enable quote requests with the entire cart workflow
author: Pen Hunt, 28 February, 2026
What if your cart didn’t end at checkout? What if, instead of a payment screen, your customer saw an invitation? A conversation starter. A small door that says, “Tell us what you need.” That shift changes everything.
Traditional eCommerce pushes people to pay now. Click fast. Decide instantly. But B2B buyers don’t think like that. They calculate. They compare. They discuss with procurement teams. Sometimes they hesitate. And when they hesitate at checkout, they leave. Gone!
Enabling quote requests across the entire cart workflow turns that moment of hesitation into an opportunity. It feels less like a transaction and more like a discussion. More human. Slightly slower, yes. But smarter.
Why Traditional Cart Checkout Doesn’t Work for B2B
Retail checkout is simple. Add product. View total. Enter card. Done. It’s clean and efficient. But B2B rarely works that way. Prices fluctuate. Volumes change. Shipping depends on pallet size or freight zones. Sometimes the customer needs 500 units. Sometimes 5,000. And the listed price? It’s just a placeholder.
For wholesalers and manufacturers, forcing checkout feels wrong. Almost unnatural. Buyers want room to negotiate. They expect flexibility. If they don’t see it, they assume you don’t offer it. And they move on quietly. No email. No inquiry. Just silence.
What Does “Cart to Quote” Workflow Mean?
Cart to quote is simple in theory. Powerful in practice. Customers shop normally. They browse. They add items. They adjust quantities. Everything feels familiar. But instead of proceeding to payment, they submit a quote request.
The cart transforms. It’s no longer a payment gateway. It’s an inquiry basket—subtle difference. Huge impact. You’re not removing structure. You’re redefining the ending.
How the Cart-to-Quote System Works
It starts the same way any WooCommerce store does. Products are displayed. Customers click add to cart. Nothing dramatic. But when they reach the cart page, the story changes. No bold checkout button screaming for a credit card. Instead, there’s a “Request a Quote” button. Calm. Inviting.
The cart totals might be hidden. Or partially visible. Depends on your setup. The customer fills out a short form. Company name. Phone. Notes. A delivery timeline could be suggested. They click submit. That’s it. No payment anxiety. Just a request sent to you. Clean.
Key Benefits of Enabling Cart-Wide Quote Requests
Here’s where it gets interesting. High-value buyers feel safer. They don’t feel trapped by pricing. They feel heard. That alone increases inquiries. Bulk buyers add more items because they know pricing can be adjusted later.
You capture contact information with intent behind it. Not random browsing. Real demand. And in competitive industries, hiding or softening price visibility prevents price wars. You control the narrative. It’s strategic. Quietly powerful.
Configuring a Cart-to-Quote Workflow in WooCommerce
You’ll typically enable this using a plugin designed for quote systems. Something that integrates directly into WooCommerce without breaking the cart structure. One such solution is WooCommerce Request a Quote functionality that replaces the standard checkout flow with a structured quote submission system.
Configuration usually begins with switching from checkout mode to quote mode - Disable payment. Replace the checkout button. Keep everything else intact. It sounds technical, but it’s mostly toggles and checkboxes.
Step 1: Switch from Checkout to Quote Mode
This is the big switch—the turning point. You enable cart-to-quote mode in the settings. Checkout disappears. Or becomes inactive. Instead, a quote submission option appears. Customers still add items normally, which keeps the experience familiar. That familiarity matters. Too much change confuses people. Subtle changes work better.
Step 2: Control Price Visibility
Some businesses hide prices entirely. Others show product prices but remove totals. Some show everything but turn off payment. There’s no single right answer. It depends on your audience. Wholesale distributors might prefer visible base pricing. Custom manufacturers often hide it. The key is clarity. If you hide prices, explain why. Customers don’t like mystery without context.
Step 3: Customise the Quote Submission Form
The form is where the magic happens. Keep it short. But meaningful. Ask for the business name. Contact details. Special instructions. Budget expectations. It could be urgent. Don’t overwhelm them. Long forms scare people away. Short forms convert better. But too short, and you miss critical information. It’s a balance. Slightly imperfect sometimes. And that’s okay.
Step 4: Configure Email Notifications
When a quote request is submitted, you need immediate notification. Speed matters. B2B buyers expect quick responses. Configure admin emails with full product lists and quantities included. Make sure customer confirmation emails feel reassuring. Not robotic. Something like, “We’ve received your request. Our team will respond within 24 hours.” Simple language works best.
Designing a Smooth User Experience
User experience can’t feel patched together. The cart page should clearly explain that this is a quote process, not a payment process. Add a short paragraph above the button. Something friendly. Slightly conversational. Reassure them that no payment is required. Keep the layout clean. Remove clutter. Let the button stand out. But not aggressively. Calm design builds trust.
When Should You Enable Cart-to-Quote?
If you sell bulk goods, custom items, industrial equipment, or services with variable pricing, this workflow makes sense. If you sell $5 phone cases to consumers, probably not. B2B buyers expect negotiation. Retail buyers expect speed. Understand your audience. Many store owners ignore this step.
Improving Sales Team Efficiency
There’s another benefit people overlook: internal efficiency. When inquiries come through structured cart submissions, your sales team gets organized data. Exact SKUs. Exact quantities. Customer notes. No messy back-and-forth emails asking, “Which product were you referring to?” It saves time. And time equals money.
Converting Quotes into Orders
Once you receive a quote request, you can respond with a negotiated price. Offer tiered discounts. Adjust shipping. After agreement, you can create a manual order or send a payment link. The key is flexibility. The system supports conversation first, payment later. It feels more natural in B2B relationships.
SEO and Conversion Considerations
Some worry that hiding prices hurts SEO. Generally, it doesn’t. Product pages remain indexable. Content remains visible. The difference is only in the final step. In fact, quote-based systems often increase conversions in B2B because they align with buyer behaviour. They remove friction. That matters more than instant checkout.
Building Trust Through Transparency
Transparency doesn’t always mean showing prices. It means explaining your process. Tell customers why quotes are required. Highlight benefits like bulk discounts or customized shipping. Set response expectations clearly. Silence creates doubt. Clear communication builds confidence. Even a short explanatory sentence can reduce abandonment.
Scaling with Automation
As quote volume grows, automation becomes important. Integrate with CRM systems. Assign sales reps automatically. Tag requests by product category. Send follow-up reminders. The cart-to-quote workflow can evolve into a full lead management pipeline. It starts small. It grows fast.
Strategic Advantage Over Competitors
Most competitors still operate on fixed pricing models. Static. Rigid. Predictable. When you enable cart-based quote requests, you differentiate yourself. You show flexibility. You invite larger conversations. You position your business as adaptable. And in B2B, adaptability wins. Almost always.
Conclusion
Enabling quote requests across the entire cart workflow transforms WooCommerce into something more dynamic. Less rigid. More relational. It shifts the focus from instant payment to meaningful engagement. Customers feel understood. Businesses gain flexibility. Sales teams gain structure. It’s not just a technical adjustment. It’s a mindset shift. And once you make that shift, your cart stops being a checkout endpoint. It becomes the beginning of real business conversations.