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You’ve just landed a major wholesale client who wants to place a $15,000 order. Great news, right? Then they ask: “Can we set this up on Net 30 terms?”
If you’re running a standard WooCommerce store, your first instinct might be panic. After all, WooCommerce is built around immediate payments – credit cards, PayPal, instant transactions. The idea of “pay me later” feels like swimming upstream.
But here’s the reality: if you want to compete in the wholesale market, offering payment terms like Net 30, Net 60, or Net 90 isn’t just nice-to-have—it’s often essential. Established businesses expect these terms, and without them, you might lose significant opportunities.
The good news? With the right approach, you can absolutely set up payment terms in WooCommerce. We’ve helped dozens of clients at Built Mighty implement these systems, and while it’s more complex than standard payment processing, it’s definitely doable.
Let’s walk through everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
Before we dive into implementation, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about what these terms actually mean:
Net 30 – Payment is due 30 days after the invoice date
Net 60 – Payment is due 60 days after the invoice date
Net 90 – Payment is due 90 days after the invoice date
You might also encounter variations like:
Why wholesale customers expect these terms:
Cash flow management – Large businesses often have complex approval processes and prefer to manage cash flow strategically rather than making immediate payments.
Industry standards – In many B2B industries, payment terms are simply how business is done. Asking for immediate payment can make you seem inexperienced.
Purchase order systems – Many companies work through purchase orders and accounts payable departments that aren’t set up for immediate payments.
Relationship building – Offering terms shows trust and professionalism, which helps build long-term wholesale relationships.
Here’s why setting up payment terms in WooCommerce is trickier than it might seem:
Immediate payment expectation – WooCommerce assumes payment happens at checkout. The entire workflow is built around this assumption.
Order status confusion – What does “completed” mean when payment hasn’t happened yet? How do you track what’s shipped vs. what’s paid?
Integration complexity – Your accounting system needs to know about these terms, but WooCommerce doesn’t naturally communicate payment term information.
Credit risk management – Unlike credit card payments where you’re guaranteed funds, payment terms introduce credit risk that needs to be managed.
Tax and reporting implications – Revenue recognition and tax reporting can get complex when payment and delivery are separated.
This is often the simplest starting point and works well for businesses with a manageable number of wholesale customers.
How it works: Instead of processing payment at checkout, wholesale customers place orders that generate purchase orders. You fulfill the order and send a separate invoice with payment terms.
Technical implementation:
WooCommerce setup steps:
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Small to medium wholesale operations with trusted customers and manageable order volumes.
This is a more sophisticated approach that treats payment terms as a first-class feature of your store.
Key components:
Technical architecture:
Advanced features you can include:
Implementation considerations:
Best for: Larger wholesale operations or businesses where payment terms are a competitive advantage.
Several specialized services can handle payment terms for you, integrating with your WooCommerce store.
Popular options:
How these typically work:
Pros:
Cons:
When we implement payment terms systems for clients, we focus on three key principles:
1. Start with business processes, then technology. We work with you to map out your credit approval process, payment tracking needs, and collections procedures before writing any code.
2. Integration is everything Your payment terms system needs to work seamlessly with your accounting software, email marketing, and customer management tools.
3. Plan for growth and complexity We build systems that can handle multiple payment terms, complex credit structures, and high transaction volumes as your business grows.
Based on our experience, here’s how we typically recommend businesses approach payment terms:
If you’re just getting started with wholesale: Begin with the “Purchase Order” method using existing plugins. This gets you operational quickly while you learn about your customers’ actual needs.
If you have established wholesale relationships: Invest in a custom payment terms system that integrates with your accounting software and provides automated tracking and collections.
If payment terms are critical to your competitive position: Consider third-party integration solutions that can provide immediate implementation while you develop longer-term custom solutions.
Setting up payment terms in WooCommerce touches every aspect of your business – from sales and fulfillment to accounting and collections. While there are some plugin-based solutions available, most businesses find that custom development provides the control, integration, and scalability they need.
At Built Mighty, we’ve helped businesses implement everything from simple purchase order systems to sophisticated multi-tier credit management platforms. The key is choosing an approach that fits your current wholesale volume while positioning you for future growth.Ready to explore how payment terms could expand your wholesale opportunities? Let’s discuss your specific needs and create a solution that works for your business and your customers.
About Built Mighty We’re a WooCommerce agency partner specializing in custom plugin development and wholesale solutions. From simple payment terms setup to complex B2B integrations, we help online businesses compete in the wholesale market while managing risk and maintaining cash flow.
Whether you're kicking off a new project or looking to improve your current site, we're here to make it happen. Let’s build something that not only works for your business but helps it grow.
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