docs/user/vendors/vendor-onboarding-manual.mdx
<Warning>Multi-vendor capabilities are only available in Spree Enterprise Edition.</Warning>
<Note>This guide covers vendors who'll add products manually through the vendor dashboard or import them via CSV. For other vendor types, see <u>Shopify Vendor Onboarding</u> and <u>WooCommerce Vendor Onboarding</u>.</Note>
Not every vendor will be running on Shopify or WooCommerce. Some don't yet have an online store at all, some use platforms without a direct Spree integration, and some simply prefer to manage their marketplace catalog independently. For all of these cases, the Manual/CSV onboarding path is the catch-all — it works with any vendor regardless of their backend setup.
Onboarding a Manual/CSV vendor has two distinct parts: an Admin Setup that the marketplace owner completes by sending an invitation, and a Vendor Onboarding flow that the vendor themselves completes after receiving the invite.
Before you can onboard Manual/CSV vendors, you'll need:
spree_multi_vendor Enterprise gem installed on your Spree instance.This section is for the marketplace owner. Inviting a Manual/CSV vendor uses the same invitation flow as WooCommerce vendors — the vendor selects their preferred method (manual or CSV) during their own onboarding.
To invite a vendor, navigate to Vendors in the admin dashboard.
Click Invite Vendor in the top right corner to open the invitation form.
Fill in the following fields:
<Note>The commission rate can be different for each vendor and updated later from the vendor's profile.</Note>
Double-check the details and click Send Invitation. The newly invited vendor will appear in your list of vendors with a pending status.
The vendor will receive an email at the specified address with a link to begin onboarding.
If the vendor doesn't receive the email, or they prefer a different communication channel, you can copy the invitation link and send it directly.
Click on the vendor in the list to open their vendor profile, navigate to the Invitations subtab, click the three-dot menu, and select Copy invitation link.
If you need to withdraw the invitation — whether the wrong contact was invited, the vendor's details need correcting, or the partnership ended before they began onboarding — navigate to the Invitations subtab as above, click the three-dot menu, and select Delete.
<Warning>Cancelling an invitation is irreversible. To re-invite the vendor later, you'll need to start the invitation flow from scratch.</Warning>
This section is for the vendor. Once you've received the invitation from the marketplace owner, follow these steps to set up your vendor account and start adding products.
You'll receive an email invitation from the marketplace owner with a link to get started. Click the link to be directed to your vendor account creation page.
Fill in the sign-up form to create your vendor account, then click Create Account.
You'll then be redirected to your new vendor dashboard, where you'll see a Getting Started checklist of onboarding tasks.
Click on the Connect or Create a Shop task in the checklist, then click Use CSV and/or Admin dashboard.
The task will be marked complete and you'll be ready to start adding products.
Unlike vendors who connect Shopify or WooCommerce, you'll need to add products to your marketplace catalog yourself. You have two options:
You can mix and match these methods as needed — for example, bulk-importing the initial catalog and then adding new products manually as they're released.
With your shop set up, you'll still need to complete a few more tasks before you can start selling.
Your company's billing address is needed for vendor payouts and invoices. Click on the task in your checklist, fill in the form, and click Save.
Stripe is used by the marketplace to process payments and send your payouts. To receive your earnings, you'll need to connect a Stripe account.
An existing Stripe account isn't required — you can create one as part of this flow. The whole process usually takes around five minutes. Once connected, you'll receive payouts whenever you ship orders.
<Note>If you're not the one handling your company's financials, you can invite another team member to complete this step instead.</Note>
<Warning>Some marketplaces use payment providers other than Stripe. If that's the case, you'll be prompted to connect your bank account through a different flow — your marketplace owner will let you know the specifics.</Warning>
A returns address ensures customers know where to send returns. Click on the task in your checklist, enter your company's return address, and click Save.
Since you're not connecting an external store, you'll need to add your shipping methods and rates manually.
Click on the Set Shipping Rates task, then click Manage Shipping Rates to be taken to the Settings → Shipping section of your vendor dashboard. Add each shipping method you'd like to offer along with its rate, then click Confirm Shipping Rates in the top right corner.
<Note>You can edit existing shipping methods or add new ones at any time after onboarding is complete.</Note>
A clear returns policy builds customer trust, sets clear expectations, and helps prevent disputes over returns and refunds.
Once onboarding is complete, your products will be sent to the marketplace owner for review. Once they're approved, they'll go live on the storefront, and you can manage your business directly from your Spree vendor dashboard.
For other vendor types, see <u>Shopify Vendor Onboarding</u> or <u>WooCommerce Vendor Onboarding</u>.