Make marketplace invite-only

This article explains how to make your marketplace accessible by invitation only, allowing only certain users to join.

Updated over a week ago

It can be useful for some marketplaces to let only certain people join the marketplace or make it more exclusive with an invite-only system. By enabling this system, only people with an invitation will be able to join your marketplace, which in connection with setting your marketplace to private, creates an exclusive marketplace.

How does it work?

When you have your marketplace set to invite-only, only users with an invitation code can sign up to your marketplace. Any other user who tries to sign up will not be able to unless they can provide an invitation code:

How do I make my marketplace invite-only?

It is easy to make your marketplace invite-only. Simply follow these steps:

  • log in as an administrator,

  • open your Admin panel,

  • go to "Users / Signup & Login",

  • check the “Make marketplace invite-only (new users need an invitation from a registered user to sign up)" box in the "Invite-only" section.

  • save.

Can anyone send invitation codes?

That is entirely up to you. You can allow every user to send invitation codes or only let admin accounts do it. 

While making changes to the invitation settings:

  • log in as an administrator,

  • open your Admin panel,

  • go to "Users / User rights",

  • check the “Allow all registered users, and not only admins, to invite new users box in the "Invitation rights" section.

  • save.

If “Allow all registered users, and not only admins, to invite new users" is disabled, then members won't see the invite link in the top bar.

You can also view and monitor all invitations sent from your marketplace.

Where does the user get their invitation code from?

To give new users the invitation code, you have to send them an invitation email. You can find the invitation email option in your top bar named “Invite new members”.

The email you send will automatically include the invitation code if you have set your marketplace to invite-only. 

You can customize the invitation email text to whatever you wish.

How will people who wish to sign up understand what is going on and what to do?

When new users sign up, the first field visible is the invitation code field with a clickable link.

By clicking on “What’s this?” a popup message will show regarding the invitation code function. 

This will let them know why they cannot sign up. If you wish to explain what they should do to sign up, you can provide a message on the signup page.

How to add a message to the signup page

  • open your Admin panel,

  • go to "Users / Signup & Login",

  • edit the text under “Signup information text”

  • save changes

That is about it. Now you know how to make your marketplace invite-only!

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