Deposits or partial payments on Draft Orders

Topic summary

Merchant needs a way to take 50% deposits on custom orders via Shopify draft orders, then collect the remaining balance on delivery. They want automatic payment reminders at set intervals and to keep the entire workflow within Shopify.

Requested functionality:

  • Single draft order supporting partial payment (50% upfront, final on delivery).
  • Automated reminder scheduling for outstanding balances.
  • Clean accounting with one order record, not multiple.

Constraints/issues noted:

  • Third-party apps tried are inadequate; Depo is closest but creates multiple orders to handle partial payments, causing accounting complexity.
  • Would consider using Shopify POS if it solves this, but wants the iPad app available on the Mac App Store for Apple Silicon Macs. Preference remains native draft-order support for deposits.

Latest development: A responder asks whether the need is just to capture payment or also to process it (e.g., via credit card), seeking clarification on payment flow.

Status: No resolution yet. Key question outstanding is the exact payment method and processing requirements for deposits and balances.

Summarized with AI on December 13. AI used: gpt-5.

I make custom-order stuff. On my Shopify Store, it isn’t necessary because they will pay the full order up-front. However, in-person, over the phone, and over email, I take a 50% deposit before I get started on the order, then require final payment on delivery. All I need is for draft orders to function like Square Invoices. None of the apps available will do what I need or do it in a janky way. I’ve checked already. Depo is the closest and it ends up creating multiple orders to cover the partial payments, which is going to be an accounting nightmare.

If this is something I can do with Shopify POS, fine, make the iPad version available on the Mac App Store. It’s 2023 and Apple Silicon Macs can run iOS apps. It would be much better, however, to be able to just setup a draft order to take a 50% deposit up-front, then send a reminder at set intervals. As it sits, I’ll have to keep using Square Invoices for that one facet of my business when I’ve transitioned everything else over to Shopify. I’d rather have all of my business run through the same platform.

2 Likes

Are you looking to just capture the payment or also process it through a credit card for example?