How PaidTerms Helps NZ Wholesalers Get Paid Faster
Wholesale trade runs on credit: buyers expect terms, and suppliers who won't offer them lose orders. PaidTerms lets NZ wholesalers say yes to flexible payment without funding the gap themselves — the customer gets time to pay, and the wholesaler is paid upfront.
The Cash-Flow Problem for Wholesalers
Most NZ wholesalers extend some form of trade credit as a matter of course — a 30 day account, a 60 day account, or terms negotiated deal by deal. It's rarely optional: business customers buying in bulk expect to be invoiced, not charged on the spot, and a wholesaler who insists on upfront payment risks losing the order to a competitor who doesn't.
The problem is that every invoice on terms is cash the wholesaler doesn't have yet, while stock, freight and wages still need to be paid now. Extend enough trade credit across enough customers, and a growing share of the business's working capital ends up sitting in accounts receivable rather than in the bank. See what trade credit is for the full mechanics of that arrangement.
How PaidTerms Works for Wholesale Orders
PaidTerms sits between the wholesaler and the buyer on a specific invoice. The buyer is offered the option to pay over time — commonly 3, 6 or 9 months — instead of the full amount upfront. Once that option is taken up and approved, PaidTerms pays the wholesaler the invoice amount in full, upfront. The buyer then repays PaidTerms directly, on schedule.
For the wholesaler, this means fulfilling the order as normal, invoicing as normal, and being paid as if the customer had paid on the spot — without running an in-house trade account, chasing collections, or carrying the receivable on the balance sheet. It works alongside existing accounts, not instead of them: many wholesalers keep trade accounts for long-established customers and offer PaidTerms for larger orders, newer customers, or anyone who'd rather spread the cost. See the pros and cons of offering trade credit for how that trade-off is usually weighed.
Wholesalers We Work With
Wholesale trade in New Zealand spans dozens of categories, and PaidTerms is built to work across all of them, not just one vertical. Browsing New Zealand's supplier directory gives a sense of the range — from building and construction material suppliers, to food and beverage wholesalers, to electrical and lighting suppliers. Whatever category a wholesale business sits in, the same underlying problem applies: customers want terms, and someone has to fund the gap.
For a broader look at how flexible payments apply specifically to wholesale and trade supply, see flexible payments for wholesalers and trade suppliers and our wholesalers industry page.
Getting Started
PaidTerms connects to Xero, so offering instalments doesn't mean changing how invoices are raised. If your invoicing already runs through Xero, see how NZ wholesalers and trade suppliers use Xero to offer payment plans for the practical setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PaidTerms replace my existing trade accounts?
No. Most wholesalers keep trade accounts for established customers and offer PaidTerms alongside them, for larger orders, newer customers, or anyone who'd prefer to spread the cost.
Is PaidTerms only for one type of wholesaler?
No. It's built to work across wholesale categories, from building materials to food and beverage to electrical supplies — anywhere a business customer buys on account.
Do I need to change how I invoice customers?
No. PaidTerms connects to Xero, so invoicing continues as normal; the instalment option is offered alongside the invoice rather than replacing it.
Who carries the risk if a buyer doesn't repay?
Once PaidTerms has paid the wholesaler upfront for an approved invoice, responsibility for collecting the buyer's repayments sits with PaidTerms, not the wholesaler.
Does offering instalments help win bigger orders?
Often, yes. Buyers who can spread payment are less likely to cut order sizes or delay purchasing, which can lift average order value as well as conversion.
Get Paid Upfront on Every Wholesale Order
PaidTerms Capital pays wholesalers upfront while business customers repay over time, whatever category you trade in.
Read next: buy now, pay later for wholesale customers, or why NZ wholesale buyers want payment terms.
