# General FAQs URL: https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/faqs Answers to common SparkLayer questions: plans and trials, setup, the storefront, B2B customers and prices, payments, shipping, tax, integrations and support. ## About SparkLayer **What can I do with SparkLayer?** SparkLayer adds B2B (wholesale) ordering to your existing website, without a new store or a custom-built B2B site. You can: - Set B2B prices for each group of customers, or for one customer - Give B2B customers self-service ordering, quick re-ordering and saved shopping lists - Accept B2B payments, such as Pay on Account and Pay by Invoice, with net terms and credit limits - Set pack sizes, minimum and maximum quantities, and quantity price breaks - Let your sales reps place orders for customers with [sales agent ordering](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-ordering.md) - Manage the quote-to-order process with the [Quoting Engine](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/ordering/quoting.md) - Set pre-order and back-order rules Some features need a paid plan: see [Plans and features](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/plans-and-features.md) for what's on each one, and [Storefront features](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/storefront.md) for what your customers see. **How is SparkLayer different from Shopify's own B2B features?** Shopify's native B2B covers the basics, such as company accounts, a few pricing catalogs and net terms. SparkLayer adds more on any Shopify plan, including unlimited price lists from the Starter plan, a sales agent portal for your reps, bulk and CSV ordering, shopping lists and the Quoting Engine. It works over your existing theme. A customer gets one ordering experience or the other, not both at once. See [Shopify FAQs](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/platforms/shopify/faqs.md) for the full comparison. **How does SparkLayer compare to other B2B solutions?** The main difference, beyond features, is that you keep using your existing website. SparkLayer "layers" on top of it (hence the name). Many other B2B solutions are separate web portals, so customers use an entirely different website. If you already have a website (for example, for your retail customers) or an eCommerce platform you know well, a separate portal means more systems and tools to manage. Every B2B solution suits particular use cases or customer types. We're happy to talk this through: [book a demo](https://www.sparklayer.io/demo/). **Can I run my B2C store alongside my B2B store?** Yes. You can install SparkLayer on your existing retail (B2C) store and run B2C and B2B from the same store. We call this a hybrid setup. Retail customers see your store as normal. When B2B customers sign in, they see SparkLayer's widgets, with their prices and B2B ordering. **Can retail shoppers see my wholesale prices?** No. SparkLayer only shows B2B prices to B2B customers who've signed in. Your products and retail prices stay visible to everyone until you hide them. On Shopify, hide B2B-only products from retail shoppers with the free [B2B Catalogs](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/storefront/b2b-catalogs.md) app. Hiding prices from signed-out visitors, or making everyone sign in first, is a theme code change for your developer. See [Keep wholesale prices and products hidden from retail shoppers](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/guides/hide-wholesale-from-retail.md). On other platforms, see your platform's FAQs, linked at the foot of this page. **Do you have a demo store to test SparkLayer?** Yes. See [Try our demo](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/get-started/demo.md). ## Plans, trials and billing **How much does SparkLayer cost?** There's a free **Basic** plan (Shopify only) and 4 paid plans: **Starter** ($49 per month), **Growth** ($149), **Pro** ($299) and **Enterprise** (from $499). Plans differ by B2B orders per month, sales agents and features. See [Plans and features](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/plans-and-features.md), or our [pricing page](https://www.sparklayer.io/pricing/) for the latest prices. On Shopify, you're billed through Shopify, and on Wix through Wix. For other platforms, see [Billing, trials and cancelling](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/dashboard/billing.md). **Is there a free trial, and what happens when it ends?** Yes. Every paid plan has a 14-day free trial. When it ends, you're billed for the plan you chose, and everything you set up during the trial stays as it is. To avoid being billed, change plan or cancel before the 14 days are up. See [Free trials](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/dashboard/billing.md#free-trials). **What happens if I go over my plan's B2B orders?** Nothing is blocked. Your customers keep ordering, and your plan card shows **Over limit** and suggests a plan that fits. Only orders placed through SparkLayer count, not retail orders, and cancelled or refunded orders still count. See [What counts as a B2B order](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/plans-and-features.md#what-counts-as-a-b2b-order). **Can I downgrade, pause or cancel?** Yes. To change plan, open the plans window from your plan card (or **Plan** in the Shopify app) and choose another plan. On Shopify, you can move to the free **Basic** plan to stop paying but keep your account and setup. To cancel, uninstall SparkLayer from your store. Treat uninstalling as deleting your SparkLayer data, so [contact us](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/support.md) first. See [Billing, trials and cancelling](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/dashboard/billing.md#cancel), and for refunds, the [Refund policy](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/policies/refund-policy.md). **Will you install SparkLayer for me?