Glossary: Onboarding
New customer accounts
New customer accounts are Shopify's current customer account system, where buyers sign in with their email and a one-time code instead of a password. Shopify B2B requires them.
In detail
Shopify has two kinds of customer account. Legacy customer accounts are the older system with a store-hosted login page and a password. New customer accounts are the newer system, where the buyer receives a one-time code by email to sign in. The account page is where buyers see orders, addresses and, in B2B, their company information.
For B2B the choice is not optional. Shopify's B2B features only work with the new accounts, so a store on legacy accounts has to switch before it can use companies, company locations and the B2B buyer experience. Buyers sign in with the email that is linked to a company location.
The switch changes how apps and forms work. A feature that depended on a legacy account page, such as a custom registration page, may need a new approach. Apps can add blocks to the new account pages through customer account extensions, and registration forms can run inside the new account flow.
Before you switch, list what your store does with the account page, test the sign-in as a buyer, and check that each app you use supports the new accounts. Tell your existing customers about the new sign-in method, because it is a one-time code and not the password they remember.
Example
A wholesale buyer visits the store, enters the email linked to their company location, receives a one-time code and signs in. They see their company's orders, and can reorder a past order in a click.
On Shopify
Shopify says you cannot use legacy customer accounts for B2B customers and orders, and that you must activate customer accounts to use B2B. Customers sign in with the email address associated with a company location and a one-time PIN sent to it. They can view order history, track orders, reorder by duplicating a past order and submit return requests.
Sources: Shopify Help Center: Sign-in and customer accounts in B2B (read October 4, 2026); Shopify Help Center: Requirements and considerations for using B2B (read October 4, 2026).
In BSS B2B apps
BSS B2B Solution's multi-step registration form runs inside Shopify's new customer accounts and needs a paid plan. BSS B2B Quote adds a read-only quote list to the customer account.
Learn more
Read the Customer onboarding hub for guides, use cases and setup docs, or the complete Shopify B2B guide.