B environment is a massive milestone for any brand. Geoshield, a leading provider of window tinting and automotive ceramic films, faced this exact challenge as they pivoted from an ungated DTC store to an innovative, educational, dealer-focused B2B powerhouse.

They needed a way to verify and onboard professional installers without the complexity of a massive CRM or a long development cycle. By using Onboard B2B, they implemented a B2B channel in a matter of days.

The challenge: Turning on B2B for the first time

Before finding a dedicated solution, Geoshield operated without strict B2B rules. Their previous storefront was built on an older version of Shopify that lacked a structured onboarding workflow. When they migrated to a modern storefront, they realized they had no way to gate their professional products or verify company applicants.

While the recent release of Shopify B2B has enabled powerful new tools for manufacturers and wholesalers, the native platform still lacks a seamless way to accept applications and onboard new buyers. Geoshield needed a bridge to connect their new site's capabilities with a professional registration process. John Schurman, a lead at Geoshield, noted that while they had considered complex alternatives like HubSpot, the cost and time requirements were prohibitive. They needed a tool that lived within Shopify and allowed their team to manage high-volume applications autonomously.

The solution: Seamless onboarding and autonomy

Geoshield integrated Onboard B2B to handle the heavy lifting of professional registrations. The setup process was efficient, taking John less than 30 minutes to get the core functionality running.

The app allowed Geoshield to:

Enforce B2B rules: For the first time, they could distinguish between retail customers and professional tinting shops.

Empower the team: The leadership team and managers were able to offload application reviews to staff members who now handle the process independently.

Simplify the user experience: Professional window tinters can now apply and gain access to wholesale pricing through a clear, professional portal.

"My team has been able to handle it autonomously, which has been a huge lift off of my manager, staff and our leadership team. It's been very easy to use for the employees, so that's been great for multiple people to adopt it across the board and be able to use it."

— John Schurman, Geoshield

The results: Lower costs and faster scaling

By choosing a specialized Shopify app over a custom CRM build, Geoshield saved thousands of dollars in monthly development fees. Instead of waiting an entire fiscal quarter for a custom coded solution, they were active on day one.

Today, Geoshield uses Onboard B2B to manage their growing list of owner-operator tint shops. As they expand into multi-location clients, they plan to utilize the app's managed company account features to let their customers manage their own staff and locations directly within the Geoshield store.

Key takeaways

Speed to market: Geoshield went live with B2B functionality in under 30 minutes.

Operational efficiency: The intuitive interface allowed the sales and support teams to adopt the tool without extensive training or oversight.

Significant ROI: Compared to custom development through a CRM, Onboard B2B provided a more cost-effective and immediate solution.