Getting paid
How to follow up on unpaid wholesale invoices from stores
Most boutiques and stores buy on Net 30 or Net 60, so the goods ship long before the money arrives. Following up on an unpaid wholesale invoice is part of the job, and done well it keeps both your cash flow and the account. Here is how to make invoices easy to pay, when to send reminders, and what to write.
Key takeaways
- Most late payments start with an invoice that is hard to process: no PO number, wrong address or unclear payment details. Fix those first.
- Follow up on a schedule: a few days before the due date, on the due date, then every one to two weeks after, a little firmer each time.
- Always state the amount still owed, attach the invoice again, and stop reminding the moment it's paid. Then say thank you.
What does Net 30 mean on a wholesale invoice?
Net 30 means the store has 30 days from the invoice date to pay the full amount. Net 60 gives 60 days. These are payment terms: an agreement that the store can receive and start selling the goods before paying. Some brands invoice when the order ships, so the 30 days start then.
Terms are a kind of credit you give the store. That's why the invoice, not the order, is what matters for getting paid: it's the document the store's office or bookkeeper actually pays from.
Why do stores pay wholesale invoices late?
Rarely because they don't intend to pay. The common reasons are dull and fixable:
- The invoice can't be matched. Many stores pay against their own PO numbers. An invoice without one sits in a pile.
- It went to the wrong person. The buyer who placed the order isn't always the person who pays bills. The invoice needs to reach whoever does.
- Something on the order is in question. A short shipment, a damaged carton or a price that doesn't match the PO, and the store waits until it's sorted.
- It's simply forgotten. A small shop owner is also the buyer, the merchandiser and the person on the floor.
A good reminder process handles the last reason. A good invoice prevents the first three.
Step 1: Make the invoice easy to pay
Before you think about reminders, check that every invoice carries what a store's office needs to approve it without asking you a question:
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The store's PO number | Lets them match your invoice to their order |
| Invoice number and date | Lets both sides refer to it in emails and payments |
| Payment terms and due date | "Net 30, due November 7" leaves no room for guessing |
| Lines that match what shipped | Styles, colors, sizes and prices the buyer will recognize |
| Bill-to and ship-to | Stores with several locations need to know which one this is for |
| Discount, shipping and tax, shown separately | Totals that can be checked line by line get approved faster |
| How to pay | Bank details, check address or a payment link |
| Your tax ID, and the store's resale certificate number if you have it | Many stores and bookkeepers expect them for tax records |
Send it as a PDF to the buyer and, if you know it, the store's accounts or bookkeeping address. Ask the buyer once, on the first order, where invoices should go. If you use a Shopify draft order, note that its built-in invoice email sends a checkout link to pay right away; for stores on Net terms, a separate invoice with a due date usually fits better.
Step 2: Use a reminder schedule
Decide your schedule once and use it for every store, so following up is routine and never personal. A common pattern for a Net 30 invoice:
| When | Date | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days before due | November 4 | Friendly heads-up |
| On the due date | November 7 | Friendly reminder |
| 7 days late | November 14 | Polite, asks if anything is wrong |
| 14 days late | November 21 | Clear, asks for a payment date |
| 30 days late | December 7 | Firm, mentions next steps |
| 45 and 60 days late | December 22, January 6 | Firm, plus a phone call |
Adjust it for the store. A long-standing account that always pays a week late may only need the due-date note. A new store on its first order deserves the heads-up.
Step 3: Write reminders that get paid
Every reminder should answer three questions at a glance: which invoice, how much is still owed, and how to pay. Attach the invoice again so nobody has to search for it. Keep the tone warm. The person reading it is your customer, and you want the next order.
Example only, a reminder on the due date:
Subject: Reminder: invoice 1042 (PO 7731) due today, $1,860.00
Hello Dana, a friendly reminder that invoice 1042 for PO 7731 is due today. The amount due is $1,860.00. Payment details are on the attached invoice. If you've already sent it, thank you, and please ignore this.
Example only, 14 days late:
Subject: Invoice 1042 (PO 7731) is now 14 days overdue
Hello Dana, invoice 1042 for PO 7731 was due on November 7 and $1,860.00 is still open. Could you let me know when we can expect payment? If there's an issue with the order, tell me and I'll sort it out. The invoice is attached again.
Name the PO, name the amount, and always offer a way to raise a problem. A question about a damaged carton is much easier to fix than silence.
What if a store pays only part of the invoice?
Record the payment as soon as it arrives, then base every later reminder on the amount still pending, not the original total. Asking for the full amount after a partial payment is the fastest way to annoy a good customer. If the gap matches a line, it's often a short shipment or a return the store has deducted. Ask before you chase it.
When should you stop shipping or escalate?
If reminders don’t work, step up gradually:
- Call. After about 30 days late, a short phone call usually achieves more than another email.
- Hold new orders. Many brands pause shipping to a store with an invoice over 30 days late until it's paid. Tell the buyer politely and in writing.
- Change the terms. For the next order, ask for payment up front or a card on file instead of Net terms.
- Get help. For a large balance that is months late, talk to your accountant or a collections service. Only charge a late fee if your terms said so from the start.
Say thank you when it's paid
Once the invoice is paid in full, stop the reminders straight away and send a short thank-you with a paid copy. It closes the loop for the store's records, and it ends the conversation about money on a good note before the next order.
Doing this for every store
The hard part isn't writing reminders, it's remembering to send them across dozens of stores in a busy season. Orderseam makes the invoice from the approved wholesale order, with the PO number, terms, ship-to, discount, shipping, tax and your tax ID, and emails it with the PDF attached. If you turn reminders on, it sends them on the usual schedule or the dates you pick, in wording you write once, with the pending amount filled in on the day. You record payments as they arrive, and when an invoice is paid in full the reminders stop and the store gets a thank-you. The store pays you directly; Orderseam doesn't collect money.
Common questions
- When should I follow up on an unpaid wholesale invoice?
- Send a short, friendly reminder a few days before the due date and another on the due date itself. If it is still open, follow up about a week after it was due, then every one to two weeks, getting a little firmer each time.
- What should a payment reminder email include?
- The invoice number, the store's PO number, the amount still owed, the due date, how to pay, and the invoice PDF attached again. Keep it short and polite, and ask the buyer to tell you if there is a problem with the order.
- Should I keep shipping to a store with an overdue invoice?
- That is your call, but many brands hold new shipments, or ask for payment before shipping, once an invoice is more than 30 days late. Say so politely and in writing, and lift the hold as soon as the balance is paid.
From PO to paid, without the spreadsheet
Orderseam turns wholesale POs into Shopify draft orders, then into Net-terms invoices with reminders until the store pays. Your first 10 POs are free, up to 30 days, with no card and no contract.
Start free: 10 POs, no card