# Using Customer Tags with B2B Lock

Customer tags are the **backbone** of most serious B2B setups in Shopify.

B2B Lock doesn’t create new account types – instead, it uses **Shopify customer tags** to decide who can see what.\
If you design your tags well, your locks stay simple and easy to maintain.

***

#### 1. Why tags matter

Tags let you:

* Group customers into **segments** (wholesale, distributor, VIP, region, tier, etc.)
* Control **catalog visibility** with B2B Lock
* Connect your B2B setup to:
  * Registration apps
  * CRM / ERP
  * Manual approvals

B2B Lock can check tags in **Step 2 – Control access**:

> “If the customer is tagged with `wholesale`”\
> “If the customer is tagged with `b2b-approved`”

If the condition is true → they see locked content.\
If not → they see your lock message instead.

***

#### 2. Common tag patterns

Here are simple, scalable patterns to use:

**Access level tags**

* `wholesale` – generic wholesale customer
* `b2b-approved` – generic B2B approval
* `vip` – high-value customers
* `staff` or `internal` – internal accounts, testers

**Region or market tags**

* `us-wholesale`
* `eu-distributor`
* `jp-partner`

**Tier tags**

* `silver`
* `gold`
* `platinum`

You can combine them as needed on each customer (e.g., `wholesale + eu-distributor + gold`).

***

#### 3. Where tags come from

Tags can be:

* **Added automatically** by:
  * B2B registration apps (approve → add tag)
  * Workflows / automation (Shopify Flow, Zapier, etc.)
* **Added manually** by staff:
  * In Shopify Admin → Customers → Edit → Tags

Best practice:\
Have a clear internal rule like:

> “Once wholesale is approved, tag customer `wholesale` and remove `pending-b2b`.”

This keeps your B2B Lock rules simple:

* “If the customer is tagged with `wholesale`…” instead of trying to mix multiple temporary states.

***

#### 4. Good tag design: do & don’t

**Do**

* Use **short, consistent** names: `wholesale`, `gold`, `us-wholesale`
* Document tag meanings internally (“What does `b2b-approved` actually mean?”)
* Use tags to reflect **business reality**:
  * Who can see what
  * Who gets which pricing or catalog

**Don’t**

* Create lots of near-duplicates like `wholesale`, `wholesale_customer`, `b2b-wholesale`
* Overload tags with too many meanings
* Rely on tags you never actually apply consistently

***

#### 5. How tags interact with B2B Lock

In B2B Lock, you’ll mostly use tags in **Step 2 – Control access**:

Examples:

* Hide prices for everyone except wholesale:
  * **If the customer is tagged with `wholesale`** → allow
* Lock a collection only for EU distributors:
  * **If the customer is tagged with `eu-distributor`** → allow

You can also combine tags with other conditions:

* `signed-in AND tagged wholesale`
* `tagged gold OR came via secret link`

Once you commit to a clear tag strategy, rules are easier to read, change, and debug.


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