Account or direct purchase - how do you create the best shopping experience for your business customers?

As B2B commerce becomes more digitalized, a central question arises:

Should customers be required to create an account to shop – or should they be able to purchase directly?

The answer depends entirely on your industry, target audience, and how you want to build your customer relationship. Below, we go through the most common strategies – and show how you can combine flexibility with security.

When account creation and login are a must

In some industries, it simply isn't a choice. If you sell regulated products like medications, alcohol, chemicals, or other specialized equipment, you need to verify that the customer is authorized to purchase.

Here, account creation is often crucial – both from a legal standpoint and to ensure that the right customer receives the right product.

Benefits of offering account creation

Even in less regulated industries, account creation can provide significant advantages – both for you and the customer:

• Personalized price lists: B2B customers appreciate discounts based on agreements, volume, and previous purchases. With an account, you can tailor the experience.

• Faster repurchases: Save delivery and invoicing information so customers don't have to fill in the same details repeatedly.

• Stronger relationship: When the customer logs in, you gain valuable data and can build on the relationship through relevant offers.

But at the same time: many modern e-commerce platforms offer similar functionality – even without requiring the customer to create an account immediately.

Direct purchase – lower threshold, increased conversion

Allowing new customers to shop without creating an account can significantly increase the chances of their first purchase.

• Less friction: No obstacles in the way – the customer can try, shop, and have a positive first experience.

• Onboarding through purchase: Deliver a smooth experience first, and then present the value of creating an account.

With Ledyer, the customer only needs to fill in their company name and email – we handle the rest. Is the customer already known to us? Then it goes even faster.

The hybrid model – the best of both worlds

Do you want flexibility and customer data? Then a hybrid model could be the way to go:

• Allow direct purchases on the first order

• Present account creation as an added value afterward

• Offer extra features and discounts to logged-in customers

You can also adjust the level based on product category – for example, requiring login for regulated products but offering direct purchase for simpler goods.

Conclusion: Adapt to your market and your goals

Account requirements can be a necessity – but it isn't always the best for sales. By:

• analyzing your target audience

• understanding your customers' purchasing behaviors

• offering flexibility where possible

… you can create a purchasing experience that is both secure, efficient, and frictionless.

🔍 Do you want to know how Ledyer can help you combine secure identification with smooth direct purchases? Get in touch – we’d be happy to show you how it works in practice.