Payment Policy

At RETAILECO, we are committed to making the payment process as smooth, secure and straightforward as possible. This policy outlines the payment methods we accept, how and when payments are collected, and what you can expect throughout your project.

All payments are processed in British Pounds Sterling (GBP) unless otherwise agreed in writing. By proceeding with our services, you agree to the terms set out in this Payment Policy.

We currently accept three payment methods. Please note that PayPal is only available for transactions under £500. For larger amounts, we recommend bank transfer or Stripe.

Bank transfer is our preferred payment method for all project invoices. It is available for any amount and carries no additional processing fees.

• Bank details — our UK bank account details (account name, sort code and account number) are included on every invoice we send
• Reference — always use your invoice number as the payment reference so we can match your payment quickly
• Processing time — UK bank transfers typically clear within 1–3 business days. International transfers may take 3–5 business days depending on your bank
• Confirmation — once your payment clears, we will send you a payment confirmation email within 2 business hours
• Fees — we do not charge any additional fees for bank transfers. Any charges applied by your own bank are your responsibility

For clients who prefer to pay by debit or credit card, we use Stripe — one of the world's most trusted and secure payment processors. A Stripe payment link will be included in your invoice or sent to you directly.

• Accepted cards — Visa, Mastercard, American Express and all major UK debit and credit cards
• Processing — card payments are processed instantly. You will receive an automated receipt from Stripe immediately after payment
• Security — all card payments are encrypted and processed securely. RETAILECO never stores your card details
• Available for all amounts — Stripe checkout can be used for any invoice amount, from small deposits to full project payments
• Processing fee — a small Stripe processing fee (typically 1.4% + 20p for UK cards) may be applied to card payments. This will be clearly stated on your invoice before payment

We accept PayPal as a payment option for convenience, however this method is only available for transactions under £500. For invoices of £500 or above, please use bank transfer or Stripe.

• Limit — PayPal is only accepted for invoices under £500
• PayPal email — our PayPal payment details will be included on qualifying invoices
• Processing time — PayPal payments are processed immediately and you will receive confirmation from both PayPal and RETAILECO
• Fees — PayPal may apply their own transaction fees depending on your account type and country. These are separate from our fees and are your responsibility
• Currency — all PayPal payments must be sent in GBP (British Pounds). Payments sent in other currencies may be subject to conversion fees applied by PayPal

The payment schedule for your project will be agreed and set out in your proposal before work begins. Our standard payment structure is as follows:

• Deposit (50%) — a 50% deposit is required before any project work begins. This secures your place in our schedule and covers initial research, planning and design work
• Milestone payment (25%) — for larger projects, a mid-project payment is due upon delivery of the first major milestone (e.g. homepage design approval, mid-point development review)
• Final payment (25% or 50%) — the remaining balance is due upon project completion, before the final delivery or website launch

For ongoing monthly retainer services (SEO, Google Ads management, etc.), invoices are issued at the start of each month and are due within 14 days of the invoice date.

All invoices are issued digitally via email to the contact address provided at the time of engagement. Each invoice will include:

• Invoice number and date of issue
• Payment due date (typically 14 days from invoice date)
• Full description of services being invoiced
• Itemised costs and totals
• VAT amount (where applicable)
• Bank transfer details
• Stripe payment link (where applicable)
• PayPal details (for qualifying invoices under £500 only)

If you require invoices to be addressed to a specific company name, department or purchase order number, please let us know before we issue your first invoice at Growth@retaileco.co.uk.

All invoices are due within 14 days of the invoice date unless a different arrangement has been agreed in writing. We understand that delays can happen and will always try to communicate openly before taking any action.

• Reminder — a payment reminder will be sent 3 days before the due date and again on the due date if payment has not been received
• Late fee — invoices not settled within 14 days of the due date may be subject to a late payment charge of 2% per month on the outstanding balance, applied in accordance with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998
• Service suspension — we reserve the right to pause all active work on your project until outstanding invoices are cleared
• Debt recovery — invoices outstanding beyond 60 days may be referred to a debt recovery service. Any associated recovery costs will be added to the outstanding balance

If you are experiencing difficulties making a payment, please contact us as early as possible at Growth@retaileco.co.uk. We are always willing to discuss a reasonable payment arrangement rather than let a situation escalate.

All prices quoted and invoiced by RETAILECO are in British Pounds Sterling (GBP) unless otherwise agreed in writing.

• VAT — where RETAILECO is VAT registered, VAT will be applied at the prevailing UK rate and clearly shown on all invoices. Please check your invoice for VAT details
• International clients — if you are based outside the UK, you are responsible for any currency conversion fees applied by your bank or payment provider. We invoice in GBP only
• Price changes — all prices are fixed at the time of proposal. Any changes to scope or additional services will be quoted separately and agreed before work begins

The security of your payment information is extremely important to us. Here is how we protect you:

• We never store card details — all card payments are processed directly by Stripe. RETAILECO never sees, handles or stores your card information
• Encrypted transactions — all online payments via Stripe use industry-standard TLS encryption
• PCI compliance — our payment provider Stripe is fully PCI DSS compliant, meeting the highest standards for payment security
• Fraud prevention — we will never ask you to make payment via unusual methods such as gift cards, cryptocurrency or unofficial transfer services
• Verify before paying — always make sure you are paying to verified details shown on your official RETAILECO invoice. If you ever receive payment details that look unusual or unexpected, contact us immediately at Growth@retaileco.co.uk before making any payment

If you have any questions about payment, need help with an invoice or want to discuss payment arrangements, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We aim to respond to all payment queries within 2 business hours.

• Email: Growth@retaileco.co.uk
• Phone: +44 123 456 7890
• Available: Monday to Friday, 11:00 – 20:00
• Website: retaileco.co.uk/contact