The most common question IT teams ask about an employee swag store is simple: "Can our people log in with their work account?" Single sign-on (SSO) lets employees open the store with the same login they use for email and other company apps, so only current employees can order and nobody manages another password.
How SSO works for a swag store
Your identity provider (IdP), such as Okta, Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) or Google Workspace, confirms who the employee is and tells the store. The store never sees the password. When someone leaves the company and their account is disabled, they lose access to the store automatically.
SAML vs. OIDC
| Standard | What it is | Common with |
|---|---|---|
| SAML 2.0 | An established enterprise standard that exchanges signed XML assertions | Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, OneLogin, Ping |
| OpenID Connect (OIDC) | A modern standard built on OAuth 2.0 using signed tokens | Google Workspace, Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, Auth0 |
Either works well. Most IT teams pick whichever they already use for other apps.
What IT usually needs to provide
- Which identity provider you use (Okta, Entra ID, Google Workspace, other)
- Whether you prefer SAML or OIDC
- Which groups or departments should have access
- For SAML: your IdP metadata URL or certificate; for OIDC: a client ID and issuer URL
- A test account to confirm the login flow before launch
Alternatives to SSO
Not every team needs SSO on day one. Lighter options include a private link or password (good for pilots and events), company email verification (employees confirm a work email before checkout) and an invite list (only people on an uploaded roster can order). Many companies start with email verification and add SSO as the program grows.
SSO with a Sterling Merch store
Tell your dedicated relationship manager which identity provider you use and how you want access to work. We'll scope the right option for your store, from a private link to SSO, as part of setup.
Try it yourself: this site is a working demo store. Add something to your cart and check out exactly as an employee would; every order is a free test order and nothing ships. Managed stores start at $99/month (see pricing). Talk to Sterling Merch about a store for your company.