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Running an online store often involves selling high-ticket items, custom services, or advanced bookings. In these cases, asking for the full payment up front can sometimes scare away potential customers. That is where deposit payments come in.
By allowing customers to pay a small portion now and the rest later, you lower the barrier to entry, build trust, and significantly reduce cart abandonment. In this guide, we will show you how to easily set up both fixed and percentage-based deposits using the WpDepositly plugin.
Why Choose Between Fixed vs. Percentage Deposits?
Before we dive into the “how,” let’s look at which strategy fits your business best:
- Fixed Amount Deposits: You charge a flat fee (e.g., $50) regardless of the total amount. This is perfect for events, bookings, or appointments where the “reservation fee” is always the same.
- Percentage-Based Deposits: You charge a portion of the total (e.g., 30%). This is the industry standard for high-value retail, rentals, and luxury tours because the deposit scales naturally with the order value.
Learn why every WooCommerce Store Should Offer Deposit and Installment Payments.
How to Configure Percentage-Based or Fixed Deposit Payments in WooCommerce
1. Install WpDepositly
To get started, you’ll need the WpDepositly plugin:
- Log in to your WordPress Dashboard and go to Plugins → Add New Plugin.
- Search for “WpDepositly“ and click Install Now, then Activate.
- A new Partial Payment menu will appear in your sidebar.
2. Set Your Storewide Default
To apply a rule to your entire catalog, go to Partial Payment → Settings → Deposit Storewide Values:
Enable deposit by default: Set to Yes to turn the feature on storewide.
Choose Deposit Type: Select Fixed value for flat fees or Percentage of price for dynamic calculations.
Enter Amount: Enter the number (e.g., 50 for $50 or 50 for 50%).
Mandatory vs. Optional: Use the “Force deposit” setting to decide if customers must pay a deposit or if they can still choose to pay in full.
Find out what are the benefits of Partial Payment Plugin.
Test fixed-based partial payment
You have the option to pay $50 as a fixed partial payment, or you can pay it on full amount.
Test percentage-based partial payment
You have the option to pay 50% as a percentage-based partial payment, or you can pay it on full amount.
If a specific product needs its own rule, you can override the global settings:
3. Customizing Specific Products
- Edit a product and click the Deposit tab in the Product Data section.
- Enable the deposit for that item and set the specific type and amount.
- This allows you to have a $50 deposit on one item and a 25% deposit on another simultaneously.
Comparison Report: Fixed vs. Percentage-Based
| Feature | Fixed Amount | Percentage-Based |
| Deposit Value | Always a flat amount (e.g., $50) | Scales with product price (e.g., 50%) |
| Best Use Case | Events, bookings, appointments | High-value products, rentals, tours |
| Predictability | Very high, exact amount unknown | Moderate depending on product price |
| Setup Complexity | Moderate, depending on product price | Simply enter one percentage |
| Variable Products | Same amount per variation | Scales to each variation’s price |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can customers pay the balance from their account?
Yes. Customers can log into their WooCommerce account, view their partial orders, and pay the remaining balance directly from the My Account page using any available payment gateway.
What happens if a customer doesn’t pay the remaining balance?
The order remains in “partially paid” status in your system. You can track these outstanding balances from the Partial Order List. With WpDepositly PRO, you can send automated email reminders to follow up.
Does the free version support both deposit types?
Yes. Both fixed amount and percentage-based deposits are fully available in the free version of the plugin.
How are taxes and shipping handled?
You can configure this under Settings → Calculation & Structure. You can choose to collect the full tax/shipping with the deposit, split it based on the deposit percentage, or defer it entirely to the final payment.
