Customer onboarding

Shopify Wholesale Customer Onboarding: Registration Forms, Approval and Tags

Onboarding turns a visitor into an approved wholesale buyer. The buyer submits an application, you review it, and approval adds a customer tag that unlocks wholesale prices and terms. This hub covers registration forms, approval workflows and tagging, with guides, use cases and docs for Shopify stores.

By BSS B2B Solutions Editorial Team
Reviewed by Hoa Nguyen, Senior Marketer. Last reviewed October 4, 2026
Last updated October 4, 2026

Install BSS B2B Solution See pricing BSS B2B Solution has a 14-day free trial on paid plans. 4.9 out of 5 from 1,187 reviews on the Shopify App Store (as of October 4, 2026).

Key concepts
Native vs BSS
Form fields
Approval and tags
Example
Which to use
Setup
Limits
Use cases
FAQ
Sources

Key concepts

Wholesale application

A form where a business gives its details, and sometimes a tax ID, so you can decide whether to approve it.

Approval workflow

The review step between application and access, done by hand or by simple automatic rules.

Customer tag

The label added on approval. Pricing, lock and order rules read it to decide what the buyer gets.

Glossary: Customer tag

Trade account

The approved business account that carries wholesale prices, terms and access.

Glossary: Trade account

Auto tags

Rules that tag customers automatically, for example by their orders or spend.

Shopify Forms vs BSS B2B Solution registration forms

Shopify handles access requests with a free form app. BSS B2B Solution is a form builder aimed at wholesale applications.

Requirement	Shopify native (Shopify Forms)	BSS B2B Solution
Fields	Company name and email are required. Custom fields include text, dropdown, radio, date, number and file upload up to 20 MB.^[1]	Text, textarea, number, date, file (10 MB each), dropdown, checkbox, radio and header fields. Field widths: 30%, 50% or 100%.
Tax ID check	The request-access page lists no tax ID field. On UK and EU company locations with Shopify Tax, a VAT number is validated.^[1]^[2]	Live check as the buyer types: EU VAT, UK VAT, US EIN, ABN and India GST. Blocks submit only when the field is required.Use case: verify a tax ID
Approval	Manual. Companies cannot order until approved, in the Ordering not approved tab.^[1]	Approve or reject each application and email the applicant. Auto-approval options need a paid plan.Use case: approve and notify
What approval creates	A company, a company location and a customer, automatically.^[1]	A Shopify customer with the tags set on the form. No company is created.
Gated stores	The form is not reachable by logged-out visitors in a fully gated B2B-only store.^[1]	The wholesale form can sit on any storefront page. Multi-step forms run on the customer account page.

Build a form with tax ID checks on a development store for free before you commit.

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Numbers in brackets point to the Shopify sources below.

What belongs on a wholesale registration form?

Which fields should a wholesale application ask for?

Ask only what you need to decide. Fewer fields mean more completed applications.

Company name and contact name
Email and phone
Business type
A tax ID
One proof document, such as a business license
Expected monthly volume, as a dropdown

How do I keep bots out of the form?

Add a Google reCAPTCHA field. It is checked before the form is submitted and is not available on the Free plan. Treat it as one screen among several.

Can I translate the form?

Yes. Forms can carry a translation for each language, which helps cross-border wholesalers apply in their own language.

When do I need a multi-step form or conditional logic?

A multi-step form splits a long application into screens and runs on the customer account page in new customer accounts, on paid plans. Conditional logic shows or hides a field by the answer to another, with Any or All matching, and it runs on the Platinum plan.

Shopify facts in this section: ^[1], read October 4, 2026.

How do approval and tagging work?

What happens after an applicant submits?

The application waits as pending. You approve or reject it, and the applicant gets an email for each outcome when sending is on. The same email cannot register twice, whatever the earlier status.

Which emails does the applicant get?

The app has templates for a new registration, a pending application, an approval, a rejection and an account activation. Approval and rejection emails are sent only when sending is on for that form.

