B2B eCommerce: Customers Requesting an Account
In B2B eCommerce, not every visitor should be allowed to browse products, view prices, or make purchases. Unlike B2C, where open access drives conversion, B2B sales are relationship-based and often limited to approved partners, distributors, or qualified business buyers.
That’s why many B2B merchants use account request workflows instead of open registration. This approach ensures that only verified buyers gain access to your catalog, pricing, and ordering capabilities — protecting your business from unauthorized access while maintaining a personalized buying experience.
Spree Commerce Enterprise Edition makes this process seamless. It enables prospective buyers to request an account, specify their customer segment, and provide the necessary business details. Your admin team can then review, approve, or reject the request — granting catalog access only to verified organizations. Once approved, buyers can invite team members, configure roles, and begin purchasing under a shared account.
This workflow bridges security and sales enablement — ensuring that the right customers can buy from you, and that their onboarding is smooth and controlled.
The B2B Pain Point: Who Should See Prices and Products
In consumer eCommerce, anyone can browse and buy. But in B2B, pricing often depends on customer relationships, contract terms, and negotiated discounts. Many merchants must hide their product catalogs and price lists from guests or unverified visitors.
Without access control, problems arise:
- Unauthorized users or competitors can see sensitive pricing.
- Ineligible buyers flood your sales pipeline with low-quality leads.
- Your sales team spends time manually filtering legitimate accounts from spam signups.
Spree Commerce solves this by letting you gate your storefront, making your product catalog, pricing, and checkout visible only to approved customers. Prospective buyers first complete a guided account request form — and only after approval can they explore your B2B portal and place orders.
Learn more about restricting catalog and pricing visibility for unregistered users.
Step 1: Account Request Form – Guided and Segment-Aware
The customer onboarding process in Spree begins with a guided account request form. Unlike simple signups, this form asks meaningful questions that help classify the applicant.
The form typically starts with a segment selector — for example:
- Are you a distributor, reseller, retailer, or corporate buyer?
- Do you represent a public institution or private enterprise?
Based on the answer, Spree dynamically adjusts the form to collect relevant information such as:
- Company name, VAT or tax ID, and contact details.
- Expected order volume and product categories of interest.
- Business licenses or certifications (if required).
This segmentation ensures that you capture structured, actionable data from every request while immediately assigning the applicant to the proper customer segment for pricing and catalog visibility.
You can explore more about segment-based customer onboarding and pricing logic.
Step 2: Admin Review & Approval Workflow
Once a new account request is submitted, it lands in the Spree Admin Dashboard for review. Your team can:
- View all pending account requests in one place.
- Check the applicant’s details and documentation.
- Approve, reject, or request additional information.
Approved users are automatically assigned to a customer segment — determining which products, pricing, and promotions they’ll see after login. Rejected users receive a polite notification, keeping your brand experience professional and consistent.
This process ensures that only legitimate, verified business buyers gain access to your storefront, maintaining trust with existing partners and compliance with your distribution policies.
See how Spree supports account management and access controls for business buyers.
Step 3: Buyer Access and Team Collaboration
Once an account is approved, the buyer gains full access to your product catalog, price lists, and ordering capabilities. They can immediately browse and purchase — or invite colleagues from their organization to join their account.
Using Spree’s Buyer Organizations & Permissions, account owners can:
- Add team members and assign roles (e.g., buyer, approver, accountant).
- Share address books, order histories, and payment terms.
- Set internal approval workflows for larger purchases.
This collaborative buying model reflects how real B2B procurement teams operate. Instead of a single buyer, an entire organization can now manage purchases together in a structured, controlled environment.
Learn more about buyer organization and permission management.
Why Account Requests Drive Better B2B Relationships
Implementing an account request system isn’t about friction — it’s about focus and qualification. When buyers request access, they’re signaling genuine intent. You can gather valuable context upfront, personalize their experience, and ensure that every buyer entering your platform belongs there.
This approach benefits both sides:
- Buyers get a tailored onboarding process and relevant catalogs.
- Sellers gain control over who can view and purchase products.
- Sales teams receive qualified leads pre-segmented for faster conversion.
- Operations teams minimize errors by assigning buyers to correct pricing tiers and tax regions automatically.
It’s a controlled, efficient, and scalable way to grow your B2B customer base while protecting your business.
About Spree Commerce
Spree Commerce is a flexible, open-source eCommerce platform trusted by thousands of brands, manufacturers, and distributors worldwide. Built for scalability and customization, it allows full control over product catalogs, integrations, and user experiences.
About Spree Commerce Enterprise Edition
Spree Commerce Enterprise Edition extends the open-source foundation with advanced B2B functionality, including:
- Account Access & Controls for gated storefronts and verification.
- Customer Segmentation & Pricing for personalized catalogs.
- Buyer Organizations & Permissions for multi-user collaboration.
- Invoicing & Compliance for regulated industries.
- Fulfillment & Inventory Models for complex logistics operations.
Spree Enterprise is ideal for manufacturers, wholesalers, and B2B brands looking to combine security, flexibility, and growth.
Conclusion: Control Access, Qualify Buyers, and Scale Efficiently
In B2B eCommerce, success starts with knowing who your buyers are. Letting just anyone sign up leads to confusion, inefficiency, and risk. A well-designed account request process ensures that every user who enters your storefront is verified, segmented, and ready to buy — on the right terms.
With Spree Commerce Enterprise Edition, you can automate this entire journey: from request to approval to active account, all while maintaining full control over access, segmentation, and permissions.
👉 Get in touch with the Spree team to learn how Spree Commerce can help you build a smarter, secure, and scalable account request workflow for your B2B eCommerce operations.
B2B eCommerce FAQ: Customers Requesting an Account
How can I let customers request access to my B2B eCommerce store?
Spree Commerce allows customers to request an account using a guided signup form that collects business details and classifies applicants by customer segment. This process ensures only verified buyers gain access to your catalog and pricing. Learn more about gated B2B storefronts and account access controls.
How can I segment customers when they request an account?
Spree Commerce supports segment-aware onboarding forms, where applicants select their business type or segment and are automatically routed to customized questions. This helps assign them to the correct pricing tiers and catalogs upon approval. Read more about customer segmentation and pricing logic.
Who reviews and approves new B2B account requests?
Spree Commerce enables business admins to review, approve, or reject account requests directly in the admin dashboard. Approved users gain catalog access and are automatically assigned to their segment. Learn more about account management and approval workflows.
Can approved buyers invite other users from their organization?
Yes. Spree Commerce allows approved account owners to invite additional team members and assign them roles such as buyers, approvers, or accountants — supporting collaborative purchasing. Learn about buyer organizations and permissions.
How does Spree ensure unauthorized users can’t see prices or products?
Spree Commerce supports restricted catalog and price visibility, meaning only approved and logged-in users can see products or pricing. Guests are shown limited information or can be redirected to the account request form. Learn about hiding B2B catalogs and prices for guests.
Can I automate parts of the account approval process?
Yes. Spree Commerce allows partial automation by setting approval rules based on domain, geography, or customer type. Trusted partners can be auto-approved, while others require manual verification. Explore more about automated customer onboarding rules.
What happens after an account request is approved?
Once approved, buyers receive login credentials, are assigned to a customer segment, and can view their personalized catalog and pricing. They can then invite colleagues to collaborate on orders. See more about post-approval buyer capabilities.
