It's time to showcase one of our most important features, which has been there almost from the beginning: our Vendor Verification Process.

When making an online purchase, we always strive to find those elusive "verified" vendors. But what does it really mean for them to be "verified"? How does it impact our transactions, and why is it so important for government buyers? 

The verification of a vendor depends on the factors considered relevant. For instance, in a commercial marketplace where transactions are B2B or B2C, vendor verification may involve the submission of official documents such as an ID for individuals or a constitution document for businesses. However, when selling to the government, a government marketplace must verify compliance with additional factors to ensure that transactions and the parties involved are as transparent and secure as possible.

Some commercial marketplaces request a series of documents from their new vendors to assess whether they qualify as verified vendors, which typically includes providing proof of business (e.g., Secretary of State registration, SAM.gov registration, business license, W9, or other government-issued forms to demonstrate the business's existence). However, government marketplaces, like ours, not only verify the same documentation but also evaluate their socio-economic certifications (that makes them a small, women-owned, other) and accuracy by cross-referencing it with other relevant databases (e.g., United Nations Black List, SAM Excluded List,  Department of Commerce List, and others). When dealing with transactions between governments and the private sector, conducting this dual verification is crucial because failing to do so could have severe consequences.

If you're a vendor interested in joining Glass Commerce and selling to government agencies, follow these steps to get verified:

1) Visit www.commerce.glass/pages/vendor-verification-process

2) Click the “Start Now” button.

3) Fill out the form with your information.

4) Click “Submit”.

5) Check your inbox and follow the instructions to provide proof of your business.

6) If you have any questions, reach out to our 24/7 team via email at vendors@commerce.glass.

7) Once you've submitted all the required information, regularly check your inbox for the confirmation email.

8) Received it? Fantastic! You're now a verified vendor and can begin selling to the US government by connecting your existing store or creating a new one!

More about our vendor verification process and visuals in this link: https://commerce.glass/pages/vendor-verification-process

This blog was written by Gisela Montes, GovTech Community Lead at Glass.