The Complete Guide to Shopify Partial Payments: Turn Cart Abandoners into Paying Customers
When customers see a $500 product in their cart but only have $200 available today, what happens? In most cases, they abandon the purchase entirely. But what if they could pay part now and part later? This is where Shopify partial payments become a game-changer for e-commerce businesses.
Partial payments, also known as installment payments or split payments, allow customers to break down their purchase into smaller, more manageable chunks. For Shopify store owners, this payment flexibility can dramatically reduce cart abandonment rates and increase average order values.
What Are Shopify Partial Payments?
Shopify partial payments enable customers to pay for products in multiple installments rather than paying the full amount upfront. This payment method is particularly valuable for:
- High-ticket items (electronics, furniture, jewelry)
- Seasonal purchases where customers want to secure items early
- Subscription-based products
- Preorders and backorders
- Custom or made-to-order items
The concept addresses a fundamental challenge in e-commerce: the gap between customer desire and immediate purchasing power.
Why Partial Payments Matter for Your Shopify Store?
Here’s the deal: lots of shoppers abandon their carts because they can’t pay the full amount right away. According to research, nearly 30% of cart abandonments happen because of payment issues or unexpected costs. That’s a lot of lost sales!
By offering partial payments, you:
Make buying easier and less stressful for customers
Reduce cart abandonment and increase sales
Build trust and loyalty by showing you care about your customers’ budgets
Get paid upfront with deposits, so you’re not left waiting
When to Use Partial Payments?
Partial payments work best in these situations:
Pre-orders partial payment and limited editions: Let customers reserve hot new products with a deposit.
Big purchases: Help customers afford higher-priced products by spreading out payments.
Rentals and subscriptions: Collect deposits or first payments upfront, then charge later.
Wholesale or B2B orders: Offer flexible payment terms to your business clients.
How Does Shopify Handle Partial Payments?
Shopify's Native Partial Payment Support
Shopify’s admin lets merchants collect and record partial payments on draft orders or orders with payment terms. You can choose a fixed amount or percentage to charge, then record or capture the payment directly from the Orders page.
- Shopify Plus & POS Requirement: Multiple or split online payments outside of POS are only fully supported on Shopify Plus, making it out of reach for many growing stores
Manual Follow-Up Needed: Shopify’s native tools don’t automate reminders for outstanding balances, leaving you to handle follow-up emails or invoice creations yourself.
Draft Order Workarounds: Some merchants use creative draft-order splits to simulate deposits, but this approach can become cumbersome and error-prone as order volumes grow
The Big Gap
Here’s what Shopify doesn’t handle automatically:
Shopify doesn’t automatically remind customers to pay the rest. You have to do that yourself.
Customers can’t split payments across different cards or methods.
It’s not automated for things like pre-orders or backorders.
If you only get a few partial payments a month, this might work fine. But if you want to scale or automate, you’ll want an app.
Snap Preorder & Notify Me: Split Payment for Pre-order (Recommended)
For merchants seeking hands-off management of partial payments, Snap Preorder offers a robust solution. Key features include:
Here’s why Snap Preorder rocks:
You can set a deposit amount or percentage — for example, 30% upfront.
It automatically sends reminders to customers to pay the balance.
Perfect for pre-orders, so customers can reserve items without paying full price immediately.
Easy to set up and customize to fit your store’s style.
A furniture store, for example, could use Snap Preorder to collect a 30% deposit on a $2,000 sofa, with the balance due two weeks before delivery. This reduces inventory risk while gauging customer commitment.
You get some cash flow early, and they get peace of mind. Win-win!
💡 Learn more: How To Set Up Shopify Pre-Order Button: With vs. Without Apps – What’s Right for You?
Split — Partial Payments App
Another popular option, SPD Split Payment, enables customers to divide payments into installments or share costs across multiple payers. Features include:
Multi-Payer Support: Allow groups to split an order’s cost, useful for gift purchases or team expenses.
Installment Plans: Divide totals into equal monthly payments, enhancing affordability for customers5.
Branded Invoices: Customize payment reminders with store logos and colors, maintaining brand consistenc
Pricing starts at $17.95/month for unlimited transactions, making it cost-effective for high-volume stores.
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) as a Partial Payment Solution
When a customer selects a BNPL option—like Shopify’s own Shop Pay Installments or providers such as Afterpay, Klarna, or Affirm—the financing is underwritten by the BNPL vendor, not the merchant. The customer makes their first payment at checkout, and the provider pays you in full (minus a fee). The customer then repays the BNPL company over weeks or months, often interest-free.
- Most BNPL plans run a quick, “soft” check that doesn’t affect the customer’s credit score, approving them for a short-term loan instantly.
- To cover the risk and administrative overhead, BNPL providers charge merchants a percentage-of-sale fee—typically ranging from ~2% to 6% per transaction.
When BNPL Is a Good Fit
You want guaranteed full payment immediately, without having to chase balances.
Your products fall within BNPL’s typical order-value range (often $50–$1,000 for interest-free plans).
You’re comfortable paying a higher fee in exchange for offloading credit risk and collections.
Tips to Make Partial Payments Work Smoothly
Be clear and upfront: Tell customers exactly how much they pay now and when the rest is due. Transparency builds trust!
Send friendly reminders: Use apps that automate emails so customers don’t forget their balance.
Set minimum deposits: Protect your business by requiring enough upfront to cover costs.
Follow up on late payments: Have a polite process for reminding customers or pausing orders if payments are missed.
Check legal rules: Make sure your payment plans comply with local laws and Shopify’s policies.
Empower Your Shopify Store with Flexible Partial Payments Today!
Partial payments aren’t just about helping customers afford your products – though that’s certainly important. They’re about removing friction from the buying process, building customer loyalty, and creating a competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded e-commerce landscape.
The stores that figure this out early will capture sales that their competitors are losing every single day. They’ll build stronger relationships with customers who appreciate payment flexibility. And they’ll create a foundation for growth that compounds over time.
If you want to explore this further, check out the Snap Preorder & Backorder app on Shopify — it’s a smart, easy way to get started with partial payments and pre-orders.
Sophia Dao is a Shopify Conversion Specialist at WizzCommerce, specializing in e-commerce and Shopify solutions. With a passion for digital marketing and a keen eye for detail, Sophia creates engaging content that helps businesses thrive online. When she’s not writing, she enjoys exploring the latest trends in tech and commerce. Follow Sophia for practical e-commerce tips and the latest marketing insights!
