The Problem
High-value purchases often require payment flexibility:
- Large order values: Customers can’t or won’t pay full amount upfront
- B2B expectations: Business customers expect payment terms
- Cash flow management: Sellers need deposits before production
- Tax complexity: Partial payments require accurate tax handling
- Tracking burden: Manual tracking of payment stages and balances
Standard e-commerce checkout expects full payment. High-value B2B and custom product sales require more flexibility.
How I Solve It
I build custom installment and staged payment systems:
Payment Stage Configuration
- Deposit percentage at order time
- Milestone payments during production or fulfillment
- Pre-shipping payment before dispatch
- Balance collection with net terms
Customer-Specific Terms
- Different payment schedules per customer account
- Negotiated terms stored in customer profile
- Credit limit management
- Payment history and reliability tracking
Payment Processing
- Automatic payment stage progression
- Invoice generation at each stage
- Payment reminder workflows
- Failed payment handling
Tax and Accounting
- Accurate tax calculation at each payment stage
- Avatax integration for partial payment tax
- Financial reporting for revenue recognition
- Integration with accounting systems
Need This Solution?
If you're facing similar challenges or want to discuss how I can help implement this for your project, I'd be happy to talk.
Common Installment Scenarios
Industrial Equipment B2B
- High-value orders ($1K-$500K+) with staged collection
- Customer-specific terms: 30% down, 50% pre-ship, net-30 balance
- Per-stage invoicing with proper tax handling
- ERP integration for financial tracking
Custom and Made-to-Order Products
- Deposit to begin production
- Progress payments at milestones
- Balance before shipping
- Order cancellation and refund handling
Professional Services and Projects
- Retainer payments and milestone billing
- Recurring payment schedules
- Time and materials installment collection
- Project-based payment tracking
The Outcome
High-value orders process smoothly with appropriate payment flexibility. Sellers collect deposits to manage cash flow and risk. Customers pay in manageable stages. Tax and accounting are handled correctly at each stage. The payment experience matches B2B expectations without manual tracking overhead.