** Yes. On every plan, our team installs SparkLayer's storefront widgets on your website for you, free, and tests them. Paid plans also include personalised onboarding sessions. See [Request free installation](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/support.md#request-free-installation). Free installation doesn't include customising your theme, such as restyling the widgets or custom scripts. See [What the free installation covers](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/storefront/what-you-can-change.md#what-the-free-installation-covers). **Where do I see my plan and usage?** In the SparkLayer Dashboard, it's on the plan card at the foot of the sidebar. In the Shopify app, click **Plan** in the menu. Home shows a plan card too. See [Your plan and usage](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/dashboard/plan-and-features.md). ## Platforms and setup **Which eCommerce platforms and systems does SparkLayer integrate with?** SparkLayer works with Shopify (every Shopify plan), BigCommerce (Plus, Pro and Enterprise), Wix (Wix Editor and Wix Studio), WooCommerce (early access) and Magento (Adobe Commerce, on the Enterprise plan). For other platforms and custom-built websites, connect SparkLayer with [SparkLayer Ignite](https://docs.sparklayer.io/ignite.md), our framework for building platform integrations (Enterprise plan), as long as your platform can connect to an external API. See [Compare platforms](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/platforms/compare.md) for which features work on each platform. SparkLayer also integrates with ERP, inventory, accounting and shipping apps. See [Integrations](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/integrations.md). **How do I install SparkLayer on my store?** On Shopify and BigCommerce, install our official [Shopify](https://apps.shopify.com/sparklayer) or [BigCommerce](https://www.bigcommerce.com/apps/sparklayer-b2b-wholesale/) app and follow the onboarding steps. For other platforms, see the install guides in [Platforms](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/platforms.md). Once your SparkLayer account is created, the 5-step **Setup** checklist takes you from your first price list to SparkLayer showing on your theme. See [Get started](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/get-started.md). **How long does SparkLayer take to set up?** Most stores finish the 5 steps of the **Setup** checklist in under 15 minutes, if you manage your pricing and customers with SparkLayer's built-in tools. Our team can install the storefront widgets for you, free. See [Get started](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/get-started.md). Larger integrations take longer. These are usually Enterprise merchants who need back-office connections, such as an ERP. Setup times vary, and we'll work with you on a project plan. **Do I need to hire a developer to integrate SparkLayer?** Not to set it up. The **Setup** checklist walks you through it, and our team installs the storefront widgets for you, free. A developer helps with some jobs, such as [customising the design](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/storefront/customising-design.md) beyond the settings, hiding prices from signed-out visitors, and connecting an ERP or other system through the [SparkLayer API](https://docs.sparklayer.io/developers/api.md). ## Your storefront **What can I change about how SparkLayer looks on my store?** Quite a lot, without code: any wording, features such as shopping lists and favourites, and the order of My Account sections and payment methods are settings at **Storefront > Options** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/storefront/options)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Storefront > Options** in the Shopify app. Colours, fonts, sizes and spacing are CSS variables, set in your theme. Your own messages go in [custom slots](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/storefront/interfaces/custom-slots.md). Some parts are fixed: for example, the layout and button order of the product page widget can only be changed with a custom script from your developer. See [What you can and can't change](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/storefront/what-you-can-change.md). **Will SparkLayer slow my website down?** No. The SparkLayer frontend only loads when a B2B customer signs in. For your retail (B2C) customers, no SparkLayer code loads at all. When a B2B customer signs in, the interfaces load in the background (asynchronously). So, even though SparkLayer is a hosted third-party solution, the effect on page load times is negligible. **Does SparkLayer work across different devices?** Yes. SparkLayer works on mobile, tablet and desktop devices. **Which languages and currencies does SparkLayer support?** SparkLayer's widgets show in your store's language, from 28 supported languages, and you can change any of their text. See [Languages and international](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/storefront/languages-and-international.md). For more than one currency, create a price list in each currency and assign it to the customer group that uses it. On Shopify, you need a Shopify Markets market for each currency: see [Markets and currencies](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/platforms/shopify/markets-and-currencies.md). Wix stores accept a single currency, so orders are created in your store's default currency. ## Customers and pricing **How do B2B customers sign up or get access?