InvoiceFlow for Online Store Owners: The Complete Billing Guide
Billing for wholesale accounts, corporate gift orders, B2B net terms, and subscription billing
Online store owners who move into B2B — wholesale to retailers, hotels, and corporate buyers — need a billing tool that operates outside the consumer checkout flow. Shopify and other platforms handle retail payments. They don’t handle wholesale PO-based invoicing, resale certificate tracking, multi-tiered net terms, or corporate gift deposit structures. InvoiceFlow fills this gap: a dedicated invoicing layer for the B2B side of your business.
When You Need an Invoice (Not a Checkout)
Retail customers pay at checkout — credit card, Apple Pay, PayPal. No invoice needed.
B2B customers need an invoice because:
- Their purchasing department issues PO numbers that must appear on all invoices
- Their AP department processes invoices on net terms (30, 45, or 60 days)
- Their tax team requires your business legal name and tax ID on every invoice
- They don’t pay sales tax on products they’ll resell (resale certificate required)
- Their finance team needs itemized unit pricing for cost accounting
If you receive a wholesale inquiry and send a Shopify order link instead of a proper invoice, you’ll often lose the account before it starts.
Wholesale Account Invoices
Wholesale Order Invoice — [Account Name] — [Date]:
Account Details:
- Customer: [Business name]
- Account #: [####] (assign a unique ID to each wholesale account)
- Billing address: [Address]
- Ship-to address: [Address — may differ from billing]
- PO Number: [PO-####]
- Resale certificate: On file | Expiration: [Date]
Order Items (each line):
- [Product name] — [SKU] | Quantity: [N] | Unit price: $[wholesale rate] | Extended: $[total]
- [Product name] — [SKU] | Quantity: [N] | Unit price: $[wholesale rate] | Extended: $[total]
- Subtotal: $[total]
- Shipping: $[amount]
- Tax: $0.00 (resale certificate on file — see certificate #[####])
- Order total: $[total]
- Payment Terms: [Net-30 / Net-15 / 50% deposit]
- Bank transfer / ACH details: [Included]
Resale Certificate Note
Include the resale certificate status on every wholesale invoice. If a new account hasn’t provided their certificate yet, note: “Resale certificate required before processing — sales tax of $[amount] will be added to invoice if not received by [date].”
This creates a deadline that prompts new accounts to send the certificate quickly.
Wholesale Pricing Tiers
Most product-based businesses use tiered wholesale pricing based on volume:
- Retail (direct-to-consumer): Full price
- Wholesale (verified reseller, minimum quantity per SKU): 40–50% off retail
- Distribution (buying group or distributor, large minimum order): 50–60% off retail
Build a separate invoice template for each tier in InvoiceFlow. When you onboard a new account, assign their tier based on their order minimums. The template ensures you always use the right pricing.
Document minimums on the invoice: “Wholesale pricing applies to orders of [N]+ units per SKU. Mixed orders below minimum billed at retail price.”
Corporate Gift Order Invoices
Corporate gift orders — holiday gifts, client welcome packages, employee appreciation — are one-time or seasonal orders requiring a deposit.
Corporate Gift Order — [Company Name] — [Date]:
- Order: [Holiday Client Gift Program / Employee Appreciation / Client Onboarding Kit]
- Quantity: [N] gift sets
- Ship date: [Estimated date]
- Ship-to: [One address / multiple addresses — see attached list]
Configuration (per set):
-
[Product 1] (1 per set): unit cost $[X] × [N] = $[total]
-
[Product 2] (1 per set): unit cost $[X] × [N] = $[total]
-
[Product 3] (1 per set): unit cost $[X] × [N] = $[total]
-
Custom packaging and branded elements: setup fee $[X] + $[Y]/unit × [N] = $[total]
-
Product subtotal: $[total]
-
Custom packaging total: $[total]
-
Shipping and handling: $[total]
-
Order total: $[total]
-
Deposit (50%, due at order confirmation): $[deposit]
-
Balance (due before shipment): $[balance]
-
PO Number: [PO-####]
For multi-address shipping (e.g., corporate gifts sent to 80 different employee home addresses):
- Include a line item: “Individual address shipping — 80 addresses × $[rate]/address = $[total]”
- Attach the address list as a separate document and reference it on the invoice
Subscription Box Invoices
If you sell subscription boxes — monthly or quarterly curated shipments — bill through InvoiceFlow’s recurring invoice feature.
