Deposits, Layaway and Partial Payments in Shopify POS and Online

Shopify layaway partial payment works in Shopify POS on any subscription. At checkout, tap Split payment, take the deposit, then tap Mark as partially paid and confirm with Mark as partial. The order shows as Partially paid, and you tap Collect payment each time money comes in. Online, the Require deposit option is a Shopify Plus feature. Most single stores take deposits in store, or use payment terms on draft orders.

This guide explains how a single store can accept partial payments at the counter and in the online store, by any payment methods. A deposit turns a “maybe” into a commitment. Layaway is a flexible payment option that lets a customer budget for a big item.

What layaway and partial payments mean

Layaway

Layaway means the customer pays over time and gets the goods when paid in full. No credit check applies, so it appeals to customers who avoid credit. Expect no credit check questions from the buyer.

Deposits

A deposit is a first payment that secures an order. Stores take one for made to order goods, where lead times run long. Made to order work with lead times of weeks needs one.

Partial payments and split payment

Partial payments are any order paid in more than one go. A split payment is one transaction paid with two payment methods, such as cash plus card. Shopify POS uses Split payment for both.

Can you do partial payments on Shopify?

Yes. Shopify POS can accept partial payments on any subscription, so a buyer can pay in stages. In the admin, draft orders with payment terms let the customer pay later. Recording partial pay amounts on admin orders is a Plus feature.

Which deposit route fits your store

Situation	Best route	Plan needed
Customer at the counter pays part now, rest later	POS partial payment	Any POS
Special order by phone or email	Draft with payment terms, then invoice	Any plan
Percentage deposit enforced on a draft	Require deposit	Shopify Plus
Hold stock without taking money	Draft with Reserve inventory	Any plan
Customer wants the item now, pays over time	Shop Pay Installments	Shopify Payments

Most merchants need only the first two rows to get paid.

Take a deposit in Shopify POS

Steps at the counter

Build the cart and add the customer.
On Select payments, tap Split payment.
Pick one of your payment methods, enter the deposit, and complete that payment.
Tap Mark as partially paid, review the details, and tap Mark as partial.
Optional: print a receipt and file the agreed terms.
Tap Done.

Split payment with two methods

To split payment in one visit, tap Split payment, take cash, then card, and complete the sale. These are multiple payments on one transaction, not layaway.

Collect the outstanding balance later

Tap the Orders icon. Partially paid orders carry a Partially paid label.
Open the order and tap Collect payment.
Enter the amount, choose from your payment methods, and complete the payment.
If money is still owed, tap Mark as partially paid again. If this was the last payment, tap Done.

Each layaway payment is a separate transaction on one order, so you keep one file. The order status changes to paid when the outstanding balance reaches zero.

Partial payment limits in POS

Gift card products

Gift card products must be paid in full, so process them in a separate transaction. Accept partial pay only on the rest.

Refunds, exchanges and edits

After a refund, exchange or edit on an order with multiple payments, you cannot accept more payments. Settle the balance first, then process the return.

Some European locations

Some locations in France, Italy and Spain cannot mark sales as partially paid.

Layaway inventory: hold the goods

Run the physical side yourself

Shopify has no layaway hold on stock, so the store must manage it:

Tag the goods with the order number and move them to a layaway shelf.
Write the balance due date in the order note.
Review partially paid orders weekly from the Orders screen.

Hold stock in the count

To show the goods as held in the count, use a draft with reserved inventory, below.

Special orders: draft with payment terms

Create the draft

For a custom order taken by phone or email, use an admin draft:

Go to Orders > Drafts and click Create order.
Add the products and the customer.
In Payment, select Payment due later and pick Payment terms.
To hold stock, select Reserve inventory and pick when the hold expires.
Send the invoice so the customer can pay through the checkout link.

Payment terms options

Shopify offers Due on receipt, Due on fulfillment, Net term (7 to 90 days) and Fixed term (a set date). An order not paid by its due date shows as Overdue.

Reserve inventory

Reserved units move to Committed, and no other customer can buy them. Inventory tracking must be on for the product.

Mark as paid

When a buyer sends cash or a cheque to pay outside Shopify, process it with Mark as paid. That way you accept other payment methods without a new charge.