Can an existing customer apply?

A form can allow customers who already have a Shopify account. The app reuses an enabled account. For an invited or disabled account it can send an invite instead.

What does the customer tag do?

On approval the app applies the tags you set on the form, such as wholesale. Price, lock and order rules that target that tag then apply. Auto Tag rules can add tags by spend or order count, but only after new orders and not for existing customers.

ExampleFrom application to wholesale price

A fictional candle brand runs one store for retail and wholesale. A buyer applies on Monday.

Step	What happens	Result
1. Apply	The buyer fills company name, phone, an EU VAT ID (required) and a business license file under 10 MB.	The form blocks submit if the VAT ID is invalid.
2. Review	You open the pending application and approve it.	The buyer gets an approval email.
3. Tag	The form adds the tag wholesale.	A Shopify customer exists with that tag.
4. First login	The buyer logs in.	Rules that target wholesale now apply: prices, unlocked pages, order rules.

Illustrative flow. Native companies are separate: if you also use Shopify companies, add the buyer to one in the admin.

Shopify Forms or BSS B2B Solution?

Shopify Forms is enough when

you need company name, email and a few custom fields, want a company created automatically, and check tax IDs yourself.

Add BSS B2B Solution when

you need live tax ID checks, multi-step forms, conditional fields, file review or tags added on approval, or you also use tag-based prices.

How onboarding works in BSS B2B Solution

Seven steps from a blank form to a tagged buyer.

Build the form

Add fields, set widths and write the thank-you message.

Docs: build a form Use case
Add tax ID fields

Choose EU VAT, UK VAT, EIN, ABN or GST and mark the field required.

Use case: verify a tax ID
Pick single or multi-step

Use multi-step for long applications.

Docs: multi-step Use case
Add logic and uploads

Show extra fields only when needed and accept a license file.

Docs: conditional logic Use case
Set approval and emails

Choose manual or auto-approval and the emails sent.

Docs: approve and notify Use case
Publish the form

Put it on a page and link it from your header.

Docs: publish
Tag and test

Submit a test application, approve it and check the tag.

Docs: auto tags Use case

Source: Build a Powerful Wholesale Registration Form.

Build your first wholesale registration form. BSS B2B Solution is free on development stores.

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Common mistakes and limits

These come from how the form behaves today.

Tax ID checks are a screen

The check runs in the browser and blocks submit only when the field is required. The server does not re-check, and imports are not checked.

Logic can be saved but not run

Conditional logic runs on the Platinum plan, so test it on your live plan.

One email, one application

A second submission with the same email is blocked, so a rejected buyer cannot simply reapply.

Some tax fields need more

Tax ID fields need a paid plan, and the US EIN field needs Platinum.

Captcha is a pre-submit check

reCAPTCHA is verified before submit and not again on the server, so keep reviewing applications by hand.

Guides on this topic

Customer stories

Use cases

Worked examples of customer onboarding on Shopify. Browse all use cases.

The Form template page with the Multi-step form option

BSS B2B Solution
Beauty & Personal Care

Multi-Step Wholesale Application Form

A long application scares applicants away. A multi-step form splits it into short steps with Next and Previous buttons, keeps every answer in one applicant record, and runs in Shopify's new customer accounts.

Explore use case: Multi-Step Wholesale Application Form

The wholesale registration form on the storefront with business info and general info sections

BSS B2B Solution

Wholesale Registration Form With Approval

Build a wholesale application form with the fields you need, review each applicant, approve or reject, and let approval add a customer tag and send email notifications so wholesale prices reach approved buyers.

Explore use case: Wholesale Registration Form With Approval

The registration form on the storefront with a business licence document upload field

BSS B2B Solution

Registration Form With Conditional Logic and Uploads

Different applicants need different questions. Conditional logic shows or hides fields by earlier answers, and a file upload field collects a licence or resale certificate for you to review before approving.

