Builders’ merchant payments: why getting paid is still harder than it should be

Table of Contents:

• The reality of B2B payments in a builders’ merchant
• “Can you send me the invoice again?” - and other delays that slow payments down
• Getting paid when the customer isn’t standing in front of you
• Handling highvalue trade orders without hitting card limits
• Why payments still create admin headaches - and how to reduce them
• Built for builders’ merchants, not retail workarounds

The reality of B2B payments in a builders’ merchant

Trade payments don’t fit the retail model - and never have.

A typical scenario might look like this:

• A regular customer places multiple orders across a single job
• Some materials are collected, others delivered later
• An invoice is raised partway through the project
• A deposit is paid, with the balance due once work progresses
• Payments are handled by someone who’s never actually on site

Trying to force that into a “tap and go” checkout creates friction - for your team and your customers.

Builders’ merchants need flexibility, visibility and control, not just card machines.

“Can you send me the invoice again?” - and other delays that slow payments down

One of the biggest causes of late payment isn’t unwilling customers. It’s broken processes.

Invoices get lost in inboxes. The person who collected the materials isn’t the one who pays. Accounts teams don’t have an easy way to settle up once the invoice finally lands on their desk.

That’s where invoiceled payments, rather than counterled payments, make a real difference.

When payments are built around invoices, merchants can:

• Take deposits and partpayments against a job
• See instantly what’s paid, partpaid or outstanding
• Avoid manual spreadsheets and reconciliation guesswork
• Reduce awkward phone calls chasing status updates

Instead of reacting to payment problems, teams stay in control from day one.

Getting paid when the customer isn’t standing in front of you

Not every customer has time to come back to branch just to pay an invoice.

They might be:

• On site
• Travelling between jobs
• Managing payments centrally for multiple builds
• Juggling half a dozen suppliers at once

This is where Pay by Link has quietly become one of the most practical tools for builders’ merchants.

A secure payment link can be sent by SMS or email straight from the invoice. The customer pays when it suits them - on site, in the office, or between jobs. No callbacks. No chasing card details.

For merchants, the impact is simple:

• Faster payments
• Fewer chasers for accounts teams
• Better cash flow without pushing customers

Handling highvalue trade orders without hitting card limits

As order values rise, card payments don’t always scale well.

Builders’ merchants regularly deal with larger transactions - pallet loads, bulk materials, repeat trade orders - where card limits, fees and slower settlement become pain points.

Open Banking payments offer a smarter alternative.

Customers pay directly from their bank using the banking app they already trust. There are no card limits, no extra logins and no unnecessary friction. Payments typically settle faster, making it easier to manage cash flow on bigger orders.

For merchants, it’s a practical way to support highvalue trade payments without changing how customers work.

Why payments still create admin headaches - and how to reduce them

Taking the payment is only half the story. Reconciling it is where time gets lost.

Too often, invoices live in one system, payments in another, and reporting somewhere else entirely. That means more manual checks, more errors and more pressure at monthend.

Integrated payment systems change that.

When invoices, payments and reporting are connected:

• Reconciliation becomes quicker and cleaner
• Accounts teams get realtime visibility
• Manual admin drops
• Month end stops being a fire drill

Instead of chasing paperwork, teams can focus on running the business.

Built for builders’ merchants, not retail workarounds

Builders’ merchants don’t need retail tools with B2B features bolted on. They need payments that reflect how the trade actually operates.

Together, Clover and Echo Pay help builders’ merchants:

• Take payments against invoices and trade accounts
• Accept deposits and staged payments
• Get paid remotely with secure Pay by Link
• Handle larger transactions using Open Banking
• Reduce admin across sales, payments and accounts

If you’re attending NMBS and finding that payments are still slower, messier or more manual than they should be, it might be time to rethink the way your systems support the trade.

Payments don’t need to be complicated - they just need to be built for how builders’ merchants really work.