Olipop's Wholesale Rise: How DTC Brands Set Up Retail Net Terms

When DTC brands such as Olipop expand from online storefronts into national retail distribution, their payment model changes significantly. Olipop products are now available through retailers including Whole Foods Market and Target. The shift from instant e-commerce payments to Net 30, 60, or even 90-day wholesale terms creates working capital gaps that can challenge even the fastest-growing brands. Modern net terms management platforms now enable emerging brands to offer competitive payment terms without destroying their cash flow, transforming what was once a growth barrier into a strategic advantage.

Key Takeaways

• Wholesale changes cash flow timing: DTC sales usually generate payment at checkout, while retail orders may remain in accounts receivable for several weeks after fulfillment
• A Net 30 invoice is due in 30 days, but it may remain outstanding longer if the buyer has an approval delay, documentation question, deduction, return, or dispute
• A brand that previously generated $200,000 in monthly DTC sales and adds another $200,000 in wholesale orders must support the higher sales volume while the wholesale portion may remain unpaid until a later accounting period
• Automated invoicing, reminders, reconciliation, and collections can prevent finance workloads from growing at the same rate as wholesale volume
• Resolve Pay can provide advance payments on eligible approved invoices while qualified buyers retain their agreed payment terms
• Buyer risk should be evaluated individually: Credit decisions should reflect each retailer's financial profile, order size, payment history, and requested exposure
• Non-recourse financing transfers qualifying buyer credit-default risk to the financing platform for covered approved invoices

The Cash Flow Crisis DTC Brands Face When Going Wholesale

The DTC business model provides founders with immediate cash flow. A customer orders, pays instantly via Shopify, and the brand receives funds within days. Wholesale inverts this equation entirely.

When a DTC brand lands a major retail account, the cash timing problem compounds at scale:

• Order placed March 1: Retailer submits purchase order
• Shipped March 20: Brand fulfills order, uses cash for inventory and production
• Invoice due April 20: Net-30 terms begin at shipment
• Actual payment arrives May 1-10: A Net 30 invoice is due in 30 days, but it may remain outstanding longer if the buyer has an approval delay, documentation question, deduction, return, or dispute

This means brands fund 50+ days of operations before seeing a dollar from wholesale. For a company growing rapidly, each month requires funding the previous month's wholesale revenue while simultaneously fulfilling new orders.

The math becomes challenging:

A brand that previously generated $200,000 in monthly DTC sales and adds another $200,000 in wholesale orders must support the higher sales volume while the wholesale portion may remain unpaid until a later accounting period. The cash conversion cycle creates a structural timing gap that can grow as sales increase and more cash remains tied up in inventory and receivables.

This explains why profitable DTC brands sometimes face financial pressure after their wholesale expansion. Revenue grows while cash timing changes, a pattern that catches founders off guard who are accustomed to immediate DTC payments.

Understanding Net Terms: Net 30, 60, and 90 Explained

Net terms define when payment is due after invoicing. The number indicates calendar days:

• Net 30: Payment due 30 days from invoice date (most common)
• Net 60: Payment due 60 days from invoice (large retailers)
• Net 90: Payment due 90 days from invoice (enterprise accounts)

Retail payment requirements vary by buyer, supplier agreement, product category, and purchasing program. Brands should review each retailer's purchase order and vendor agreement before forecasting payment timing.

Early payment discounts attempt to accelerate collections:

• 2/10 Net 30: 2% discount if paid within 10 days; full amount due at 30
• 1/10 Net 60: 1% discount for 10-day payment; standard at 60 days

Early-payment discounts may encourage faster payment, but their effectiveness depends on the buyer's cash position, approval workflow, and accounts payable policies.

For DTC brands entering wholesale, understanding that stated terms may not always reflect actual payment timing is critical for accurate cash flow forecasting and working capital planning.

How to Set Up Net Terms for Wholesale Buyers

Establishing wholesale payment terms requires balancing competitive offerings against cash flow protection. The setup process involves several interconnected decisions:

Define Your Standard Terms Structure

Start with terms that match your cash flow capacity:

• New accounts: Cash in Advance or Net 15 (minimizes risk while building relationship)
• Established accounts: Net 30 (industry standard, manageable for most brands)
• Strategic accounts: Net 60-90 (reserved for high-volume, low-risk buyers)

Document these standards in your credit policy and apply them consistently. Exceptions should require approval workflows to prevent sales teams from over-extending credit.

