Getting Paid
This is arguably the most important document in the seller guide. It explains exactly how money flows from a customer purchase to your bank account — including every fee, every delay, and every step in between.
---
## How You Earn Money
When a customer purchases your item and the order is marked **delivered**, CaratX records your earnings. The platform fee is deducted, and the remaining amount (your "net") enters the payout queue.
You do not receive payment per transaction. Instead, CaratX batches eligible orders into **remittances** — periodic payout packages that consolidate your earnings across multiple orders into a single payment. When your remittance is paid, you receive one transfer covering all the orders in that batch.
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## Understanding Platform Fees
CaratX charges a platform fee on every sale. Your fee rate is determined by your **seller tier**.
| Tier | Transaction Fee | Monthly Cost |
|--------------|-----------------|--------------|
| Free | 15% | $0 |
| Basic | 12% | Varies |
| Professional | 10% | Varies |
| Enterprise | 6.5% | Varies |
**The fee is calculated on the item subtotal only — not on shipping charges or taxes.**
### Example: Free Tier Sale
> Item price: $500
> Shipping: $25
> Tax: $40
>
> Fee basis: **$500** (items only)
> Platform fee (18%): **$90.00**
> Your payout: **$410.00**
### Example: Professional Tier Sale
> Item price: $500
> Shipping: $25
> Tax: $40
>
> Fee basis: **$500**
> Platform fee (10%): **$50.00**
> Your payout: **$450.00**
The difference between Free and Professional tier on a $500 sale is **$40 more in your pocket**.
---
## The Payout Timeline
Your earnings move through four stages before you receive payment. The default holdback period is **30 days** after delivery.
```
Order Delivered
↓
[Holdback Period — 30 days]
↓
Earnings Become Available
↓
[Admin Generates Remittance]
↓
Remittance: Processing
↓
Payment Sent → Remittance: Completed
```
### Stage 1: Pending (Holdback Period)
When an order is marked delivered, your earnings enter a **holdback period**. This protects against returns, disputes, and payment reversals. During this time, the earnings appear in your dashboard as "pending" but cannot yet be paid out.
The default holdback is **30 days from delivery**. Your specific `net days` setting may differ — check your Payment Dashboard for your current holdback period.
### Stage 2: Available
Once an order clears the holdback period, its earnings become eligible for remittance. Multiple orders accumulate in this pool until CaratX runs the next payout cycle.
### Stage 3: Processing
When CaratX generates a remittance for your account, all eligible orders are grouped into a single remittance package. Each order's status changes from "pending" to "processing." You will receive an email notification when a remittance is created. You can download your remittance invoice at this point.
### Stage 4: Completed (Paid)
When the payment is sent, your remittance is marked **Completed** and you receive a second email notification confirming the payment. The payment reference number is recorded so you can match it against your bank statement.
---
## Payout Methods
CaratX supports four payout methods. Your preferred method is set in your account profile.
| Method | Notes |
|---------------|----------------------------------------------|
| Bank Transfer | Standard ACH transfer — no additional fee |
| PayPal | Sent to your PayPal email address |
| Check | Mailed to your address on file |
| Wire Transfer | Faster international transfers — wire fee applies |
### Wire Transfer Fee
If your preferred payout method is **wire transfer**, a wire processing fee is deducted from each remittance. This fee is set on your account and is displayed in your remittance invoice. The wire fee is deducted after the platform fee is calculated.
**Example with wire fee:**
> Total order sales (fee basis): $1,200
> Platform fee (10%): $120
> Wire fee: $25
> **Your payout: $1,055**
To avoid wire fees, switch your preferred payout method to Bank Transfer in your account settings.
---
## Reading Your Payment Dashboard
Go to **Seller Dashboard → Payments** to see your payment overview.
### Summary Cards
- **Pending Balance** — Your net earnings from delivered orders still in the holdback period, plus any available orders not yet included in a remittance. This is money that will eventually be paid to you.
- **Total Earned (Lifetime)** — Sum of all completed remittances. Every dollar you have ever been paid.
- **Average Fee Rate** — Your blended platform fee rate across all paid orders. Useful for understanding your effective cost.
