The verdict in three sentences
An online shop selling catering equipment that only accepts card or bank transfer at checkout loses a large share of trade baskets, because restaurants, caterers and public buyers are used to paying at 30 or 60 days. B2B buy now, pay later providers such as Mondu, Hokodo and Defacto charge 1.5 to 4% depending on terms, approve credit in seconds and take on the non-payment risk. Merchants that add it report, as a 2026 order of magnitude, 15 to 25% higher conversion on trade accounts, which easily covers the fee once gross margin exceeds 20%.
Why trade buyers abandon checkout
A restaurant owner refitting a kitchen (combi oven, blast chiller, dishwashing station) often spends EUR 5,000 to 25,000 excl. VAT. Paying upfront squeezes cash flow, and a prepaid transfer delays shipping. At the brick-and-mortar wholesaler, they have an account with payment terms. Online, without it, they call a sales rep, shop elsewhere or postpone.
Extending credit yourself means checking each buyer's solvency, chasing payments, absorbing bad debt and funding working capital. B2B BNPL providers take over that role.
Mondu, Hokodo, Defacto compared
2026 order of magnitude, based on grids shared with mid-sized merchants (actual terms are negotiated by volume and sector):
| Criterion | Mondu | Hokodo | Defacto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin and footprint | Germany, active in France and EU | UK, active in France and EU | France |
| Terms offered | 14, 30, 45, 60, 90 days | 30, 60, 90 days | 30 to 90 days, invoice financing |
| Indicative merchant fee | 1.5 to 3.5% by term | 1.5 to 4% by term | 1.5 to 3.5% by term |
| Credit decision | Seconds | Seconds | Seconds to minutes |
| Non-payment risk | Transferred to Mondu | Transferred to Hokodo | Transferred to Defacto |
| Integrations | Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, API | Plugins and API | API, partner integrations |
| Strengths | Instalments and flexible terms | Per-buyer limits, polished buyer UX | French player, knows the SME fabric |
Typical fee by payment term, across providers:
| Payment term | Common merchant fee | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 14 days | 1.2 to 1.8% | Small consumables, restocking |
| 30 days | 1.5 to 2.5% | Standard restaurant order |
| 60 days | 2.5 to 3.5% | Kitchen equipment, large baskets |
| 90 days | 3 to 4% | Public buyers, chains, new openings |
| Pay in 3 or 4 instalments | 2 to 4% | Single expensive piece of equipment |
Integration: what to plan for
On a standard platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento), a plugin often exists. The work then focuses on separating consumers from trade buyers (company number, billing address), showing the payment option at the right step, sending invoices and credit notes to the provider, and syncing with accounting. On a custom or heavily customised platform, integration goes through the API.
As a 2026 order of magnitude, a French agency charges EUR 3,000 to 10,000 excl. VAT for this integration. At Kolonell it falls into the simple application tier, 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR), with optional maintenance afterwards at 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA a month (53, 114 or 183 EUR).
Mini case study
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Hélène, owner of an online catering equipment shop in Nantes, handles 400 trade orders a month at an average basket of EUR 1,800 excl. VAT, so EUR 720,000 monthly. Her gross margin is 28%.
- Cautious assumption: +18% trade orders thanks to payment terms, 72 more orders and EUR 129,600 of extra revenue.
- Extra gross margin: 129,600 × 28% = EUR 36,288 per month.
- 40% of the 472 orders use payment terms: 472 × 40% × EUR 1,800 = EUR 339,840, at a 2.5% average fee, so EUR 8,496 per month.
- Net monthly gain: 36,288 − 8,496 = EUR 27,792. A 6,100 EUR integration pays back in under a week of trading, before counting the bad debt and chasing Hélène no longer handles.
FAQ
Is the merchant paid immediately?
Yes, that is the point. The provider pays the amount minus its fee, usually 1 to 3 business days after shipping, and collects from the buyer at 30 or 60 days.
What if the trade buyer does not pay?
The provider carries the risk, except in disputes over the goods. For a non-conforming product, the credit note and return must be reported to pause the due date.
Are all trade buyers approved?
No. Decisions rely on company registration, age and financial data. Approval rates often sit between 80 and 90%, lower for companies less than a year old.
Can terms be offered only above a basket threshold?
Yes, and it is common. Many merchants reserve the option for baskets above EUR 500 to limit costs on small orders.
Do these solutions work with buyers outside France?
Mondu and Hokodo cover several European countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and, for Hokodo, the UK. Coverage varies by provider and should be checked for each target market.
Let's scope your project. We help you pick the B2B BNPL provider that fits your trade baskets, then integrate it into your shop within a few weeks, with proper consumer and trade buyer separation. 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.
