Controlling access to wholesale pricing is a fundamental requirement for most B2B operations. Brands need assurance that buyers are legitimate businesses or qualified professionals—not consumers seeking discounts or competitors researching pricing.
This guide covers verification approaches by use case, implementation methods, and the buyer experience considerations that affect adoption.
Verification Requirements by Business Type
Different B2B models require different verification rigor:
General Wholesale (Retailers, Distributors)
Objective: Confirm the buyer operates a legitimate business
Typical Requirements:
- Business name and registration
- Tax identification (EIN, GST, VAT)
- Business address
- Website or social media presence (for validation)
Verification Method: Manual review of submitted documentation against public records or basic web research. Processing time: 24-48 hours.
Professional Credentials (Healthcare, Licensed Services)
Objective: Confirm the buyer holds required professional licensing
Typical Requirements:
- Professional license number
- License type and jurisdiction
- Practice or business name
- Practice address
Applicable Industries:
- Supplements and nutraceuticals selling to healthcare practitioners
- Medical devices selling to clinical practices
- Professional beauty products selling to licensed estheticians
- Veterinary products selling to licensed veterinarians
Verification Method: License validation through state/national registry databases. Manual lookup or API integration with verification services (SheerID, ID.me).
Authorized Reseller Programs
Objective: Selective approval of which businesses can purchase and resell
Typical Requirements:
- Business credentials (as above)
- Application or inquiry explaining intended use
- Possible interview or vetting conversation
- Geographic or category restrictions
Verification Method: Multi-step review process including business validation and qualitative assessment.
Existing Account Verification
Objective: Confirm identity for buyers with pre-established relationships
Typical Requirements:
- Account credentials or invitation code
- Company association
Verification Method: Immediate validation against existing customer database.
Implementation Approaches
Manual Approval (Most Common Starting Point)
Process:
- Potential buyer accesses wholesale registration (app or web)
- Completes application with required information
- Application triggers notification to operations team
- Team member reviews submission (5-15 minutes per application)
- Approval or rejection communicated to applicant
- Approved buyers gain access to pricing and ordering
Advantages:
- Low technical complexity
- Human judgment for edge cases
- No integration requirements
Limitations:
- Doesn't scale beyond ~50 applications per week efficiently
- Approval delays (24-72 hours typical)
- Inconsistent evaluation criteria across team members
Recommended for: Brands processing fewer than 200 new B2B applications monthly
Semi-Automated Validation
Process:
- Buyer submits application with verifiable credentials (GST, license number)
- System validates credential format and structure
- Operations team performs final validation against official database
- Approval/rejection based on validation result
Advantages:
- Filters obvious invalid submissions automatically
- Reduces manual review time by 40-60%
- Standardizes credential format
Limitations:
- Still requires manual database lookups
- Integration complexity for format validation
Recommended for: Brands processing 200-1,000 applications monthly
Fully Automated Verification
Process:
- Buyer submits application with credentials
- System validates credentials via API integration with verification provider
- Valid credentials trigger automatic approval
- Invalid or unverifiable credentials flagged for manual review
Advantages:
- Near-instant approval for valid applicants
- Consistent validation criteria
- Scales to unlimited application volume
Limitations:
- Integration costs with verification providers
- Not all credential types have reliable API validation
- Requires exception handling for edge cases
Recommended for: Brands processing 1,000+ applications monthly or requiring professional credential verification at scale
Professional License Verification
For industries requiring credential validation (healthcare, esthetics, veterinary):
Data Sources
United States:
- Medical licenses: State medical board databases (most accessible online)
- Nursing licenses: Nursys database (national)
- Veterinary licenses: State veterinary board databases
- Esthetics/cosmetology: State cosmetology board databases
Other Jurisdictions:
- Canada: Provincial regulatory bodies
- UK: GMC (medical), NMC (nursing), HCPC (allied health)
- EU: Varies by country and profession
Verification Services
For high-volume professional verification, third-party services provide API-based validation:
- SheerID: Supports healthcare professional, military, student, and other professional verification
- ID.me: Identity and professional credential verification
- Experian/Equifax professional databases: Business and professional verification
These services charge per verification (typically $0.50-$3.00) but provide instant validation and reduce manual review overhead.
Implementation Example
A medical products brand we work with sells to optometrists and ophthalmologists:
- Practitioner downloads wholesale app
- Registration requires: NPI number, license state, practice name
- Operations team validates NPI through NPPES database (free, public)
- Valid practitioners approved within 24 hours
- Practitioners access wholesale pricing and ordering
Current program: ~800 verified practitioners placing orders through the app.
Application Experience Design
The verification experience significantly affects application completion rates.
Required Fields (Minimize)
Request only information necessary for verification:
- Business/practice name
- Primary contact name and email
- Verification credential (GST, license number, tax ID)
- Business type (dropdown selection)
Each additional required field reduces completion rates by approximately 3-5%.
Optional Fields (Context-Dependent)
Additional information helpful for account management but not required for verification:
- Website
- Social media profiles
- Annual purchase volume estimate
- Product categories of interest
Communication
During application:
- Clear explanation of what information is required and why
- Estimated approval timeline
- Confirmation that application was received
After submission:
- Immediate acknowledgment email
- Status update when review begins
- Clear approval or rejection with next steps
Rejection handling:
- Specific reason for rejection (if not security-sensitive)
- Instructions for remediation if applicable
- Contact information for questions
App Experience: Approved vs. Unapproved Users
Shop2App's wholesale features support differentiated experiences based on verification status:
Before Approval
- Catalog browsing: Available
- Pricing display: Hidden or "Login for wholesale pricing"
- Add to cart: Disabled
- Checkout: Blocked
- Messaging: "Apply for wholesale account" with clear call-to-action
After Approval
- Catalog browsing: Available
- Pricing display: Customer-specific pricing visible
- Add to cart: Functional
- Checkout: Available with assigned payment terms
- Reorder features: Access to order history and quick reorder
This differentiation is managed through Shopify customer tags. Approved wholesale customers receive tags that unlock pricing and purchasing capabilities.
Dual App Architecture
Some brands operate separate applications for consumer and wholesale channels:
Consumer App:
- Public availability
- Retail pricing
- Standard checkout
Wholesale App:
- Restricted to verified buyers
- Customer-specific pricing
- B2B checkout with payment terms
Cross-promotion between apps:
- Consumer app: "Are you a retailer or licensed professional? [Access wholesale pricing]"
- Wholesale app: "This app is for approved wholesale customers. [Apply for account]"
Both apps connect to Shopify, consumer app to the main store, wholesale app to the B2B expansion store.
Implementation with Shop2App
Verification configuration is a standard component of wholesale app implementation:
Configuration includes:
- Registration form field setup
- Approval notification workflows
- Customer tag assignment upon approval
- Pricing/checkout visibility rules
- Rejection communication templates
Timeline: Verification workflows are typically configured during the 2-3 week development phase, requiring no additional implementation time.
Pricing: Verification features are included in all wholesale app tiers, starting at $1,500/month (Premium).
Key Takeaways
- Verification requirements vary by industry—general business validation, professional credentials, or authorized reseller programs
- Manual approval works well for moderate volumes (<200 applications/month)
- Automated verification becomes cost-effective at scale or when instant approval improves conversion
- Application experience design significantly affects completion rates
- Verification happens once; streamlined ordering happens continuously thereafter
Next Step: Discuss your specific verification requirements and how they map to implementation options. We've implemented verification workflows across multiple industries and can advise on the most efficient approach for your situation.
Schedule a consultation →
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