Custom orders go unpaid after production
You make it, you ship it — then the payment never arrives. Without upfront payment, you carry all the risk.
Wholesale accounts blow out payment terms
B2B buyers treat your 7-day terms like they're 60 days. Without a system, you fund their business at your expense.
Returns and disputes eat into margins
Without clear return policies and restocking fees, every dispute becomes a negotiation you didn't plan for.
Why retail and eCommerce operators leave money on the table
Retail income looks straightforward — sell product, get paid. But in practice, custom orders go unpaid, wholesale accounts stretch to 60 days, and returns without a policy wipe out your margin. This checklist is designed for solo sellers, makers, micro-manufacturers, and eCommerce operators who want a simple, repeatable system: collect upfront, invoice the moment goods ship, and recover anything overdue before it becomes a write-off. Use Sole to send instant invoices and Worldpay to offer card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay checkout — so your customers have every reason to pay on the spot.
What You Get
10 Steps to Prevent Late Payments
Full payment for online orders, deposits for custom items, instant order confirmations, strict wholesale terms, invoice when goods ship, real-time stock tracking, clear return and refund policies, and restocking fees for returned custom orders.
6 Steps to Collect Overdue Payments
From the day-of reminder to holding future orders and escalating to a debt collector — the exact sequence for getting paid when a wholesale or retail customer goes silent.
Bonus Tips: Margins, COGS & Card Payments
Use Worldpay to accept card at markets and pop-ups, and track Cost of Goods Sold in Sole to identify which product lines are genuinely profitable.
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A preview of what's inside
Here are the first three prevention steps from Section 1 of your free checklist:
Require full payment upfront for all retail and online orders before processing or shipping.
Take a non-refundable deposit for all custom, made-to-order, or personalised items before starting production.
Accept multiple payment methods including card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay to remove payment friction at checkout.
+ 7 more prevention steps, 6 overdue collection steps, and 2 Sole automation tips — all inside the free download.
Who It’s For
Built for solo product sellers and small-scale manufacturers operating in Australia.
Online store owners
Market stall operators
Makers & artisans
Wholesalers
Micro-manufacturers
eCommerce operators
ATO & Compliance Note
Important
All retail, eCommerce, and manufacturing income must be declared to the ATO. If your annual turnover exceeds $75,000, you are required to register for and collect GST. Sole tracks GST automatically on every invoice and purchase, making your quarterly BAS and annual tax return significantly simpler.
Download your free checklist
Enter your details and we'll send the Getting Paid Checklist for Retail & eCommerce straight to your inbox.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions
Should I require full payment upfront for custom or made-to-order products?
Yes. For any product made specifically for a customer — personalised items, custom orders, or bespoke manufacturing — taking full payment upfront or a non-refundable deposit protects you from the cost of production with no sale if the customer cancels or goes silent.
How should I handle a wholesale buyer who hasn't paid within terms?
First, hold all future orders until the outstanding account is cleared. Then follow up in writing and by phone. If the invoice remains unpaid after 30 days, you have grounds to escalate to a debt collection agency or small claims tribunal. Document everything in Sole from the first reminder.
How do I track product margins and unpaid invoices in one place?
Sole allows you to record your Cost of Goods Sold against each product line and reconcile it with your sales invoices. This gives you a real-time view of which products are genuinely profitable and which customers have outstanding balances — so you can make better decisions on both fronts.