Who Can Place Purchase Orders at Little Bird?

Schools, TAFEs, universities and government departments are approved automatically. There's no application, no account to set up, and no waiting period. Order from your institutional email address, ship to the institution's address, and Purchase Order is sitting in the payment methods the first time you reach our checkout.

That covers:

Schools: government, Catholic and independent primary, secondary and special schools
Universities and TAFEs, including their departments, faculties and research groups
Government: local, state and federal departments and agencies

Any address ending in .edu.au, .gov.au, .ac.nz, .school.nz or .govt.nz qualifies on sight, which takes in every Australian state and territory department domain as well as New Zealand schools and government. We deliver to Australia and New Zealand only, so that's the reach of it.

Commercial businesses can order on purchase order terms too, but unlike education and government they're credit-assessed first. Apply at Set up a purchase-order account; it's a short form and we come back to you quickly. In the meantime a business can still put a PO number on an order for its own reference and pay by card or bank transfer. That's a business workaround only. Schools, universities and government departments never need it.

Placing a Purchase Order Online

The website is the fastest way to order and the one we'd point you at first. Nobody rekeys anything at our end, so nothing gets mistyped, and the order hits the warehouse the moment you submit it.

Add products to your cart.
Go to checkout and enter your institutional email address.
Type your PO number into the Purchase Order Number field.
Choose Purchase Order as your payment method. Nothing is charged now; the order is invoiced on 30 day terms.
Submit your order.
On the confirmation screen, attach a copy of the purchase order and tell us who gets the tax invoice. If you handle invoices yourself, which at a smaller school is often the case, that's one click.

Nothing at the till waits on your paperwork; go ahead and place the order. We do need the PO copy and an invoice address before we can raise the tax invoice and send the order out, which is why we ask for both the moment the order is yours. Both can also be answered later from your Orders page.

If you're already holding the PO document

Don't retype a parts list your finance system has already produced. Upload the purchase order itself at Upload your purchase order and we'll read the whole document: every line item, the PO number, the deliver-to and bill-to addresses. You get back a checkout that's already filled in. Check it over, pick a delivery option, submit. The copy of your PO is kept against the order for you.

Sending a Purchase Order by Email or Phone

If the website doesn't suit, email your purchase order to team@littlebirdelectronics.com.au or give us a call during business hours. Include the items and quantities, your delivery address and your PO number, plus the accounts payable address the invoice should go to if you have it handy. Both work fine, they're just slower, because someone here has to key the order in by hand.

Getting a Quote Before Raising a PO

If your organisation needs a formal quote before a purchase order can be raised, you can:

Make one yourself. Add items to your cart and click "PDF" under "Download Quote" for an itemised quote, with live shipping priced to your postcode.
Email us at team@littlebirdelectronics.com.au with the products you need and we'll send you a quote.

On class-set quantities, say thirty of one board or a lab's worth of one sensor, ask us before you order. When the numbers are big enough for us to go back to the manufacturer and lean on the buy price, we'll pass that saving on.

What Is a Purchase Order?

A purchase order (PO) is a formal, legally binding document sent from a buyer to a seller, setting out the types, quantities and agreed prices for products or services. It's an official offer to purchase, and it lets an organisation control spending, track inventory and settle expectations before an invoice turns up.

A purchase order usually contains:

A unique PO number for tracking and reference
Date of issue
Item descriptions, quantities and agreed pricing
Payment and delivery terms
Buyer and seller details

Once the seller accepts the PO, it becomes a binding contract between both parties.

How the Purchase Order Workflow Works

The buyer raises a PO. The purchasing department creates it in their procurement system, listing the products, quantities and agreed pricing.
The seller confirms and accepts. They check availability and pricing, then accept the order.
Goods are delivered. The seller fulfils the order and ships it.
The invoice is sent and matched. The seller issues a tax invoice quoting the PO number, and the buyer's accounts team matches it back to the original PO for payment.

Benefits of Using Purchase Orders

Financial control: budgets stay managed, approvals happen properly, and unauthorised spending drops.
Accuracy: items, quantities and prices are confirmed up front, so fewer ordering mistakes.
Easy tracking: a clear paper trail for auditing, reconciliation and stock management.
Legal protection: a binding agreement that covers both buyer and seller.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an approved account to use a purchase order? If you're a school, TAFE, university or government department, no. Approval is automatic. Order from your institutional email address, ship to the institution's address, and Purchase Order is there at checkout. Commercial businesses are the exception and are credit-assessed first.
How long does it take to get set up? For education and government there's nothing to set up. You can place a purchase order on your first visit.
How do I send you a copy of the PO? Attach it on the order confirmation screen, or later from the order in your Orders page. If you're holding the PO before you order, upload it at Upload your purchase order and we'll build the cart from it for you.
Can I change the PO number after ordering? Yes. Update it from the order detail page in your account, or ask us and we'll change it for you.
What if my PO has a spending limit? If the order total goes over the limit, we'll get in touch to arrange an updated PO or split the order.
Do you accept POs from international organisations? We deliver to Australia and New Zealand only, so purchase orders reach as far as that: Australian and New Zealand schools, universities and government. For anywhere else, get in touch and we'll talk through the options.
What's the difference between a purchase order and an invoice? The buyer sends a purchase order before the transaction to authorise the purchase. The seller sends an invoice after the goods are delivered, asking for payment.

Purchase Orders