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# Cart-level deposit option

| This feature can't be enabled through the app yet. If it seems like a good fit for your store and you want to set it up, [contact us](mailto:support@hypehound.io).

The cart-level deposit option feature lets customers choose to make deposit and balance payments for all line items by clicking a single button in the cart.

It's an alternative to letting customers select a deposit option on individual [product pages](https://docs.downpay.app/en/article/lxmp4h) as they add items to their cart. 

This guide goes over the ideal use case, requirements, and how the feature works step-by-step.

|| The cart-level deposit option does not apply a deposit purchase option to the total order amount. It still applies deposit purchase options at the line-item level—just all at once.

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###### On this page:

[Ideal use case](#2-ideal-use-case-and-benefits)
[Requirements](#2-requirements)
[How it works](#2-how-it-works)

---
---

## Ideal use case and benefits

The ideal use case for the cart-level deposit option is for offering your customers an experience like [layaway](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/layaway.asp) across your whole store. The more you treat it as a way to help people afford products without credit checks or loans, the better it works.

Some of the key benefits include:

* Seeing the amount for the whole cart lower can boost customer confidence and average order value. 
* It only takes customers one click to apply a deposit purchase option, which is much less friction than selecting it for multiple products.
* It's easy for merchants to assign Downpay to all products, minus any exceptions, with the [whole store product option](https://docs.downpay.app/en/article/assigning-products-and-variants-to-downpay-purchase-options-sr082h/#3-by-whole-store). 
* If customers want to leave checkout and choose a different payment method after creating a cart, they don't have to remove and re-add products.

## Requirements

* One percentage-based deposit purchase option applied to your whole store, with any exceptions defined
* Messaging on your product pages indicating the deposit option is available and that any items not eligible for deposits will be charged upfront
* You wait to ship orders until all the products are ready

|| We don't recommend this feature if your store includes multiple purchase options. Elements of it may function, but it wasn't designed for this use case.

## How it works

This is how customers experience the feature:

1. Customers see your messaging on product pages that a deposit option is available and that any exceptions will be charged upfront. 

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/8/1/f/2/81f235024a249800/screenshot-2025-11-03-at-20901_1xkt3p1.png =800x538)

2. They add products to their cart. There are no additional options they need to select at this point.
3. They visit their cart. 
* Note that the `deposit due only at checkout` text and subtotals do not appear in the cart as they do for product-level deposit options, as the purchase option has not yet been applied.
* In this example, the yellow couch is defined as an exception that will be charged upfront.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/8/1/f/2/81f235024a249800/screenshot-2025-11-03-at-21124_klj9mi.png =800x622)

4. In the cart, the customer clicks the customizable **Proceed with deposit** button. 
5. Downpay applies the deposit purchase option (in this case a 50% deposit) to the line items that are not defined as exceptions.
6. When the checkout loads, it includes the subtotal and due today and due later payment details, just like the product-level deposit option feature.
* The `deposit only due at checkout` text appears next to the line items with purchase options but not next to any exceptions.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/8/1/f/2/81f235024a249800/screenshot-2025-11-03-at-21221_w64az0.png =518x600)

7. Customers continue to complete checkout.
8. If they want to choose a different payment method before committing, they return to step 3, where they can choose a deposit option or not.