Getting a Retailer's W-9 & Resale Certificate

Why This Exists

When you take on a new dispensary account, your own bookkeeper usually needs two documents from the retailer: their W-9 (for your 1099 and vendor records) and their resale or exemption certificate — in Massachusetts, the ST-4 — so you can sell to them tax-exempt for resale. Traditionally that means emailing the buyer, waiting, and re-asking when the file gets lost in a thread.

If your retailer is on ShelfSpace, you don't have to ask. When a retailer signs or uploads their tax forms on the platform, those documents become available to their partner vendors directly in the portal — self-serve, any time.

How to Download a Retailer's W-9 or Resale Certificate

1. Log in to the vendor portal at ourshelf.space.
2. Open Retailers in the left navigation and click the retailer whose documents you need.
3. On that retailer's page, find the “[Retailer]'s Tax Documents” card. It lists their Resale Certificate and W-9, each marked on file or not provided yet.
4. Click View next to the document you want. A short confirmation appears — because your access is logged and the retailer is notified. Confirm to continue.
5. The document opens right in the portal preview. Use the Download button in the viewer to save the PDF for your records.

What You Need First

There's nothing to sign up for or unlock — access is simply scoped so only the right people at the right companies can see a partner's documents:

• An active partnership with that retailer. You'll only see documents for retailers you actually sell to on the platform. Your ShelfSpace vendor account is ready to view them from day one — there's no verification step to complete first.
• An admin role. Vendor team members with view-only access won't see the View button — ask your vendor admin to pull the file or to upgrade your role. See Roles & Permissions.

If the Document Isn't There Yet

A row marked not provided yet means the retailer hasn't added that form to ShelfSpace. Some retailers manage multiple locations, and a resale certificate can be specific to one location or state — so one storefront may have its documents on file while a newer location hasn't uploaded them yet.

When that happens, just ask the retailer's buyer or AP contact to sign or upload the form on their end. Once they do, it appears in your portal automatically — no follow-up needed from you.

Is It Secure?

Yes. Tax documents are never public and are never handed out anonymously. A download link is generated only after you confirm the view, and it's short-lived. Every access writes an audit record — who viewed it, when — and sends the retailer a notification that their document was viewed. That transparency protects both sides: the retailer always knows who has their information, and you have a record that you obtained the document properly.