Vendor Onboarding to ShelfSpace: The 5-Minute Form, Explained

A dispensary you sell to just moved onto ShelfSpace, and they've sent you a link to get set up. If you've never seen the form before, a link asking for your business details and a tax document is exactly the kind of thing worth a second look before you fill it out. So here's the whole thing, start to finish — what it's for, what it asks, and where your information goes.

First, the short version of what ShelfSpace even is. It's the system the retailer uses to run the money side of carrying your product — receiving what you ship, tracking what actually sells, and paying you on time. It isn't a party to your deal, it doesn't set your price, and it's free for you. The onboarding form is simply how the retailer gets your details on file so they can start carrying your brand.

Step one: your business

The first screen asks for the basics — your legal business name, the brands you carry, and your state cannabis license number. It also asks where payments and questions should go: an accounts-receivable email and phone, so your checks and any updates always reach the right inbox instead of a general line. None of it is a credit check or a background check. It's the same information any new customer's accounts-payable department would need to cut you a check.

Step two: your W-9 — and why it's safe

Next, the form asks for your W-9. This is the step vendors pause on, and they should — a tax form is sensitive. Here's exactly how it's handled: your W-9 is encrypted, and shared only with the retailer who invited you, for tax and accounts-payable purposes. Access is restricted to authorized staff, every single view is logged, and you're notified when your documents are opened. It's never sold and never made public. You can upload a PDF or a clear photo from your phone.

If you want to read more on why a retailer needs your W-9 in the first place, we wrote a full explainer on cannabis vendor W-9 and tax forms.

Step three: how you'd like to work together

Then the form asks how you'd prefer to sell to the retailer — consignment or wholesale. Most vendors do better on consignment: you're paid your share as the product actually sells, there's no upfront inventory risk to the retailer, and that tends to mean more reorders. If you're not sure, there's an "I'm not sure yet — let's discuss" option. Whatever you pick here is a preference, not a contract. The retailer sets the final terms and can choose, per order, whether something is consignment or wholesale. ShelfSpace just runs the operations underneath. If you want the deeper comparison, here's how consignment and wholesale differ for the same vendor.

Step four: confirm and submit

The last step is a single checkbox confirming you understand how the partnership works, plus a quick security check to prove you're human. Then you submit. That's the whole form — usually about five minutes, and because your progress saves at each step, you can start on your phone at the dock and finish at your desk.

What happens next

The moment you submit, the retailer is notified and follows up with next steps. You'll also get a free ShelfSpace vendor portal — one login where you can see settlements, download your checks, and track payment history. And it's not one portal per retailer: every ShelfSpace retailer you sell to shows up in that same login.

Still have a question the form didn't answer? We wrote an honest, no-sales breakdown of whether ShelfSpace is safe for vendors — or you can email support@shelfspace.pro and a person will answer.