Net-30 Invoicing on a B2B Webshop: Trade Credit, Factoring and Default Risk (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

On a French B2B webshop, refusing net-30 payment costs more than the default risk itself: business buyers abandon up to 40% of carts when forced to pay by card. For a supplier with EUR 2 to 15 million in revenue, the best 2026 option is often a delegated B2B net-terms solution (1.5 to 3.5% per transaction) that carries the risk for you, combined with in-house scored credit limits for the top 20% of historical customers. Factoring still makes sense to fund cash flow, but it solves neither the online buying experience nor scoring at the moment of order.

Why deferred payment changes the average basket

A professional buyer does not think like a consumer. They order on behalf of their company, must match an invoice to a purchase order and pay under negotiated terms, often 30 days end of month. Asking for a credit card forces them to advance funds or go through their finance department. The result: they call your sales rep, send an email, or switch to a competitor that offers terms.

The French legal framework is strict. The LME law caps payment terms between businesses at 60 days from the invoice date (or 45 days end of month if contractually agreed). Late payment penalties apply automatically, with a flat EUR 40 recovery fee per invoice. Your shop must therefore display these terms in its T&Cs and on every invoice.

The three options and their real costs

In-house credit management. You build a module that assigns a credit limit per customer (company registry data, central bank rating via a provider, payment history), blocks orders beyond the limit and sends automatic reminders. Development cost: EUR 8,000 to 20,000 excl. VAT depending on ERP integration, plus EUR 150 to 600 per month for credit data. You keep 100% of the margin but also 100% of the risk and collections.

Delegated B2B net terms. A specialist provider checks the buyer in seconds at checkout, pays you within 1 to 3 days and collects the invoice itself at 30, 60 or 90 days. Fee of 1.5 to 3.5% per transaction depending on term and profile. Default risk is transferred and cash comes in immediately.

Factoring. You assign invoices to a factor that advances 85 to 90% of their value. Factoring fee of 0.5 to 2% of assigned revenue, plus a financing charge indexed to Euribor (often 1 to 2 points above). Useful for cash flow, but approval happens after the fact, not when the buyer clicks.

The most common combination among our clients: in-house credit for well-rated historical accounts (no fee on your best customers), delegated terms for new accounts and unknown SMEs, card and bank transfer as options for small baskets.

What the integration must cover

A deferred payment module is not just a button. It must display the available credit in the customer account, handle purchase orders and PO numbers, generate a compliant invoice (LME mentions, penalties, IBAN), push the entry into the ERP and trigger reminders at D-5, D+1 and D+15. From September 2026, mandatory e-invoicing in France also requires receiving invoices through an approved platform: design the flow once.

Mini case study

Claire, CFO of a supplier of consumables for garages and workshops near Lyon, generates EUR 3.2 million in revenue, EUR 900,000 of it online. Her average web basket is EUR 410 excl. VAT and her abandonment rate reaches 41%.

She deploys delegated net terms at 2.4% and in-house credit for her 180 best customers (development: EUR 14,000). Conservative assumption: average basket +20%, abandonment down to 22%. Online revenue rises to about EUR 1.35 million, i.e. +EUR 450,000. At a 32% gross margin, that is EUR 144,000 in additional margin. Fees on the delegated share (EUR 600,000 x 2.4%) cost EUR 14,400. First-year result: about EUR 115,000 in additional net margin after development, with default risk limited to customers she knows.

FAQ

Is net-30 mandatory to sell B2B?

No, but 70 to 80% of French business buyers expect to pay by invoice. Without this option, a B2B webshop typically loses 15 to 25 conversion points.

What is the maximum term I can grant?

The LME law sets 60 days from invoice, or 45 days end of month if the contract says so. Beyond that, you risk an administrative fine of up to EUR 2 million for a company.

Do I have to choose between factoring and net terms?

Not necessarily. Delegated terms drive conversion at checkout, factoring funds an existing invoice portfolio. Many SMEs use both, on different customer segments.

How much does an in-house credit module cost?

Plan EUR 8,000 to 20,000 excl. VAT and 6 to 10 weeks, depending on the connection to your ERP and a credit data provider (EUR 150 to 600 per month).

How do I limit risk on a new customer?

Start with a low limit (EUR 500 to 2,000), raise it after 3 on-time payments, and delegate the risk of unknown accounts to a net-terms provider.

Let's scope your project. Scored credit limits, net terms built into your webshop and an ERP connector: we define the scope, an indicative budget of EUR 8,000 to 25,000 and a 4 to 10 week timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.