TermsThe basics
How it works
How terms work
In short
A vendor's terms are four answers: their consignor rate (what they earn), holds (what a sale must clear first), schedule (when they're paid) and agreement (how long it runs). You set them once for the shop, and give a vendor their own only where they differ.
Every deal you have with a vendor answers the same four questions. In VendorDue those answers are their terms, and Settings, then Terms reads them back to you as sentences you can change by pressing the underlined words.
The four answers#
| Part | Answers | Reads like |
|---|---|---|
| Consignor rate | What does the vendor earn from a sale? | Alder Ceramics earns 60% of revenue on every sale. |
| Holds | What must a sale clear before it can be paid? | Hold each sale until it ships, then for a 14-day return window. No minimum payout. |
| Schedule | When is the vendor paid? | Pay vendors every month on the 1st, for sales up to the day before. |
| Agreement | How long does the deal run, and what happens at the end? | Each agreement runs 90 days from the day you confirm a vendor, then we ask you. |
Charges, like booth rent, sit beside the terms: money a vendor owes you rather than something they earn. See Charges and bills.
The shop's, and a vendor's own#
You set the four answers once for the shop. These are your Shop-wide terms The rate, schedule, holds and agreement every vendor follows, unless they have their own. In the glossary, and every vendor you put on them follows them, including every change you make later.
A vendor who's different gets their own answer for just that part. Each part is separate: Quillfield Goods can have their own consignor rate of 90% and still follow your schedule and holds. Their Terms tab says Currently using: shop-wide above each part they share with the shop. See Shop-wide terms and a vendor's own.
See it worked through#
Under the sentences, an Example runs a $120.00 sale made today through your terms, so you can see what your answers mean before any real sale does:
| Sold | Ships | Scheduled | Lands in To pay | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 6 Oct | Wed, 7 Oct | Wed, 21 Oct | Sun, 1 Nov | when you pay it |
On a vendor's Terms tab it also says what that sale would pay them: "A $120.00 USD sale today pays Alder Ceramics $72.00 USD on Sun, 1 Nov."
When a change starts#
A change to the consignor rate applies from the next sale. Sales already made keep the rate they were worked out with.
A change to the holds or the schedule asks when it starts, before you save it. The bar under Unsaved changes says:
- Starts: tomorrow, unless you pick another day.
- What happens to sales that already have a pay day. They keep it, and only later sales follow the new answer. Tick Move them too to move them now as well, which starts the change today.
Discard drops the change; Save keeps it. Every saved change is listed under Changes to the holds and schedule, with the day it started.
How payouts behave#
Five rules apply whatever your terms say. They're listed under How payouts behave in Settings, then Terms:
- When a payout lands: at the start of the day in your shop's time zone.
- If refunds or charges beat sales: nothing lands for that vendor, and the difference comes off their next payout.
- Landing: fixes the amounts and shows each vendor their payout.
- Holding one vendor back: hold their payouts from their Summary. Their sales keep their dates, and anything past its date lands when you release the hold.
- Paying part of it: allowed. The rest stays in To pay.
Common questions#
- Where do I change my terms?
- In Settings › Terms for the whole shop, or on a vendor's Terms tab for them alone. Press the underlined words in each sentence. More
- If I change the shop-wide consignor rate, do past sales change?
- No. Sales already made keep the rate they were worked out with. The new rate applies from the next sale. More
- Can a vendor follow the shop-wide schedule but have their own rate?
- Yes. Each part of the terms is separate. A vendor can have their own consignor rate and follow every other part from the shop. More
- What do vendors see of their terms?
- Their own terms, in their words: their consignor rate, when they're paid and what a sale must clear first, and their agreement. More
Thanks. We read every answer.
Checked against VendorDue on 6 Oct 2026. What's new