** You decide who's a B2B customer. Add them to a customer group in your eCommerce platform: on Shopify, tag them `b2b`, plus the group's tag if they're in another group, for example `b2b-trade`. See [Add customers to a group](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/customers/add-customers-to-a-group.md). For new customers to apply, use a registration form, such as the **Wholesale Registration Form** template in [SparkLayer Forms](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms.md), on every plan. Approving an application creates the customer in your store with their customer group. The **Approve** and **Reject** buttons and notification emails run on form workflows, on the Growth plan and above. Without them, you create the customer yourself. See [Approve trade applications](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/guides/approve-trade-applications.md). **How do I give different customers different prices?** With price lists and customer groups. A price list holds your B2B prices, and each [customer group](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/customers/customer-groups.md) has the price lists its customers see. Every B2B customer is in one group. To give one customer their own prices or an extra discount, use [customer pricing](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/pricing/customer-pricing.md). Create price lists at **Pricing > Price lists** in the SparkLayer Dashboard ([open](https://app.sparklayer.io/pricing/lists)), or **SparkLayer Wholesale > Pricing > Price lists** in the Shopify app. Upload prices by CSV, or base them on a rule. Basic includes 3 price lists, and paid plans unlimited. See [Managing pricing](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/pricing/managing-pricing.md) and the [Pricing FAQs](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/pricing/faqs.md). **Can I automate B2B pricing, such as a discount off my retail prices?** Yes. Create an automatic price list based on a rule. For example, on Shopify you can set up a B2B price list that's 20% off your Shopify prices. See [Managing pricing](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/pricing/managing-pricing.md). **Do I manage my product catalogue in SparkLayer?** No. You manage your product catalogue and categories in your eCommerce platform. SparkLayer links B2B data, such as prices and pack sizes, to each product's SKU, so every product B2B customers buy needs a unique SKU. It then shows the right information to each customer. **Can I set minimum order quantities or pack sizes?** Yes, on every plan. Give a product a pack size (for example, multiples of 6) or a minimum or maximum quantity. For a limit on the whole order, such as a minimum order value, set order limits on a customer group. Wix doesn't support metafields, so product quantity rules aren't available there, but order limits are. See [Quantity rules](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/storefront/quantity-rules.md). **Can my sales reps place orders for customers?** Yes, with [sales agent ordering](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-ordering.md), on the Starter plan and above. A sales agent signs in to your store, chooses a B2B customer and orders at that customer's prices. Starter includes 1 sales agent, Growth 2 and Pro 5, and you can add more. See [Sales rep setup](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/sales-reps.md). On Shopify, don't create a draft order by hand in your Shopify admin instead: it uses your Shopify prices, not the customer's B2B prices. ## Payments, shipping and tax **Does SparkLayer process payments?** No. SparkLayer uses the payment methods set up in your eCommerce platform, such as Shopify. As well as paying online by card, you can offer B2B customers Pay on Account or Pay by Invoice, and choose the methods for each customer group. See [Payment methods](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/ordering/payment-methods.md). On Shopify, the interactive guide [How payments work](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/guides/how-payments-work.md) follows each method from checkout to payment. **Can I offer net terms or let customers pay on account?** Yes, on every plan. With **Pay on Account** and **Pay by Invoice**, customers order now and pay you later. Give each customer net terms, such as Net 30, and a credit limit for Pay on Account. You collect the payment your usual way: SparkLayer doesn't take it. See [Credit limits and net terms](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/ordering/credit-net-terms-and-invoicing.md). On Wix, customers can still pay on account or by invoice, but you can't set a credit limit or net terms: those are stored in metafields, which Wix doesn't support. See [Wix FAQs](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/platforms/wix/faqs.md). **How does shipping work for B2B orders?** By default, B2B customers see your store's own shipping methods at checkout. To give B2B customers their own methods, priced by customer group, order total or weight, use SparkLayer shipping rates, on the Starter plan and above. Customers get one or the other, never both. See [Shipping rules](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/ordering/shipping-rules.md). **How does SparkLayer handle tax and VAT?