Aether’s Approval-Based Webstores give organizations the convenience of online self-service purchasing while maintaining control over what gets ordered and who can approve it.
Employees, locations, departments, or other authorized users can build and submit orders through the webstore. When approval is required, Aether automatically routes the order to the appropriate approver before it moves forward.
The result is greater purchasing control, fewer manual processes, faster approvals, and a better experience for both buyers and administrators.
Build Approval Into the Webstore
Not every user should have unrestricted purchasing authority.
Aether allows approval requirements to be integrated into the webstore purchasing process. Users can shop normally, select approved products, configure their order, and submit it for approval.
Shop → Build Order → Submit → Approve → Process
The purchasing experience remains simple for the user while the organization maintains the controls it needs.
Route Orders to the Right Approver
When an order requires authorization, Aether can route it through the configured approval process.
This is ideal for organizations where purchases need to be reviewed by a:
Manager | Department Head | Location Manager | Program Administrator | Corporate Office
Instead of relying on separate emails, spreadsheets, or offline approval processes, approvals stay connected to the webstore transaction.
Review Before the Order Is Released
Approvers can review the order before it moves into fulfillment.
This provides an opportunity to verify that the purchase is appropriate for the program and helps prevent unauthorized or unnecessary orders from entering the operational workflow.
Once approved, the order can continue through the purchasing and fulfillment process.
Support Corporate Purchasing Controls
Approval workflows are particularly valuable for larger organizations with multiple departments, locations, employees, or purchasing authorities.
Aether helps distributors create webstores that support customers' internal purchasing policies rather than forcing them to change how they operate.
That makes Aether well-suited for:
Corporate Stores | Employee Programs | Uniform Programs | Multi-Location Programs | Franchise Programs | Recognition Programs | Departmental Purchasing
Combine Approvals With Budgets
Approval workflows become even more powerful when combined with Aether’s budget capabilities.
A user may have an assigned purchasing budget but still require approval before an order is processed. This allows organizations to provide purchasing flexibility while maintaining an additional level of oversight.
Available Budget + Approval Workflow = Greater Purchasing Control
Combine Approvals With Multiple Payment Options
Approval-based purchasing can also work alongside Aether's flexible purchasing programs, including:
Credit Cards | ACH | Account Billing | Purchase Orders | Budgets | Points | Vouchers | Gift Cards
This allows you to build more sophisticated webstores around the requirements of each customer program.
Reduce Emails and Manual Approvals
Without an integrated approval process, a simple webstore order can turn into a chain of emails:
Employee Creates Request → Emails Manager → Manager Reviews → Changes Requested → Employee Updates Order → Approval Sent → Order Finally Placed
Aether keeps the purchasing and approval process together.
Create → Submit → Review → Approve
Less back-and-forth means faster approvals and fewer opportunities for information to get lost.
Give Customers Greater Control
Approval-Based Webstores aren't just an operational feature—they can make your webstore solution more valuable to your customers.
Customers gain greater control over who can purchase, what can be purchased, and when an order can move forward, while employees retain the convenience of online ordering.
This can help distributors support more sophisticated corporate programs and become more deeply integrated into their customers' purchasing processes.
Keep Approved Orders Connected
Once an order is approved, it doesn't need to be manually recreated.
Because Aether connects with Antera Advance, approved webstore orders can continue into the operational workflow for processing, purchasing, production, fulfillment, invoicing, and reporting.
Webstore → Approval → Order → Purchasing → Fulfillment → Reporting
Key Benefits
✓ Built-In Approvals — Incorporate authorization directly into the webstore purchasing process.
✓ Purchasing Control — Help customers control which orders move forward.
✓ Approval Routing — Direct orders to the appropriate authorized approver.
✓ Budget Controls — Combine spending limits with approval requirements.
✓ Flexible Purchasing — Support approvals alongside multiple payment and purchasing options.
✓ Multi-Location Support — Create controlled purchasing programs across departments, locations, or organizations.
✓ Fewer Emails — Replace disconnected approval conversations with a structured online process.
✓ Faster Approvals — Keep requests, reviews, and approvals connected.
✓ Connected Fulfillment — Move approved orders directly into the Advance operational workflow.
Self-Service Purchasing With Built-In Control
Aether gives users the freedom to shop while giving organizations the control to decide what gets purchased.
From simple manager approvals to sophisticated corporate purchasing programs, Aether helps make approvals a seamless part of the webstore experience.
Shop. Submit. Approve. Process.