Reviewing business registrations
Every vendor and store owner applies to join the marketplace by submitting a business registration. Applications wait in Business Registrations until an operator approves or rejects them — nobody can sell or order before approval.
Opening an application
- In the Admin panel, go to Business Registrations.
- Use the status tabs (Pending / Approved / Rejected) and the entity filter (Vendors / Customers) to find applications, or search by business name or ABN.
- Click a row to open the application's detail view.
A business can hold both a vendor and a customer application on the same ABN — for example, a grocery store that wants to buy wholesale and also sell its own products on the marketplace. When this happens, the two applications appear as separate rows with their own status, and each detail page shows a note linking to the other one. Review and decide each independently; the ABN's other application does not need to be approved or rejected first.
The ABN verification panel
At the top of every application, the ABN Verification panel checks the submitted ABN against the Australian Business Register (ABR) in real time and compares the official record with what the applicant entered.
The panel shows one of four statuses:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Matches ABR | The ABN is active and the submitted business or trading name matches the ABR's entity name or one of its registered business names. |
| Name mismatch | The ABN is active, but none of the submitted names match the ABR record. Compare the names shown and judge whether the difference is legitimate. |
| Invalid ABN | The ABN failed validation, was not found, or is cancelled. |
| ABR unavailable | The register could not be reached or the verification service is misconfigured. Use Re-check to try again, or verify the ABN manually at abr.business.gov.au. |
Below the status, the panel lists the official ABR record:
- Entity Name — the legal name behind the ABN. For sole traders this is the individual's personal name (shown surname-first), so a mismatch with the brand name they trade under can be expected — check the registered business names instead.
- Registered Business Names — the trading names registered against this ABN. A green tick marks the name that matched the application.
- Submitted Name Check — whether the applicant's business or trading name matches any official name on the record.
- Entity Type, ABN Status, GST, Main Location — additional signals from the register. Note the ABR location is the business's registered main location, which can legitimately differ from the operating or delivery address on the application.
Making the decision
The verification is a signal, not a verdict — the reviewing operator always makes the final call:
- A Matches ABR status on an active ABN is strong evidence the application is genuine.
- A Name mismatch deserves a closer look but is not automatically fraud — for example, a brand-new business name registration may not have reached the register yet. Use the admin notes to record what you checked.
- Do not approve applications with an Invalid ABN unless you have verified the business through another channel.
Approve or reject the application with the buttons at the top of the page; rejections require a reason, which is sent to the applicant.