· 7 min read
The Net 30 playbook for Shopify B2B merchants
Extending Net terms wins wholesale orders, but every approval is a bet that a buyer pays on time. Here's the framework we see merchants use to make that bet consistently.
1. Verify before you extend anything
Before a company account gets Net 30 eligibility, confirm the business is real and in good standing: legal name and registration match what's on the order, the business isn't on a watchlist or sanctions list, and it isn't in active bankruptcy proceedings. This takes seconds with an automated KYB check and removes the most common source of bad debt — buyers who were never going to pay because the business behind the order wasn't what it claimed to be.
2. Set limits by tier, not by gut feel
A flat credit limit across every buyer either under-serves your best accounts or over-exposes you to new, unproven ones. Bucket buyers into two or three tiers — for example, new accounts capped at a conservative limit, and established accounts with a clean payment history raised over time. Tie the tier to verifiable signals (business age, order history, check results) rather than discretion, so the policy is consistent and defensible.
3. Keep declines invisible at checkout
A buyer who doesn't clear your checks shouldn't see a hard decline — they should simply see standard payment options instead of Net terms. This protects the sale while keeping your exposure limited to buyers who've actually passed verification.
4. Revisit limits on a schedule
Credit exposure isn't a one-time decision. Review limits quarterly, or whenever a buyer's order volume changes significantly. Accounts with a strong payment history are good candidates for a higher limit; accounts that have started paying late are good candidates for a lower one.
Want to see this in your own store? Install SafeNet30 and set up your first credit tiers in a few minutes.