How can I retrieve the user id in Webflow when a customer places an order for implementing a "past orders" tabs in the user page?

When a customer places an order in Webflow’s native Ecommerce, Webflow does not natively expose the user ID or direct customer authentication information via Webflow CMS or Ecommerce settings. Here's exactly what you can (and can't) do:

1. Understand Webflow’s Built-In Data Limits

• Webflow Ecommerce Orders store customer information such as name, email, and shipping address—but not an exposed “User ID” in CMS collections.
• Webflow Memberships Beta (if enabled) assigns user accounts, but currently, it still lacks a native, developer-accessible User ID linking orders to users without external workarounds.

2. Use Custom Fields to Simulate a Connection

• You can collect email addresses during checkout automatically.
• By creating a CMS collection like "Customer Profiles" with the user’s email as a unique field, you can connect orders to email addresses manually or via an automation tool.

3. Integrate Webflow with External Tools

• Use Zapier or Make (Integromat) to trigger when a new order is placed.

• In the automation:

• Capture the customer’s email from the order.

• Search or create a record in a Webflow CMS Collection based on that email.

• Optionally create an order history linked by reference fields or multi-reference fields.

• If Memberships is active, pair Authenticated User’s email during session tracking on the customer’s UI to their orders manually by matching on email.

4. Collect and Save User ID via Custom Scripts

• If you need a true ID beyond email, custom code would be necessary.
• You would:
• Generate a UUID (unique identifier) client-side when a user signs up.
• Save that to a hidden custom attribute in Webflow's user object or CMS.
• Pass that UUID manually along with the checkout process using custom checkout fields or cart metadata.
• Caution: Webflow's checkout page is not 100% flexible for custom information without workarounds or Webflow’s Advanced plan with custom payments APIs.

5. Alternative: Use Webflow Plus Third-Party Authentication/Ecommerce

• Consider connecting Webflow to a headless backend or third-party system (like Memberstack, Outseta, or Firebase) for true user IDs and order history automation.
• Memberstack for example can assign real unique User IDs which you can tie to orders.

Summary

In Webflow alone, you can't directly retrieve a User ID upon order without using workarounds. The best native method is to use the email address from the order, match it against a CMS collection or Membership profile via Zapier/Make, and manually or automatically build the "Past Orders" tab by relationship to email. If you need true unique identifiers, implement a third-party authentication system like Memberstack.