** SparkLayer shows B2B prices excluding tax (net) by default, and adds tax at the last step of checkout. It doesn't calculate tax itself: it uses your eCommerce platform's tax settings, including tax-exempt customers. See [How tax works at checkout](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/ordering/tax-and-shipping.md), or follow [Get B2B tax and VAT right](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/guides/tax-and-vat.md). ## Integrations, API and security **Does SparkLayer integrate with my ERP or accounting software?** SparkLayer connects directly to Brightpearl, Cin7 Core, Katana, Linnworks and Unleashed (ERP and inventory), and to Xero and QuickBooks Online (accounting). These need the Pro plan or above, and a Shopify store, except Linnworks, which works on every platform. ERPs send your B2B customers and prices into SparkLayer on a schedule, every 1 to 4 hours depending on the app. See [Integrations](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/integrations.md). **Do I need an ERP, PIM, CRM or iPaaS integration to use SparkLayer?** No. With SparkLayer's import tools, you can set up pricing and customer rules in the SparkLayer Dashboard without a back-office system. If you do use one, connect it with one of our [ready-made integrations](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/integrations.md), or with the [SparkLayer API](https://docs.sparklayer.io/developers/api.md). If you use an iPaaS (integration platform as a service), connect that to SparkLayer instead of your ERP. **Will SparkLayer work with my existing ERP integration?** It depends on what you need. If your online store is already connected to your ERP, there's a good chance you won't need any more integration work. Orders placed through SparkLayer are created like any other order, so your ERP can import them as usual. SparkLayer also uses the stock levels already in your eCommerce store. A deeper integration, such as syncing B2B pricing from your ERP, needs its own integration. **Is there an API?** Yes. The [SparkLayer API](https://docs.sparklayer.io/developers/api.md) lets you connect systems such as an ERP or CRM, for example to send in prices and customers. It's on the Pro and Enterprise plans. **How do you keep my data secure?** Our security, privacy, business continuity and incident management policies are in the [SparkLayer Trust Center](https://www.sparklayer.io/trust/), so it's the place to send anyone doing a security or procurement review. Questions about any policy: email [contact@sparklayer.io](mailto:contact@sparklayer.io). See [Policies](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/policies.md). ## Using the app **Do I use the SparkLayer Dashboard or the Shopify app?** On Shopify, use whichever suits you. Both have the same screens and work on the same account. SparkLayer is in your Shopify admin as **SparkLayer Wholesale**, under **Sales channels**, and you can also sign in to the SparkLayer Dashboard at [app.sparklayer.io](https://app.sparklayer.io/). On other platforms, you use the SparkLayer Dashboard. See [Find your way around SparkLayer](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/dashboard.md). **Why can't I see Forms in the Shopify app?** **Shopify only:** Sign in to the SparkLayer Dashboard at [app.sparklayer.io](https://app.sparklayer.io/) to build and manage forms. Forms and Data tables are only in the Dashboard, not the Shopify app. See [Forms](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/forms.md). **A guide mentions a screen I can't find. Where did it go?** Check [Where things moved](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/dashboard.md#where-things-moved). Some screens were renamed or moved in the new app. For example, **Activity** is now **Orders**, **Settings > General** is now **Settings > Configurations**, and **Integrations > Data Sync** is now **Integrations > Product sync**. ## Getting help **Something isn't working. Where do I start?** Start with [Troubleshooting](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/troubleshooting.md): pick what's going wrong and it takes you to the fix. Most problems come from a missing `b2b` tag, a missing or duplicate SKU, a product left out of the SparkLayer sales channel, or an incomplete customer address. Common ones include [a B2B customer who can't sign in or sees retail prices](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/troubleshooting.md#b2b-customer-cant-sign-in-or-sees-retail-prices) and ["An unknown error occurred" at checkout](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/troubleshooting.md#customers-see-an-unknown-error-occurred-at-checkout). **How do I contact support, and how quickly do you reply?** Email [support@sparklayer.io](mailto:support@sparklayer.io), or click the message icon in the SparkLayer Dashboard. We reply within 24 hours on weekdays, and within 48–72 hours at weekends. The Enterprise plan adds 24/7 support with a service level agreement (SLA). See [Contact support](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/support.md). Our head office is in Bath, England, and our team is based nearby. ## More FAQs - [Shopify FAQs](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/platforms/shopify/faqs.md) - [BigCommerce FAQs](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/platforms/bigcommerce/faqs.md) - [Wix FAQs](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/platforms/wix/faqs.md) - [WooCommerce FAQs](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/platforms/woocommerce/faqs.md) - [Magento FAQs](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/platforms/magento/faqs.md) - [Pricing FAQs](https://docs.sparklayer.io/help/pricing/faqs.md)