Collecting deposits on draft orders and the Create order page
Collecting deposits on draft orders and the Create order page
You have three ways to collect a deposit on quotes, phone orders and bespoke work. Draft orders now support deposits through a card on file. Checkout links and unlisted product pages remain good options depending on your setup.
On this page
Why the deposit option doesn't appear in draft orders
Choosing a method
Method | Best for |
|---|---|
Draft orders | Quotes and phone orders where you build the order and want the balance charged to a card on file. |
Checkout links | One-off or bespoke orders with several products in the cart, sent by email, SMS or DM. |
Unlisted product pages | Brands selling one specific custom product rather than many. and want a personalized page for their customer. |
Draft orders
Build the order in your admin, send your customer a secure link to add a card, then charge the deposit and the remaining balance from the order page. No checkout is needed.
Checkout links
This is the fastest option for one-off or bespoke orders with many products in the cart.
Downpay integrates directly with the Checkout Links app. Checkout Links generates a custom URL that takes your customer straight to checkout with a specific product and the deposit purchase option already selected. No product page is required. You can send the link by email, SMS or DM.
Unlisted product pages
This works well if you sell one specific custom product rather than many.
Create an unlisted product in Shopify, hidden from your storefront and search engines, with a Downpay deposit purchase option attached. Then share the direct product page URL with your customer.
Why the deposit option doesn't appear in draft orders
Downpay attaches a deposit at checkout using a purchase option (a selling plan). Shopify doesn't support purchase options in draft orders or on the Create order page, so your Downpay deposit options won't show up there.
The draft order method works differently. Instead of a purchase option, it uses Shopify payment terms plus a card saved on file, which is why you charge the deposit from the order page rather than at checkout.
Updated on: 17/09/2026
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