B2B E-Commerce with PrestaShop: VAT Handling, Net Prices and Payment Terms

Selling to businesses is fundamentally different from selling to consumers. Your B2B customers expect net prices without VAT, deferred payment terms, proper invoicing with their VAT number, and a purchasing experience that respects how companies actually buy. PrestaShop can handle all of this — but only if you configure it correctly.

The VAT Challenge in European B2B

When you sell to a business within the EU, VAT rules become complex quickly. The basics are straightforward: if a business customer provides a valid EU VAT number, and they are in a different EU country than your store, the sale is zero-rated (0% VAT). This is called an intra-community supply.

But the details matter:

• VAT number validation must be real-time — You cannot simply accept any number a customer types. The VIES system (VAT Information Exchange System) maintained by the European Commission allows you to verify VAT numbers instantly.
• Domestic B2B sales still include VAT — If your store is in Germany and your B2B customer is also in Germany, standard VAT applies regardless of their business status.
• Documentation is mandatory — You must keep proof of the customer's VAT number validation for your tax records.

Automating VAT validation at checkout prevents errors and saves hours of manual verification. When a customer enters their VAT number, it should be checked against VIES immediately, and if valid, the appropriate tax rules should apply automatically.

Net vs. Gross Price Display

B2B customers think in net prices — they want to see 100 EUR, not 119 EUR. But B2C customers expect to see the final price including tax. If your PrestaShop store serves both audiences, you need a way to switch the price display based on customer group.

PrestaShop supports tax-inclusive and tax-exclusive price display, but managing the toggle between them — especially when you want B2B customers to see net prices immediately — requires careful configuration. The ideal solution lets the customer or their group setting determine which view they see, without requiring separate storefronts.

Payment Terms: Not Every Sale Is Prepaid

Consumer e-commerce is simple: customer pays, you ship. B2B works differently. Companies often expect payment terms — net 30, net 60, or even net 90 days. They issue purchase orders, require invoice payments, and sometimes need approval workflows before a purchase can be finalized.

Supporting deferred payment in PrestaShop means:

• Allowing trusted B2B customers to complete checkout without immediate payment.
• Generating proper invoices with payment due dates.
• Tracking outstanding payments and sending reminders.
• Setting credit limits per customer to manage risk.

This is a significant departure from standard e-commerce but essential for serious B2B operations. Many PrestaShop stores lose B2B customers simply because they cannot offer the payment flexibility that businesses require.

Invoice Requirements

B2B invoices must include specific information that consumer receipts do not:

• Seller and buyer VAT numbers.
• Sequential invoice numbering.
• Clear tax breakdown (net amount, VAT rate, VAT amount, gross total).
• Payment terms and due date.
• Reference to any purchase order number provided by the buyer.

Ensuring your PrestaShop invoices comply with these requirements is not optional — it is a legal obligation in most EU countries.

Setting Up Your PrestaShop Store for B2B

The most effective approach is to use customer groups. Create a dedicated B2B group with net price display, assign validated business customers to this group, and configure tax rules that respect intra-community supply regulations. Combine this with automated VAT validation and payment term modules, and your PrestaShop store becomes a fully capable B2B platform without needing a separate system.