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Install B2B Lock
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Using Customer Tags with B2B Lock

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

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 – Access & Message, with the condition User type → Tagged customers – Must have specific tags:

Tagged customers: wholesale Tagged customers: 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:

  • “Tagged customers: 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 – Access & Message (User type → Tagged customers):

Examples:

  • Hide prices for everyone except wholesale:

    • Tagged customers with wholesale → allow

  • Lock a collection only for EU distributors:

    • Tagged customers with eu-distributor → allow

You can also combine tags with other conditions:

  • AND – add both conditions to the same Rule (a customer must meet every condition in the rule): Passcode AND Tagged customers wholesale

  • OR – click + Add rule to create a separate Rule (any rule can let the customer in): Rule 1: Tagged customers gold OR Rule 2: secret link

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

Still Need Help?

If you have questions or need assistance configuring BSS B2B Lock, our dedicated support team is here to help.

  • In-App Assistance: Click Need help? or use the in-app chat button within BSS B2B Lock.

  • Email Support: Contact us at support-sbc@bsscommerce.com with your store URL and specific rule details.

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