What Do You Do When a Sold-Out Wholesale Order Still Hasn't Paid? RIXO's Terms Reset
Short answer: Stop treating retailer sell-through as collected revenue. Track stock delivered, stock reported sold, invoices issued, payment due and cash received as separate events, then cap each retailer's unpaid exposure at an amount your business can lose without missing tax, payroll or the next production deposit. If a retailer breaches the agreed date, pause replenishment immediately and move the next order to a deposit, shorter term or payment before dispatch.
A sold-out rail can make a wholesale relationship look successful while the supplier finances the retailer's inventory and waits for its own money. The customer has the consumer's cash. You still have the factory bill.
That is not merely a collections problem. It is a trading-terms decision made before stock leaves you.
Use the Wholesale Cash Exposure Ledger
The Wholesale Cash Exposure Ledger records five states for every order. It prevents sales reports from hiding the amount of your cash controlled by someone else.
| State | Evidence | Cash meaning | Required action | |---|---|---|---| | Delivered | Signed receipt and quantity | Your stock or receivable is outside your control | Confirm acceptance promptly | | Reported sold | Retailer's item-level sales report | Consumer demand exists | Reconcile units and returns | | Invoiced | Correct invoice accepted | A claim for payment exists | Record due date and contact | | Due | Contractual date has passed | Credit exposure is overdue | Pause more exposure | | Collected | Cleared money in your account | Cash can fund the business | Match to invoice and close |
The key measure is cash exposure, not sales value:
cash exposure = production cash paid + committed replenishment cost + tax due on the sale - retailer cash collected
My position is that a small brand should stop dispatching the moment a retailer exceeds either its credit limit or payment date, even if the range is selling quickly. Continuing to supply a late payer rewards the exact behaviour creating the cash crisis.
What RIXO learned from sale or return
RIXO founders Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey used sale-or-return terms to get an unfamiliar label onto important retail rails. In a detailed 2018 founder interview, they said one early Net-a-Porter order sold out within 24 hours and that other stockists called within a week after sale-or-return ranges sold through.
Demand did not guarantee payment. Rix said some wholesale customers had sold every garment and banked the money but still failed to pay RIXO promptly. The founders had handled invoices themselves, were not sufficiently on top of cash flow, got burned and changed their trading terms.
The interview does not publish invoice values, payment days or bad-debt totals. Do not invent them. The defensible lesson is that sell-through, invoicing and collection were different events, and rapid wholesale growth increased the amount exposed between them.
Decide who owns the stock at every stage
Wholesale, consignment and sale or return allocate risk differently. Labels are used inconsistently, so the written agreement must state when title and risk transfer, who sets retail price, who absorbs markdowns, when sales are reported, how returns are valued and when payment becomes due.
| Arrangement | Typical commercial effect | Main supplier risk | |---|---|---| | Firm wholesale order | Retailer buys agreed units | Credit risk after delivery | | Deposit plus balance | Part cash arrives before production or dispatch | Remaining balance and cancellation risk | | Consignment | Supplier retains ownership until consumer sale | Stock, reporting and retailer insolvency risk | | Sale or return | Retailer may return qualifying unsold goods | Ambiguous ownership and open-ended return risk |
Do not rely on the retailer's purchase order if it conflicts with your accepted terms. Contract formation, retention of title, VAT, insolvency and cross-border recovery vary by jurisdiction. Have a qualified commercial adviser review the agreement and local tax treatment.
Set a credit limit from survival cash
A credit limit is the maximum unpaid exposure you will accept, not the largest order the buyer wants. Start with the cash the business can lose while still paying protected obligations and completing other customer orders.
Assess the buyer's filed accounts, payment references, trading history, ownership and any credit information lawfully available. A prestigious name can still pay slowly. Begin a new relationship with a deposit, small order or payment before dispatch, then increase credit only after cleared payments arrive on time.
Set two controls:
- A pound limit covering all uninvoiced consignment, invoices and committed replenishment.
- A time limit after which no further stock leaves, regardless of the pound total.
Apply both automatically. An account under its £20,000 limit but 20 days overdue still fails the time control.
Make sell-through reporting auditable
For consignment or sale-or-return stock, require item-level reports on a fixed schedule. Reconcile opening units, deliveries, reported sales, returns, markdowns, damage and closing stock. Differences should be investigated before another shipment.
Use product codes that match your own records. Agree who approves promotions and whether your payment is based on the agreed wholesale price or a share of actual retail proceeds. If a retailer can discount without consent and reduce what it owes you, your margin is not controlled.
Invoice immediately when the contract permits. A five-day delay in issuing an invoice adds five days to cash collection even when the customer follows the payment term. Record disputes separately from simple lateness, because an incorrect quantity or price can reset the buyer's internal approval process.
Worked example: Vale Street Dresses
Vale Street Dresses supplies an independent department store on sale or return. It sends 120 dresses with an agreed wholesale price of £72 each. Each dress costs £31 to make and £3 to deliver and handle.
The opening exposure is:
| Item | Calculation | Amount | |---|---:|---:| | Production cash | 120 x £31 | £3,720 | | Delivery and handling | 120 x £3 | £360 | | Cash paid before collection | £3,720 + £360 | £4,080 |
After four weeks, the retailer reports 90 dresses sold. Vale invoices 90 x £72 = £6,480 on 30-day terms. Thirty unsold dresses remain outside its control with £930 of production cash tied up.