Explore use case: Registration Form With Conditional Logic and Uploads

The registration form showing a valid EU VAT number message and an active ABN message

BSS B2B Solution
Industrial & Technical

Verify a Business Tax ID Before Approving

Add a tax ID field to your registration form and applicants get live feedback while they type. On required fields, an invalid number blocks submission, so you review fewer applications with typos or invalid numbers.

Explore use case: Verify a Business Tax ID Before Approving

Auto Tags page in the BSS B2B Solution admin with the module switched on and two rules listed: Customer created adds the Wholesale tag and Order created adds an order tag

BSS B2B Solution

Auto-Tag Customers by Spend or Order Count

Add and remove customer and order tags automatically when Shopify events match your conditions, so spend-based wholesale tiers and tag-driven prices stay current in BSS B2B Solution without manual edits.

Explore use case: Auto-Tag Customers by Spend or Order Count

Registration Forms page in the BSS B2B Solution admin with a list of forms, their registration counts and the number of applications pending review

BSS B2B Solution

Approve, Reject and Notify Wholesale Applicants

Review every wholesale application in one list, approve or reject with a click, and let BSS B2B Solution email applicants automatically so retailers are not left waiting for a manual reply.

Explore use case: Approve, Reject and Notify Wholesale Applicants

Setup docs

Collect and approve applications with BSS B2B Solution

Build registration forms, approve buyers and tag them in one app, so the right prices and terms apply from the first login.

Get BSS B2B Solution See how BSS B2B Solution works

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a wholesale registration form on Shopify?

Build a form that collects business details, publish it on a page and review the applications. BSS B2B Solution adds a form builder with multi-step forms, conditional logic and tags on approval. Shopify also offers the free Shopify Forms app for access requests.

Does Shopify have a built-in way for businesses to apply for wholesale access?

Shopify's setup checklist points to the free Shopify Forms app. A submission creates a company, a location and a customer, and the company cannot order until you approve it. The request-access page lists no tax ID field.

What is the difference between a wholesale form and a multi-step form?

In BSS B2B Solution a wholesale registration form can show on any storefront page, while a multi-step form shows on the customer account page. Multi-step forms are not available on the Free plan.

Can I approve wholesale buyers automatically?

BSS B2B Solution supports manual approval and auto-approval, such as approving applicants whose email contains a given text. Auto-approval needs a paid plan.

What does a customer tag do in wholesale?

A customer tag is a label on the customer's account. Pricing, lock and order rules can target a tag, so one tag added on approval unlocks everything that buyer should see.

Can I collect a tax ID when buyers apply?

Yes. BSS forms have tax ID fields for EU VAT, UK VAT, US EIN, Australian ABN and India GST, checked as the buyer types. A required field blocks submit when the number is invalid. The US EIN field needs Platinum.

What files can applicants upload?

Each file can be up to 10 MB, with one file per field. Allowed types include PDF, Word, Excel, CSV, JPEG and PNG. Shopify Forms accepts uploads up to 20 MB.

Can the same email register twice?

No. If an application already exists for an email, a new submission is blocked with a message, whatever the earlier status.

Does approval create a Shopify company?

No. BSS B2B Solution creates or updates a Shopify customer and adds the form's tags. If you use Shopify companies, add the buyer to a company in the admin. Shopify Forms creates the company for you.

How much does BSS B2B Solution cost?

Free on development stores, and from $29 per month on paid plans with a 14-day free trial on paid plans. Prices are from the App Store listing as of October 4, 2026.

Sources and method

Shopify facts come from the pages below. BSS facts follow our checks against the app. We make BSS B2B Solution, so check Shopify's pages before you buy.

Shopify Help Center: Allowing new B2B customers to request access, read October 4, 2026.
Shopify Help Center: Company locations, read October 4, 2026.
Shopify Help Center: Setup checklist for blended B2B stores, read October 4, 2026.