Payment reminders

In Settings > Notifications, set up to five payment reminders so the customer will pay on time.

Percentage deposits on Shopify Plus

Require deposit

On Shopify Plus, a draft with payment terms can carry a percentage deposit. Click + Require deposit and enter a percentage, such as 20%. The deposit is applied to the first payment request.

Record partial payments in the admin

Plus also adds recorded partial payments. Open the order, click Collect payment, and choose a card or Record payment, as a Fixed amount or Percentage.

Is Plus worth it for deposits?

For a single store business doing $1M to $10M a year, rarely.

Saved carts in POS Pro

On a POS Pro location, staff can save a cart as a draft and reload it later. This suits a customer still deciding. Once they pay, complete it with a partial payment.

Shop Pay Installments vs layaway

Does Shopify let you pay in installments?

Yes, through Shop Pay Installments. The customer gets the item now and pays over time. It needs Shopify Payments and Shop Pay.

Limits and countries

Orders qualify from $35 to $30,000 USD in the US, and $35 to $30,000 CAD in Canada. It covers online purchases in both. For in person sales, it works at US retail locations only.

Which to offer

Installments suit a customer who wants the goods today and will pay later. Layaway suits one who avoids credit. Many merchants offer both purchase options, and sell layaway for high-value items.

Partial payment apps

When one app is worth it

Native tools cover a single store. One app earns its place when you want an automatic installment payment plan online, or a customer portal to pay each part.

What to check

Look for the Built for Shopify badge and check the integration. Shopify calls it the highest recognition an app can reach, backed by quality standards.

Check app pricing, any free plan or free trial, and the payment methods it supports.

Ask whether the app supports PayPal and your payment methods. Ask how it handles each payer if two people share one. Check the access the app needs to manage orders, its integration with your books, and whether its service and pricing cover Canada.

Built for Shopify is not enough

A Built for Shopify app can still be the wrong service. Test the integration on one order during a free trial, and process a refund through the service. Then compare its pricing and POS integration with the native route.

Write a layaway policy before you take one

What to put in writing

Shopify records the money, not the rules. Print a short policy on the receipt, including the value of each payment:

How much is due up front, as a fixed amount or a share of the price.
How long you hold the goods.
What happens to the deposit if the customer cancels.
What value is refunded, and whether to store credit.

Consumer guidance

The US Federal Trade Commission tells shoppers to get a merchant’s layaway policy in writing, and to keep a file of every payment.

Deposit forfeiture rules vary by province and state. Have your lawyer review the policy once.

Worked example: a $1,200 layaway

A furniture store in Ontario sells a $1,200 chair on layaway. The customer puts down $240 (20%) by card. Staff tap Split payment, take $240, then Mark as partially paid.

Staff tag the chair and note “balance due in 60 days”. A month later the customer brings $480 in cash, then $480 by card. Each time, staff tap Collect payment. After the last payment, the chair goes home.

The store has one order, three payments, and a complete file. In our accounts, most layaway customers complete the plan.

Taxes, cash and the books

In our accounts, sales tax (GST/HST, PST or US sales tax) is calculated on the full order at checkout, not on each payment. Ask your bookkeeper when they record the revenue.

Layaway slows cash for the business, because customers pay over weeks. Give your bookkeeper access, and match your checkout and accounting system on the open balance monthly.

Layaway FAQ

How much does Shopify take from a $100 sale?

It depends on your plan. On the US Basic plan, Shopify Payments charges 2.6% plus 10 cents in person. A layaway sale pays that card rate on each payment, so splitting adds only the fixed fee per transaction.

Can merchants accept partial payments online?

Yes, through drafts with payment terms on any plan. Merchants on Plus can also require a percentage deposit.

Deposit and layaway checklist

Customer attached to every partially paid order, in person or online.
Staff trained on Split payment, Mark as partially paid and Collect payment.
Gift card products rung separately from layaway sales.
Balance collected before any refund or exchange on the order.
A layaway shelf, tagged with order numbers.
Weekly review of Partially paid orders.
Special orders run as drafts with Payment due later, so the customer pays by invoice.
Written layaway policy on receipts.