Establish Credit Limits

Set maximum outstanding balances for each account based on:

• Annual purchase volume projections
• Buyer's creditworthiness and payment history
• Your capacity to absorb potential losses
• Industry benchmarks (typically 1-2 months of expected purchases)

A $50,000 credit limit on Net-30 terms means the buyer can have up to $50,000 outstanding before requiring payment or prepayment for additional orders.

Create Clear Payment Documentation

Your invoices and terms agreements must include:

• Exact due dates (not just "Net 30")
• Accepted payment methods (ACH, wire, check, credit card)
• Late payment policies (interest charges, account holds)
• Dispute resolution procedures
• Early payment discount terms (if offered)

Ambiguity in payment documentation leads to delayed payments and disputes. Clarity protects both parties and helps maintain positive customer relationships.

Building a Credit Evaluation Framework

Not every wholesale buyer deserves the same terms. A robust credit check process protects against extending terms to businesses likely to default.

Essential Credit Assessment Components

Traditional credit evaluation relies on:

• Business credit reports (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business)
• Trade references from other suppliers
• Bank references confirming account status
• Financial statements for larger credit requests
• Years in business and ownership stability

The depth and timing of a manual credit review vary according to the requested exposure, available documentation, and the seller's approval process.

Modern AI-Powered Alternatives

Resolve Pay uses business information, credit data, behavioral signals, and credit expertise to assess buyers. Some applications may be decided quickly, while others may require additional documentation or verification.

These systems evaluate data points beyond traditional credit scores:

• Cash flow patterns from banking data
• Payment behavior across other platforms
• Business growth trajectories
• Industry risk factors
• Seasonal patterns affecting payment capacity

The result: more buyers may qualify for terms, increasing your addressable market while maintaining appropriate risk controls.

Automating Collections Without Damaging Relationships

Manual accounts receivable processes break down as wholesale invoice volumes scale. A small AR team managing thousands of monthly invoices cannot follow up on every aging account.

The Case for Automated Follow-Up

Agentic collections systems handle the entire follow-up lifecycle:

• Day 1: Automated invoice delivery confirmation
• Day 7: Friendly payment reminder
• Day 14: Second reminder with due date emphasis
• Day 21: Escalation notice
• Day 30+: Collections workflow activation

These sequences adapt based on buyer behavior. A customer who consistently pays on day 28 receives different communication than one with a history of longer payment cycles.

Benefits of Structured Follow-Up

Automated invoicing, reminders, reconciliation, and collections can prevent finance workloads from growing at the same rate as wholesale volume. According to Nacha’s B2B payment research, organizations are shifting from checks to electronic payments primarily to improve efficiency and reduce costs, with broader workflow automation also driving adoption.

Automation transforms collections from a reactive scramble into a systematic process that scales with your business, allowing your team to focus on exception management and relationship building rather than routine follow-up tasks.

Non-Recourse Financing: Getting Paid While Buyers Pay Later

Even with efficient collections, Net 60-90 contractual terms create structural working capital gaps. Non-recourse financing solves this timing problem.

How It Works

A B2B payments platform with embedded financing:

1. May provide advance payments on eligible approved invoices
2. Assumes qualifying buyer credit-default risk for covered approved transactions subject to the merchant agreement
3. Releases remaining balance when buyer pays at term
4. Handles collections so you focus on sales and operations

This structure can help decouple your cash flow from buyer payment timing. You can offer extended terms to win a major account while potentially receiving payment earlier, subject to invoice approval and verification.

Understanding Non-Recourse Protection

For covered approved invoices, Resolve Pay assumes qualifying buyer credit-default risk under the applicable merchant agreement. Non-recourse protection does not necessarily cover disputes, fraud, returns, fulfillment failures, invalid invoices, or merchant breaches.

Resolve Pay's better-than-factoring approach operates differently from traditional arrangements:

• Selective financing: Choose which invoices to advance
• Non-recourse: Platform assumes approved invoice risk for qualifying transactions
• White-label: Buyers can interact through a merchant-branded payment portal
• Integrated: Part of your AR automation workflow

Term Graduation: From Prepay to Net 60

Trust builds over time. Smart wholesale operations implement term graduation systems that reward consistent payment behavior.

Graduated Term Structure

• Initial stage (New accounts): Cash in Advance or prepayment required
• Early credit stage (After initial on-time payments): Net 15 terms
• Established stage (Proven payment history): Net 30 terms
• Strategic stage (Strong relationship): Net 45-60 terms

Each stage of increase signals trust and unlocks additional credit capacity. Material changes should follow the company's credit approval process based on payment behavior and risk assessment.

