Why setting limits can actually improve the customer experience”
On this week’s blog post, I want to talk about something that might seem a bit odd at first — setting limits.
We’re all used to the idea that online shopping should feel limitless. You go onto a site, browse hundreds of products, fill your basket with whatever you fancy, and check out. Simple, right?
But in the B2B world — especially when it comes to things like staff uniform orders or business essentials — that “free-for-all” approach isn’t always the best idea.
Let me explain.
The problem with “Order whatever you want”
We’ve all heard stories (or been there ourselves) where a business sets up an ordering system for staff, only to find out later someone’s ordered three of everything, or picked items way out of scope, or accidentally overspent their allowance.
The result?
Awkward conversations with employees
Time spent correcting or cancelling orders
A dent in budgets that shouldn’t have been touched
And all because the system didn’t make it easy to manage what people were allowed to order in the first place.
Why smart limits make everyone’s life easier
That’s where quotas and points systems come in.
Instead of opening the floodgates, you give employees the freedom to order — but within clear, built-in guidelines that suit your business.
Maybe they get an annual allowance.
Maybe there’s a monthly quota.
Maybe certain items are restricted to certain roles or departments.
The key is that everything is set up beforehand, in the system — so nobody has to manually check every order or chase people after the fact.
It’s better for the company because spend stays controlled.
It’s better for the employee because they know exactly what they’re entitled to.
And it’s better for the customer experience because ordering becomes smooth, transparent, and hassle-free.
Why a standard webshop doesn’t cut it
Now, most standard webshops aren’t built for this kind of thing. They’re designed for open retail — pick, click, and buy.
But a dedicated sales or ordering platform that’s designed for business use?
That’s a different story.
These systems are made with features like quotas, points, and approval flows built in — because they’re meant to support real-life business processes, not just sell products.
Final thought: Limits aren’t a barrier — they’re good business
The more I see businesses use this kind of setup, the more I realise it’s not about restricting people — it’s about giving them confidence.
Confidence that when they order, it’ll be right.
Confidence that the business won’t get stung by mistakes.
And confidence that the system has their back.
That’s what a good ordering platform should do.