A Closer Look at the Partial.ly Customer Experience

by M. Leigh

Whether accessed via your website, a link in an email, or a QR code on a flyer, Partial.ly not only offers customers an easy way to start a payment plan—it also delivers a streamlined, intuitive checkout experience and a dedicated customer portal for managing payments. In this blog, we’ll explore what the customer experience looks like from start to finish, so you can feel confident that your customers are in good hands when they choose to pay with Partial.ly.

Seamless Onboarding with the Customer Portal

Every Partial.ly payment plan is tied to a simple, secure customer portal. This is where customers can view their plan details, manage payments, and update their payment information—no passwords required.

Creating an account is easy. When a customer opens a plan, they provide their email address, which creates a passwordless login tied to that email.

When returning to their plan, customers go to partial.ly/login and are emailed a secure access code. No password hassles, just quick, secure entry.

Once logged in, customers can easily access:

  • Plan summary and contract
  • Payment schedule and history
  • Manual payment options
  • Ability to update payment method

Depending on your settings, customers may also be able to:

  • Reschedule an upcoming payment
  • Reopen a defaulted plan

Merchant Gets the Final Say

With Partial.ly, you stay in control. Customers cannot cancel or refund their plans on their own, nor can they edit the entire payment schedule. These safeguards help protect your revenue and ensure changes align with your policies.

You retain full authority to review and approve any customer requests, allowing you to offer flexibility on your terms—not at the expense of your cash flow.

How Customers Can Open a Plan

Getting customers started is easy and flexible. Merchants can offer Partial.ly through:

💳 Checkout via our integration partners like Shopify, BigCommerce, Ecwid, WooCommerce, etc.

🔗 Embedded buttons or links on your website

📧 Email link

🪧 QR code on print materials or signage

📲 Social media post

✨ And more

All these methods lead directly to the Partial.ly checkout page, customized for your store.

The Checkout Experience

Here’s what a customer sees when they go through Partial.ly checkout:

Page 1 of 3: Customer and Plan Info:

  • Email address submission
  • Required fields set by merchant: e.g., phone, shipping address
  • Shipping terms and options (if applicable)
  • Clear breakdown of plan terms and pricing

Page 2 of 3: Ability to customize terms (if allowed by merchant)

Customers will see this page if you have enabled flexibility on your offer, allowing them to choose their terms from a range set by you.

Page 3 of 3: Payment and Contract:

  • Payment method entry
  • Review and sign contract

Payment Method Management

Customers can update or change their saved payment method anytime through their portal. This flexibility helps reduce failed payments and gives customers peace of mind. Customers can even add and activate backup methods in the event their default form of payment fails.

Learn more at: Customer Guide to Adding and Updating Payment Methods

Customers can Pay Early, Anytime

Whether your plan is fixed or flexible, customers always have the option to make early payments or pay their balance in full. This empowers them to stay on top of their finances while helping you get paid faster.

Learn more at: How Customers Submit Payments

Reopening Defaulted Plans (Optional)

You decide how customers can reopen a defaulted plan. Your account will automatically enable two options, which you can choose to disable under your general settings if you would prefer to reopen plans yourself. These options are.

  1. Continue original terms – Customer pays the most recent failed payment as a new down payment
  2. Pay full balance – Customer must pay off the remaining balance in one lump sum

The first option boosts reactivation rates, while the second offers stronger payment enforcement for high-risk scenarios.

Learn more at: Defaulted Plans FAQs

Payment Reschedule Program (Optional)

Merchants can also give their customers the option to postpone their upcoming payment for a fee. The default terms are up to 5 days for $2, but these terms can be changed or disabled under your general settings.

Fee revenue is split between you and Partial.ly, helping you gain extra profit while allowing your customers needed flexibility that still works within your business needs and policies.

Customers can reschedule their next payment via:

  • Automatic email reminder with reschedule link
  • Their account portal
  • You, the merchant – from the Schedule tab in your dashboard

Merchants can reschedule any payment at any time, while customers can only reschedule the next upcoming installment.

Learn more at: Reschedule Fee Program

Automated Email Notifications

Partial.ly automates email updates for every key plan activity—for both customers and merchants. These include:

  • Plan opened
  • Payments made
  • Payment failures
  • Plan defaulted
  • Plan paid in full

Customize or disable emails to suit your communication needs under your email settings.

Learn more at: Email Settings

Built-in Customer Support Resources

Partial.ly’s customer support center features articles tailored for your customers. They can learn how to manage their accounts, update payment methods, and get answers without needing to contact you.

This means fewer support requests in your inbox and faster resolutions for your customers. Everybody wins.

You can view these articles and share them with your customers at: Customer Support Center

Conclusion

From the first click to the final payment, Partial.ly is built with both merchants and customers in mind. The customer portal and features like flexible rescheduling, early payments, and self-service tools make for a user-friendly experience—while you maintain full control over your payment plan terms.

Give your customers a smooth, professional, and trustworthy way to pay over time—with Partial.ly.