Enforcement Automation

Modern B2B platforms enforce these rules systematically:

Automation can generate alerts, monitor payment behavior, identify accounts approaching limits, and prompt credit reviews. Material changes should follow the company's approval process.

This removes uncomfortable conversations from sales relationships. The system enforces policy while your team maintains the partnership, ensuring consistency and protecting cash flow without manual intervention.

Why Resolve Pay Helps DTC Brands Scale Wholesale

DTC brands transitioning to wholesale need more than a payment processor. They need a platform built for the specific challenges of B2B net terms.

Resolve Pay delivers an integrated solution combining credit decisioning, net terms financing, and AR automation:

AI-Powered Credit Decisions

Resolve Pay uses business information, credit data, behavioral signals, and credit expertise to assess buyers. Some applications may be decided quickly, while others may require additional documentation or verification. This opens wholesale channels to retailers that might otherwise require prepayment.

Non-Recourse Advances

Eligible merchants may receive advance payments on approved invoices rather than waiting for the buyer's due date. Resolve Pay assumes qualifying buyer credit-default risk for covered approved transactions, helping eliminate the cash flow penalty of extended payment terms.

Automated AR Management

From invoice generation through collections, Resolve Pay handles the administrative burden that overwhelms growing brands. Multi-channel follow-up sequences maintain professional customer relationships while supporting efficient payment cycles.

White-Label Experience

Buyers can interact through a merchant-branded payment portal, maintaining your brand experience throughout the payment process.

ERP Integration

Resolve Pay connects with QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage Intacct, Oracle NetSuite, Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento 2, and WooCommerce. A flexible API is also available for custom workflows, ensuring payment data flows into your accounting systems.

Conclusion: Transforming Net Terms from Barrier to Advantage

For DTC brands expanding into wholesale, net terms represent both opportunity and challenge. The opportunity lies in accessing major retail distribution channels and significantly scaling revenue. The challenge comes from managing the cash flow timing gap inherent in wholesale payment cycles.

Resolve Pay transforms this challenge into a competitive advantage. By combining AI-powered credit decisioning, non-recourse financing, and automated AR management, the platform enables growing brands to offer the payment terms large retailers expect without compromising working capital.

The result is a wholesale operation that scales sustainably. Brands can accept orders from qualified buyers, ship with confidence, and maintain the cash flow needed to fund continued growth. What was once a barrier to retail expansion becomes a strategic tool for building lasting wholesale relationships.

Frequently Asked Questions

What net terms should a new DTC brand offer wholesale buyers?

Start conservatively with Cash in Advance or Net 15 for new accounts until you've established cash reserves and credit evaluation processes. Most DTC brands expanding to wholesale should offer Net 30 as their standard term, reserving Net 60-90 for strategic accounts with proven payment history. The key is matching your terms to your cash flow capacity.

How do I evaluate a wholesale buyer's creditworthiness?

Traditional evaluation combines business credit reports, trade references from other suppliers, bank references, and financial statements for larger credit requests. Resolve Pay uses business information, credit data, behavioral signals, and credit expertise to assess buyers. Some applications may be decided quickly, while others may require additional documentation or verification.

What's the difference between recourse and non-recourse financing?

With recourse financing, you repay the advance if your buyer defaults on payment. For covered approved invoices under non-recourse financing, Resolve Pay assumes qualifying buyer credit-default risk subject to the merchant agreement. Non-recourse protection does not necessarily cover disputes, fraud, returns, fulfillment failures, invalid invoices, or merchant breaches.

Can I offer different terms to different wholesale buyers?

Yes, and you should. Tiered terms based on buyer creditworthiness, purchase volume, and payment history protect your cash flow while rewarding loyal accounts. Implement a term graduation system where new accounts start with shorter terms or prepayment, then earn extended terms through consistent on-time payments. Document your credit policy clearly and apply it consistently.

How does Resolve Pay support both ecommerce and offline wholesale orders?

Resolve Pay integrates with major ecommerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento 2, and WooCommerce, as well as accounting systems including QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage Intacct, and Oracle NetSuite. The platform handles invoicing, credit decisions, and payment collection for both online and offline wholesale channels, providing unified AR management across all sales channels.

This post is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult his or her own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this post. Resolve assumes no liability for actions taken in reliance upon the information contained herein.