The verdict in three sentences
If 35% of your B2B baskets are abandoned because buyers cannot pay on terms, a guaranteed 30-60 day payment option almost always pays for itself in under 6 months. The cost splits into a checkout integration of 5,000 to 15,000 EUR excl. VAT (about 4,300 to 12,900 GBP) and a 1.5 to 4% fee per transaction, in exchange for immediate payment to you and credit risk moved to the funder. The legal frame sets the ceiling: in France the LME law caps agreed terms at 60 days from invoice or 45 days end of month, and in the UK the Late Payment Act and the 60-day guidance for large firms play a similar role.
The four payment-term options in 2026
A business buyer wants to pay on invoice, as with its usual suppliers. Here are the realistic options for an online distributor of professional equipment, based on a Paris case.
| Option | Cost to the seller | Bad-debt risk | Time to get paid | Checkout integration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct trade terms (customer account) | 0% fee, working capital cost | 100% on you | 30-60 days | Low, 2,000 - 5,000 EUR |
| Specialist B2B BNPL (Hokodo, Mondu, Billie type) | 1.5 - 4% per transaction | Moved to the funder | 1-3 days | 5,000 - 12,000 EUR |
| Credit insurance + direct terms | 0.1 - 0.4% of insured revenue | Covered at 70-95% | 30-60 days | 3,000 - 8,000 EUR |
| Invoice factoring of web orders | 0.5 - 2% + interest | Depends on contract (recourse or not) | 24-72 h after assignment | 4,000 - 10,000 EUR |
| Pay in 3 or 4 with business card | 1.5 - 3% | Moved | Immediate | 1,500 - 4,000 EUR |
B2B BNPL is the only option combining an instant credit decision at checkout, fast payout and risk transfer. It is also the most expensive per transaction. Credit insurance costs less but keeps you in the banker's seat, with dunning and working capital tied up.
What the payment-term rules say and how they shape checkout
France's LME law governs terms between businesses. Your payment-term offer must comply, whatever the technical solution.
| 2026 rule (France) | Content | Consequence for the site |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum agreed term | 60 days from invoice or 45 days end of month | No standard '90 days' offer |
| Default term | 30 days after receipt of goods | Default if terms and conditions are silent |
| Late payment interest | ECB rate + 10 points by default, minimum 3 times the legal rate | Must appear in T&Cs and invoices |
| Flat recovery fee | 40 EUR per late invoice | Mandatory mention on invoice |
| Administrative fine | Up to 2 million EUR for a company | Checks focus on actual practice |
| Early payment discount | Terms to specify in T&Cs | Useful to encourage upfront payment |
The BNPL funder pays the seller within days and holds the receivable against the buyer: the buyer sees 30 or 60 days, the seller is paid almost immediately. In London, the logic is the same; have your terms reviewed by counsel before launch.
Measured impact on conversion and working capital
Claimed gains vary. 2026 field feedback on B2B professional equipment sites gives the following ballparks, to be read as estimates.
| Indicator | Before payment terms | After (observed range) |
|---|---|---|
| Conversion rate of business accounts | 2.0% | 2.3 - 2.6% (+15 to +30%) |
| Average B2B basket | 1,400 EUR | 1,600 - 1,900 EUR |
| Abandonment at payment | 35% | 18 - 25% |
| Average collection time | 38 days (transfer after reminders) | 2-3 days (funder) |
| Bad debt borne by you | 1.2% | Close to 0% on financed sales |
| Accounting time on reminders | 3 days per month | Under 1 day per month |
The right calculation compares the fee with three gains combined: extra revenue, freed working capital and avoided bad debt.
Mini case study
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Claire, CFO of an online distributor of professional kitchen equipment in Paris, books 4.2 million EUR of B2B revenue per year on the site. She integrates a 30 and 60 day B2B BNPL for 9,000 EUR excl. VAT, at an average 2.5% fee. 40% of online revenue goes through the solution, 1.68 million EUR, for an annual fee of 42,000 EUR.
On the other side: a cautious 15% conversion lift brings 630,000 EUR of extra revenue, about 126,000 EUR of gross margin at 20%. Avoided bad debt on 1.68 million EUR at 1.2% is worth 20,000 EUR. Net gain exceeds 100,000 EUR in year one, integration included, as an estimate. A London distributor with similar volumes would see comparable ratios in GBP.
FAQ
Does B2B BNPL work for small orders?
Yes, most providers accept baskets from 50 to 100 EUR. Under 200 EUR, a card is often simpler and cheaper than a 2 to 3% fee.
What if the funder declines the buyer?
Checkout must offer a fallback, transfer or card. Acceptance rates are usually 80 to 95% for companies registered more than 2 years.
Can I offer 90 days to large customers?
In France, LME caps agreed terms at 60 days from invoice or 45 days end of month, with rare sector exceptions. Beyond that, fines can reach 2 million EUR.
How long does integration take?
Allow 3 to 6 weeks on Shopify, Magento or PrestaShop with a plugin, and 6 to 10 weeks on a custom site with account and quote management.
Is credit insurance enough?
It covers 70 to 95% of the receivable for 0.1 to 0.4% of insured revenue, but does not shorten collection time. It fits if your cash flow can carry 30 to 60 days of receivables.
Let's scope your project. Share your platform, your online B2B revenue and your abandonment rate, and we will price a payment-terms integration between 5,000 and 15,000 EUR excl. VAT with a 3 to 10 week plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
