For made-to-order work, an advance payment is the deposit that proves the order is real.
Custom work has a special kind of risk. You buy material, spend hours, and the buyer goes quiet — and nobody else wants a cake with someone else's name on it.
Asking for an advance in a DM feels awkward and is easy to skip. Making it part of checkout makes it normal: the store asks, not you.
Advance by request vs advance at checkout
| Question | Asking for an advance in DMs | Advance built into checkout |
|---|---|---|
| Who asks for money | You, every time | The checkout, the same way for everyone |
| How much | Negotiated per buyer | The share you set, applied to every COD order |
| Proof it was paid | A screenshot | Gateway-confirmed on the order |
| Balance | Remembered and chased | Shown on the order as cash due on delivery |
| Buyer who disappears | You have already spent on material | You kept the advance under your stated policy |
Set up custom orders before you take the next one
- A product for each custom item, with options (size, flavour, colour, finish) as variants
- Lead time written on the product: 'ships 7–10 days after order'
- Your advance share decided — many makers use enough to cover materials
- A clear policy on cancellations once work has started
- A way to collect details like a name to print: the WhatsApp button on the product
- Your gateway connected, so the advance can be paid online
What you get
Advance online, balance on delivery
Set the share of the order paid online at checkout; the rest is collected as cash on delivery. Turn it on once and it applies to every COD order.
Read more: Advance online, balance on deliveryOr the full amount up front
Turn COD off for custom pieces altogether so every order is paid in full online by UPI or card.
Read more: Or the full amount up frontCollect the personal details in chat
The WhatsApp button on the product opens a chat about that exact item, so the buyer can send the name, date or photo you need.
Read more: Collect the personal details in chatEvery order shows what is owed
The order records the advance paid and the balance due, so nobody has to remember.
The cards above are live illustrations of the product with sample data, not a real store.
How to take advance payments for custom orders
Create one product per custom item
List the base piece with its starting price, and add variants for the choices that change the price.
Write the lead time and what you need
In the description, say how long it takes and what details the buyer must send after ordering.
Connect your payment gateway
The part-payment advance is collected through your own Razorpay or Cashfree account, so connect it first.
Set the advance share
In COD settings, set the part of the order paid online. The buyer sees the split before paying.
Write your cancellation rule
Say in your policies what happens to the advance if the buyer cancels after you start. Keep it short and fair.
Confirm details after the order
When the order arrives, message the buyer on WhatsApp to confirm the name, date or design before starting.
Collect the balance on delivery
Ship with COD for the balance, or deliver yourself and collect it in person.
Questions sellers ask
- How much advance should I ask for?
- Enough that a cancelled order does not cost you. Many makers set the advance to at least the cost of materials. You choose the share; it applies to every COD order on your store.
- Can I take the full amount up front instead?
- Yes. Turn COD off and every order is paid in full online at checkout.
- Can buyers type a name or message to personalise the item?
- Yes, on products where you switch on 'Allow requirement notes & photos': a buyer signed in to your store adds the name, message or a reference photo to the item in their cart. Buyers who are not signed in can send the details through the WhatsApp button on the product. Confirm before you start.
- Is the advance paid to me?
- Yes, through your own Razorpay or Cashfree account. Slaby takes 0% commission and never holds the money.
- Can I ask for an advance only on custom items, not ready stock?
- The advance share is a store-wide COD setting today. If you sell both, a common approach is to switch COD off so everything is prepaid, or to run custom work as its own store.
- What if the buyer refuses the parcel?
- You keep the advance under the cancellation policy you published, and you can block that buyer from COD by capping their pending COD amount.
- How do I show the lead time?
- Write it in the product description and title area, for example 'Made to order · ships in 7 days'. Buyers see it before they pay.
- Do buyers see the split before paying?
- Yes. Checkout shows the advance to pay now and the amount due on delivery.