What does a trade customer check before opening a supply account?
They check whether you hold the range in depth, the account terms available, and whether there is technical support behind the counter. Trade customers buy on availability and advice, so depth in a narrower range beats breadth without stock.
A contractor needs a supplier who has the part today and can advise on the substitute if not.
Reviewed 4 August 2026
Scope and specifications
- Product categories and range depth
- Depth in the categories you serve beats breadth without stock.
- Stock availability by location
- Trade buying is same-day buying.
- Branch or collection locations
- Proximity matters more than price for many orders.
- Account terms
- Credit terms and account application requirements.
- Technical support available
- Advice behind the counter is a real differentiator.
- Delivery options and cut-off times
- Same-day and next-day change the proposition.
- Trade pricing structure
- Tiers, volume discounts and contract pricing.
Documents buyers may need
| Document | What it proves | Where it belongs |
|---|---|---|
| Account application requirementsAsked at: first contact | What is needed to open a trade account and how long it takes | Publish it |
| Product range with stock indicationAsked at: every order | What you carry and what is actually available | Publish it |
| Trading terms documentAsked at: account opening | Credit terms, limits and pricing structure | Publish it |
| Product technical dataAsked at: product selection | Specifications and datasheets for what you sell | Publish it |
| Compliance documentationAsked at: regulated goods | Certification for regulated products, passed through | Name it, share on request |
| Returns and exchange policyAsked at: before ordering | How unused and faulty goods are handled | Publish it |
| Delivery and collection cut-off timesAsked at: ordering | When an order today arrives | Publish it |
Details for a useful enquiry
- Trade or business type
- Determines eligibility and pricing tier.
- Product categories required
- The commercial fit.
- Typical order value and frequency
- Sets the terms.
- Account type needed
- Credit or cash account.
- Locations used
- Branch proximity matters.
- Delivery or collection preference
- Shapes the service offered.
Questions suppliers ask
What matters more, range or stock?
Stock, decisively. A trade customer needs the item today, and a supplier with deep stock in a focused range beats one with a wide catalogue and long lead times. Publishing real availability by location is worth more than adding lines to the catalogue.
Is technical support a real differentiator?
It is one of the few remaining ones. Trade customers regularly need a specification checked or a substitute suggested, and a counter or phone line that answers competently earns loyalty that pricing alone does not. It is worth featuring rather than assuming.
How should account opening be presented?
As a short, clear process with the requirements listed and a realistic timescale. Trade customers open accounts when they need something urgently, so friction at that moment sends them to whoever makes it simplest.
Check which documents and standards your buyer needs; requirements vary by market, customer and contract.
Plact Research. Plact's editorial desk for buyer-evidence research. Industry standards, documents and buyer questions are researched and drafted with Plact's AI tools, then reviewed by Praveen Kavuri before publication. Every claim cites the standard, regulation or public source it rests on.
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