### Pending Orders Table
Lists every delivered, paid order that is awaiting remittance. For each order you can see:
- Order date and customer name
- Gross sale amount (fee basis)
- Platform fee percentage and dollar amount
- Your net amount for that order
### Processing Remittances
Any remittances currently in "pending" or "processing" status are shown here. These represent payments that have been prepared but not yet sent.
### Recent Payments
Your last five completed remittances, with dates and amounts.
---
## Remittance Invoices
Every remittance comes with a downloadable PDF invoice. This is your official payment record and can be used for bookkeeping, tax reporting, or reconciliation with your bank.
**What the invoice contains:**
- Remittance reference number (format: `REM-000042`)
- Billing period (start and end date)
- Itemized list of every order included, with:
- Order ID and date
- Gross sale amount
- Platform fee percent and dollar amount
- Your net for that order
- Total gross sales
- Total platform fees
- Any adjustments (deductions or credits applied by CaratX)
- Wire fee (if applicable)
- **Final net payout amount**
- Payment reference number (once paid)
**To download an invoice:** Go to Payments → click any remittance → Download Invoice.
PDF invoices are generated automatically when a remittance is created. If you view a remittance and the PDF is not yet available, it will be generated on demand.
---
## B2B Pricing Fees (Wholesale Buyers)
If your buyers are trade or wholesale accounts (jewelers, dealers, other industry professionals), the transaction is classified as **B2B** and different fee rates apply.
B2B fees are calculated **per item type**, not as a flat rate on the whole order:
| Item Type | B2B Fee Rate (typical) |
|------------------------|------------------------|
| Loose Diamonds | ~1% |
| Gemstones & Jewelry | ~6.5% |
Exact B2B rates depend on your tier. B2B rates are always lower than B2C rates because wholesale transactions typically have thinner margins.
When a B2B order is included in your remittance, the invoice will show a **per-item fee breakdown** with the rate applied to each line, plus a blended effective rate for the order as a whole.
Your dashboard automatically distinguishes B2B and B2C orders. No action is required on your part — buyer account classification is determined by CaratX based on the buyer's account type.
---
## How to Lower Your Fees
The single most impactful thing you can do to increase your earnings is upgrade your seller tier.
| Upgrade Path | Fee Reduction | Extra on a $1,000 Sale |
|----------------------|---------------|------------------------|
| Free → Basic | 18% → 15% | +$30.00 |
| Basic → Professional | 15% → 10% | +$50.00 |
| Professional → Enterprise | 10% → 5% | +$50.00 |
**Moving from Free to Professional saves you $80 per $1,000 in sales.**
To upgrade your tier, go to **Seller Dashboard → Account → Seller Tier** or contact the CaratX seller support team. Higher tiers also include benefits like more active listings, featured seller badges, priority support, and advanced analytics.
---
## Minimum Payout Threshold
Remittances are only generated when your available balance reaches a minimum amount (currently **$10.00 net**). If your eligible earnings are below this threshold, they carry over to the next payout cycle.
This threshold prevents micro-payments that cost more in processing fees than they are worth.
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## Email Notifications
You will receive two emails for each remittance:
1. **Remittance Created** — Sent when CaratX generates your remittance. Includes the total amount and a link to download your invoice.
2. **Remittance Paid** — Sent when the payment is actually sent. Includes the payment reference number.
If you do not receive these emails, check your spam folder and make sure your account email is current.
---
## Frequently Asked Questions
**Why hasn't my order shown up in my pending balance?**
The order must be in `delivered` status AND marked as paid by the customer. If the order is still `shipped` or `processing`, it is not yet eligible.
**How long until I get paid after the holdback period?**
Once your earnings clear the holdback period, they enter the eligible pool and are included in the next remittance batch run by CaratX. There is no fixed frequency published — contact seller support if your available balance has been sitting for an extended period.
**Can a remittance be cancelled?**
Yes, CaratX can cancel a pending or processing remittance (for example, to correct an error). If cancelled, all orders return to your eligible pool and will be included in the next remittance. You will be notified if this occurs.
**Do I pay fees on shipping I collect?**
No. Fees are calculated on the **item subtotal only**. Shipping charges collected from the buyer are not included in the fee basis.
**I see a deduction on my remittance I don't recognize.**
Remittances can include manual adjustments (deductions or credits) applied by CaratX. These are always itemized on your invoice with a reason. Contact seller support with your remittance reference number if you have questions about a specific adjustment.