Compare the operating models
In this fictional example, Mia orders a gift, company X pays under the supplied arrangement, and Tim receives at R. Product follow-up, payment and parcel handover need different people.
| Business requirement | One Customer field | Explicit order roles |
|---|---|---|
| Product decision | May contact recipient | Buyer Mia |
| Payment request | May default to Mia | Supplied payer X |
| Delivery | Billing name hides recipient | Tim at R |
Work through the chosen model
Store buyer, payer and recipient separately, with billing/delivery addresses where needed. Reuse known identities; a one-off recipient can remain order-scoped under the shop’s policy. Choose notifications by their task.
- Mia specifies gift
- Confirm X payment arrangement
- Deliver to Tim
Extra fields support gifts and company purchases. Capture only needed roles; naming a payer does not itself authorise a charge.
One order has three roles. Mia receives product follow-up, X the agreed payment request, Tim’s details the delivery instruction.
When the other model fits
Mia buys, pays and receives. Must there be three profiles?
Show the worked answer
No. One person may occupy all three roles; role separation does not require duplicate identities.