Monthly Subscription Box — [Subscriber Name] — [Month Year]:
- Subscription: [Box name] — [Standard / Premium / Deluxe]
- Contents: [Description — curated selection of [N] items]
- Subscription rate: $[amount]/month
- Invoice auto-generated and sent on the [N]th of each month | Pay via the payment link/method shown on the invoice
- Skip or cancel: [N] days notice required
For corporate subscription programs (a company sending monthly boxes to clients or employees):
- Corporate rate: $[rate]/box × [N] recipients = $[monthly total]
- PO Number: [PO-####] | Net-15
Net Terms by Account Type
Extending net-30 to every wholesale account by default creates receivables risk. Structure net terms by account maturity:
- New wholesale accounts (first 3 orders): 50% deposit + balance before shipment
- Established wholesale accounts (3+ orders, on-time payment history): Net-15
- Long-term accounts (12+ months, consistent): Net-30
- Distribution/buying group accounts: Net-45 with signed distributor agreement
- Corporate gift orders: 50% deposit + balance before shipment regardless of account history
- Retail/DTC: Immediate (checkout payment)
The first-three-orders rule is the most important. By the time an account qualifies for open terms, you’ve verified they pay. Late payers reveal themselves in the first three orders.
Managing Resale Certificates
Every wholesale account that claims sales tax exemption must provide a valid resale certificate. Requirements:
- Collect before first order: Don’t process a wholesale order without the certificate in hand
- Track expiration dates: Resale certificates expire (typically annually). InvoiceFlow’s Notes field can store the expiration date; flag renewal 30 days out
- State-specific requirements: Certificates are state-issued. If you ship to multiple states, a certificate valid in one state may not cover sales in another
- Store securely: Keep copies for at least 4 years for tax audit purposes
On the invoice: “Resale certificate on file — [Certificate #####, State, Expiration date]“
Handling Minimum Order Requirements
Wholesale pricing typically requires minimum order quantities (MOQ). Document this on every invoice:
- “Wholesale pricing applies to orders meeting MOQ: [N] units per SKU”
- “Items below MOQ are billed at retail price: $[rate]”
- “Mixed orders: wholesale SKUs at wholesale rate, non-qualifying SKUs at retail rate”
When an account orders below their tier minimums, document the pricing adjustment on the invoice rather than silently changing the price. This prevents disputes when accounts notice pricing differences between orders.
Using InvoiceFlow for Online Store B2B Billing
Separate templates by tier: Build distinct templates for retail, wholesale, and distribution pricing. Each template has the correct unit prices, net terms, and tax exemption notes pre-loaded for the tier.
PO fields: Always confirm the PO number before sending any invoice to a B2B account. Many corporate AP departments cannot process invoices without a valid PO.
Deposit tracking: For corporate gift orders, InvoiceFlow records the 50% deposit and generates the balance invoice with the correct remaining amount. Both invoices reference the same PO number.
Resale certificate notes: Use the Notes field to document certificate number and expiration date for each wholesale account. Review expiring certificates every quarter.
Recurring subscription invoices: Set up monthly or quarterly subscription billing in InvoiceFlow for B2B subscription programs. The invoice auto-generates and sends on the billing date; the buyer pays via the payment method shown on it.
Download InvoiceFlow. Build your wholesale invoice template with tier pricing, PO field, and resale certificate note. Build your corporate gift template with the 50% deposit structure. The wholesale account that orders quarterly is worth more than a month of retail checkout sales — and it starts with a professional invoice.
InvoiceFlow is a free Android invoicing app built for small business owners. Send professional B2B invoices, manage wholesale pricing tiers, track resale certificates, and handle corporate gift deposits — all from your phone.