Commerce FAQs

Commerce is B12's built-in tool for accepting payments and sending invoices to your clients, powered by Stripe. This article answers the questions people ask most often about payment methods, invoices, payouts, refunds, and how your money reaches your bank. The questions are grouped by topic, so you can jump to the section you need.

Frequently asked questions

Setting up Commerce

→Who can use Commerce?

⇒Commerce is available only to businesses located in the United States. You need a U.S.-based bank account and a valid U.S. street address. P.O. boxes aren't accepted for verification.

→I'm not in the United States. Can I still accept payments online?

⇒Not through Commerce, which is available only in the U.S. You can still take payments on your B12 website using a third-party tool, such as a PayPal button or an embedded store from Ecwid or Shopify added with an embed code. For more information, read this article

→How do I verify my business and connect my bank account?

⇒During setup, Stripe collects a few details to verify your business. This is a one-time step. Once you're verified, you can connect any U.S.-based bank account to receive your payouts.

→I chose the wrong business type during verification. Can I change it?

⇒Yes. Contact B12 support, and we'll reset your verification so you can select the correct type, such as Company or Individual, and finish setup.

→How does Commerce keep my payments secure?

⇒Commerce runs on Stripe, a trusted payment processor that uses industry-leading security and SSL encryption. Your information and your clients' information stays protected.

→Does Commerce connect to my website?

⇒Yes. Beyond emailing invoices to clients, you can ask the AI Agent to build product listings, shopping carts, subscriptions, and Stripe Checkout flows directly on your site.

→Is Commerce shared across multiple B12 websites?

⇒No. Each B12 website has its own separate Commerce account. Balances, invoices, and payouts aren't shared between websites.

Payments from your clients

→Which payment methods can my clients use?

⇒Your clients can pay with all major debit and credit cards, including American Express. Paying by bank transfer (ACH) is no longer available. B12 retired that option, so clients won't see it at checkout.

→Are there fees for accepting payments?

⇒Yes. Card payments are charged 2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction. International cards add 1%, and specialty cards such as American Express add another 1%. Fees are deducted automatically before funds become available for payout.

→How long do payments take to process?

⇒After a client pays, the funds show as Pending. They become available for payout 2–5 business days after you receive the payment confirmation email. Once funds show as Available, you can create a payout to send them to your bank.

→Can I use another payment processor, such as PayPal, Square, or Authorize.net?

⇒Commerce runs on Stripe, so those processors aren't supported inside Commerce. You can still add a separate tool to your website, such as a PayPal button or a Stripe payment link.

→Can I connect a Stripe account I already use outside B12?

⇒Commerce creates its own Stripe account during setup, so an existing Stripe account can't be merged into it. You can still embed your own Stripe checkout, such as a payment link or Buy Button, on your website separately. Payments collected that way won't appear in your Commerce dashboard.

→Can Commerce handle shipping, inventory, and full order management?

⇒No. Commerce is built for invoices and simple Stripe checkout and product listings. It doesn't calculate shipping, track inventory, or manage complex orders. For those, integrate a dedicated store such as Ecwid or Shopify.

Sending invoices

→How many invoices can I send each month?

⇒There's no limit. You can send as many invoices as you need.

→What details can I include on an invoice?

⇒You can add your business name, logo, client details, invoice number, issue date, due date, line items with descriptions, pricing, taxes, and totals.

→How do recurring invoices work?

⇒When you create an invoice, select the Repeat option, then set the frequency and the start and end dates. Clients receive each recurring invoice by email on the schedule you set, the same as any other invoice. Your client can also save their payment method when they pay, so future invoices in the series are billed automatically.

→Can I export my invoices or payment records?

⇒Yes. You can export your invoices to a CSV file to share with your bookkeeper or upload to accounting software.

Getting paid

→Can I accept payments as soon as I finish setting up?

⇒Yes. Once your business is verified, your clients can start paying you right away. Payouts to your bank work a little differently: before your first payout, B12 reviews your account to protect against misuse. This review is completed within 10 business days and no action is needed on your part. To learn more, see Why is my payout under review?

→Are payouts created automatically?

⇒No. You create each payout manually. Open the Payouts section in Commerce and select Create payout.

→How long does a payout take to reach my bank?

⇒Once you create a payout, the funds are on their way and usually arrive in your U.S. bank account within about 1 business day. Most banks post the money the same day they receive it, though some take an extra 2–3 days to make it visible. The 2-day timeframe you may see elsewhere refers to when a payment moves from Pending to Available for payout, not to how long the payout itself takes to arrive.

→How do I check the status of a payout, or find one I haven't received?

⇒Open Commerce, select Payouts, then check the Paid tab to confirm the payout was sent. Allow for your bank's posting time after that. If the payout shows as Paid but hasn't arrived after a few business days, contact B12 support.

→Why did my payout fail?

⇒The most common cause is incorrect bank details. Check the routing and account numbers on your connected bank account. To correct an account number, remove the bank account, add it again, then create the payout. If it still fails, contact B12 support.

→Is there a minimum or maximum payout amount?

⇒There's no minimum or maximum amount required to create a payout.

→Why is my payout under review or suspended?

⇒Payouts are sometimes reviewed to protect against misuse, most often when you add or change your payment details. Reviews are completed within 10 business days, and no action is needed on your part. If Stripe needs more information, it may ask you to provide additional business documents. For more detail, see Why is my payout under review?

→What happens if my balance goes negative?

⇒If your balance goes negative, for example if you issue a refund after you've already paid out your funds, the amount owed is debited from your connected primary bank account.

Refunds and disputes

→How do I issue a refund to my client, and how long does it take?

⇒You can refund a paid invoice from your Commerce dashboard. For a purchase made through checkout on your website, contact B12 support and we'll process the refund for you, including partial amounts. Once a refund is issued, it typically takes 5–10 business days to appear on your client's card, depending on their bank. If you don't see a refund option, contact B12's Support team.

→Will my client get an email when I issue a refund?

⇒No. Commerce doesn't send an automated email when you issue a refund, and Stripe typically doesn't send one either.

→What happens if a payment is disputed?

⇒If a client disputes a payment, Stripe manages the dispute process for you, and you can submit evidence to support your case. Disputes can lead to chargebacks, fees, or held funds depending on the outcome. For a full overview, see Stripe's guide to disputes and chargebacks (opens in a new tab).

Commerce and your B12 subscription

→Can my Commerce balance pay for my B12 subscription?

⇒No. Your Commerce balance and your B12 subscription are billed separately. Subscription payments are charged to the billing method on file, not your Commerce balance.