# Creating and approving vendors

Vendor panel (marketplace)

A vendor exists in two parts: the **vendor** record (the seller: name, description, e-mail, commission) and one or more **customer accounts** linked to it, which are the people who sign in to the vendor panel. You can create both yourself, or let sellers apply from the storefront and approve them.

### Create a vendor in the admin

1. Open **Customers → Vendors** and click **Add new**.
2. On **Vendor info** enter the **Name**, **Description** (shown on the vendor's page), **Email**, a **Picture** and the **Commission** percentage you keep from the vendor's sales.
3. Tick **Active** and, if you like, **Allow customer reviews**. Fill in the address and the SEO tab.
4. Save.

![The admin Vendors list with Nordic Craft Collective, Alpine Rental Co. and Vintage Velo](https://grandnode.com/Plugins/Theme.GrandNodeCom/Content/kb/vendor-panel/admin-vendor-list.webp)

Customers → Vendors in the admin panel.

![Editing the vendor Nordic Craft Collective in the admin: name, description, active, e-mail, commission 10, store, allow customer reviews, admin comment and picture, with tabs for SEO, discounts, notes, reviews and documents](https://grandnode.com/Plugins/Theme.GrandNodeCom/Content/kb/vendor-panel/admin-vendor-edit.webp)

A vendor in the admin panel.

### Give a person access

1. Open the person's customer account under **Customers → Customers** (or create it).
2. Set the **Vendor** field to the vendor.
3. Add the account to the **Vendors** customer group (keep **Registered**).
4. Save. The person can now sign in at `/vendor`.

Several accounts can be linked to one vendor, for example the owner and an employee.

### Applications from the storefront

With **Allow customers to apply for vendor account** on in the [vendor settings](https://grandnode.com/vendor-panel-vendor-settings), a signed-in customer can apply at `/vendorapply`.

![The storefront page Apply for vendor account with vendor name, e-mail and description fields and a Submit button](https://grandnode.com/Plugins/Theme.GrandNodeCom/Content/kb/vendor-panel/storefront-apply.webp)

The vendor application form.

On submit GrandNode creates the vendor as **inactive**, links it to the applicant's account and e-mails the store owner. To approve:

1. Open the new vendor under **Customers → Vendors**, check the details and set the commission.
2. Tick **Active** and save.
3. Add the applicant's account to the **Vendors** group.

To reject, delete the vendor, or leave it inactive with an admin comment.

### Deactivate a vendor

**Deactivate** on the vendor page (or unticking Active) hides the vendor's page and stops its people from signing in to the vendor panel. Their products and past orders stay.

### Related

- [A tour of the vendor panel](https://grandnode.com/vendor-panel-tour)
- [Vendors and sales employees](https://grandnode.com/customers-vendors-and-sales-employees)

- [Web page](https://grandnode.com/vendor-panel-create-and-approve-vendors)