The retailer asks for 80 more dresses before paying. The replenishment would require 80 x (£31 + £3) = £2,720. If Vale agrees, its cash exposure becomes £4,080 + £2,720 = £6,800, even though the sales report looks excellent.
Vale's board has set a £5,000 retailer exposure limit. It therefore pauses the replenishment and offers two options: settle the £6,480 invoice first, or pay a 50% deposit of £3,240 on the new wholesale value before production. If the invoice clears, the existing exposure is recovered and the next order can be assessed separately.
Suppose payment arrives 25 days late and Vale had planned to use it for a £5,500 factory deposit. A £6,480 receivable is not available cash. The company needs other working capital or must delay production. The store's 75% sell-through rate does not solve that timing problem.
These figures are illustrative and exclude VAT. Use the tax treatment and contract terms that apply to your business.
Respond to lateness in a fixed order
Confirm first that the invoice reached the right person, contains the required purchase order and bank details, and has no valid dispute. Then state the amount, contractual due date and requested payment date in writing.
When the date passes, stop new exposure. Escalate through the buyer, accounts-payable contact and agreed management route. Consider a structured payment plan only when it improves recovery and is documented properly. Do not accept vague promises while continuing to ship.
Interest, late-payment compensation, debt recovery and termination rights depend on the contract and jurisdiction. Insolvency warning signs require faster professional advice. A commercially important retailer does not justify risking the whole company.
Reset your terms over the next 14 days
On days one and two, list every wholesale account with stock outside your control, invoices issued, amounts due and cleared cash. Reconcile sale-or-return units by product code during the first week.
Set pound and time limits for each account, then identify any breach. Pause affected orders and communicate the condition for release. In week two, amend new-order terms, invoice triggers, reporting dates, returns and dispute processes with qualified legal and tax help. Update the [13-week cash flow forecast](/business-finance/build-a-13-week-cash-flow-forecast/) using expected collection dates, not invoice dates.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Should I offer sale or return to win my first stockist?
Only when the marketing value and demand evidence justify a loss you can afford. Cap the units, test period and locations, retain auditable stock records and agree when sales are reported and paid. A small placement can reduce a retailer's adoption risk, but unlimited return rights make you fund stock, markdown and poor merchandising. Set a conversion condition for later orders, such as moving to a firm wholesale purchase after two reconciled, on-time cycles. Have the terms reviewed, because ownership, loss, tax and insolvency treatment can differ from the commercial label used.
What payment term should a small brand offer retailers?
Use the shortest term the relationship and market support, starting with payment before dispatch, a deposit or a small credit order for a new buyer. Thirty days may be common in some sectors, but common does not mean affordable. Model the production deposit, delivery date, invoice trigger and actual payment date against your supplier terms. If you pay a factory 60 days before the retailer pays you, you finance the gap. Larger retailers may insist on standard terms; accept them only when price, volume and working capital make the complete deal worthwhile.
Can I charge interest on a late wholesale invoice?
Possibly, but the right and rate depend on the contract, applicable late-payment law, jurisdiction and type of customer. In the UK, statutory rights may apply to qualifying business debts, although agreed contractual terms can affect the position. Confirm the current rules and obtain qualified legal advice before adding charges or threatening recovery. Interest rarely fixes the immediate cash gap, so your first operating response should be to stop increasing exposure. Accurate invoices, documented reminders and a clear escalation trail strengthen both commercial resolution and any later recovery action.
What if the retailer disputes the invoice after selling the stock?
Ask for the exact disputed line, evidence and contractual basis immediately. Reconcile delivered units, reported sales, returns, agreed price, promotions and tax. Separate the undisputed amount and request that it be paid on time rather than allowing one query to freeze the whole invoice. Do not send replenishment while a material dispute remains unresolved. If reporting is incomplete or stock is missing, follow the inspection and audit provisions in the agreement. Rights and remedies vary, so involve a qualified adviser early when value, insolvency risk or cross-border enforcement is material.
How do I check whether a retailer is likely to pay?
Review current public filings, trading history, ownership changes, credit information, court or insolvency records where lawful, and references from suppliers who have actually been paid. Ask the retailer directly about its invoice process, required documents and normal payment run. Start with a small order and treat the first cleared payment as more useful evidence than brand prestige. Continue monitoring, because a reliable customer can deteriorate. Credit reports are imperfect and should not replace your own exposure limit. Data access and use must comply with local law.
Should I use invoice finance for wholesale orders?
It can bridge timing when the invoice is valid, the debtor is acceptable and the gross margin comfortably covers fees, reserves and recourse risk. It does not repair disputed invoices, weak contribution or consignment stock that cannot yet be invoiced. Compare the total facility cost with the contribution from the order and understand what happens if the retailer pays late or fails. Some arrangements are confidential and others involve customer notification. Terms, security and accounting treatment vary, so obtain independent finance, legal and tax advice before signing.
When should I stop supplying a late-paying retailer permanently?
Stop when repeated lateness consumes more financing cost and management time than the account contributes, when reporting cannot be reconciled, or when the buyer refuses terms that keep exposure survivable. One administrative mistake can be repaired. A pattern of broken promises after stock sells is a business model imposed on you. Calculate contribution after bad-debt allowance, finance cost, returns and founder collection time. If the account remains worthwhile only because you ignore those costs, it is not a good customer. Follow contractual termination requirements and obtain advice before recovering stock.
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