# Client-maintained customer login

If you maintain the master record for the customer login credentials, the payload must contain the `externalReferenceId`.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Payload example" %}

```json
{
	"shopper": {
		"firstName": "John",
		"lastName": "Johnson",
		"externalReferenceId": "abc123",
		"emailAddress": "jjohnson@myCompany.com",
		"locale": "en_US",
		"currency": "USD"
	 }
 }
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

The response returns an HTTP Status 201 Created from the server.

After you create a base customer record, you can get an authenticated customer token and call the `GET shoppers/me/account` resource to allow the customer to log in and configure their account information. The account information associated with a customer includes the shipping address, billing address, and payment options.


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