Requiring buyer applications and building a form

Sometimes price is not the only thing that matters, and you want to know who is buying before you sell. Creatures lets you require buyer approval on a listing and gather what you need with a buyer application form you build yourself.

The require-approval toggle

• What it is: the "Require buyer approval" checkbox on the create or edit listing form.
• What it controls: when on, a buyer cannot buy or bid on that listing until you approve their application. When off, anyone can buy immediately.
• What it means: approval turns the Buy or Bid control into a two-step process (apply, then you approve), which is exactly what you want for animals where placement matters and not what you want for a quick, open sale.

Choosing or building a form

When approval is on, you attach a Buyer Application Form:

• What it is: a set of questions the buyer answers when they apply. You can pick a form you built before or create a new one, right from the listing.
• What it means: because forms are reusable, you build a good one once and attach it to every listing that should use it, rather than rewriting questions each time.

The question types

The form builder gives you three question types. Knowing what each is tells you when to use it:

• Short text: an open-ended typed answer. Best for questions where you want the buyer's own words, like "Tell us about your setup" or "Why this animal?"
• Multiple choice (pick one): the buyer selects a single option from a list you define. Best for either-or questions, like experience level or intended use, where you want one clean answer.
• Checkboxes (pick any that apply): the buyer can select more than one option from your list. Best when several answers can be true at once, like which facilities they have.

For multiple choice and checkboxes, you provide the list of options the buyer chooses from.

Marking a question required

• What it is: each question can be flagged as required.
• What it means: a required question must be answered before the buyer can submit, so use it for anything you truly need to make a decision. Leave optional the questions that are nice to have, so the form does not feel like a wall.

Writing a form that works

Keep it focused. A short, genuine form, three to six pointed questions, gets thoughtful answers and more completed applications; a long interrogation scares good buyers off. Ask what you would actually use to decide, mark only the essentials required, and let the rest be optional.

What happens next

Once your form is attached and approval is on, buyers who want the animal fill it out and you review each one. See Reviewing and approving buyer applications for the inbox and the approve or deny step. Everyone who applies also appears in your buyer pipeline, so you can track applicants and stay in touch as they move toward a purchase.

Related information

• Reviewing and approving buyer applications
• Listing an animal at a fixed price
• Offering a count group to buyers

Updated on: 23/06/2026