# Payment Plan Offer > Designs payment plan structures with terms, messaging, and implementation guidelines. Use when you want to offer installment pricing to increase conversions. - Skill: `reaperinvest/payment-plan-offer` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add reaperinvest/payment-plan-offer` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/reaperinvest/payment-plan-offer/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Marketing & Growth - Author: reaperinvest (https://skillmd.com/u/reaperinvest) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/reaperinvest/payment-plan-offer --- # Payment Plan Offer ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when you need to: - Design payment plan options for a product or service - Write payment plan messaging for sales pages and checkout flows - Structure terms, pricing, and policies for installment payments - Create the comparison framing between pay-in-full and payment plan options **DO NOT** use this skill for subscription pricing models, financing through third-party lenders, or BNPL (buy now pay later) integrations. This is for self-managed installment payment plans. --- ## Core Principle A PAYMENT PLAN REMOVES THE PRICE OBJECTION WITHOUT DEVALUING THE OFFER — THE TOTAL INVESTMENT STAYS THE SAME OR SLIGHTLY HIGHER, BUT THE MONTHLY COST FEELS MANAGEABLE. --- ## Phase 1: Brief ### Required Inputs | Input | What to Ask | Default | |-------|------------|---------| | **Product/service** | "What are you selling?" | No default — must be provided | | **Full price** | "What is the one-time payment price?" | No default — must be provided | | **Number of installments** | "How many payments?" | 3 payments | | **Payment plan premium** | "Are you okay charging 10-20% more for the plan?" | Yes, 10-15% premium | | **Payment processor** | "What do you use for payments?" | Stripe or platform-agnostic | | **Access policy** | "Do buyers get full access immediately or unlock as they pay?" | Full access immediately | **GATE: Confirm the details before designing the plan.** --- ## Phase 2: Plan Structure ### Payment Plan Design ``` ## Payment Plan Options **Option A: Pay in Full** - Price: $997 - Benefit: Save $[X] compared to the payment plan - Access: Immediate, full access **Option B: Payment Plan** - Price: 3 payments of $367 ($1,101 total) - Schedule: First payment today, then every 30 days - Premium: $104 (10.4% premium for financing flexibility) - Access: Immediate, full access ``` ### Pricing Psychology - Payment plan total should be 10-20% more than pay-in-full - This premium is the "cost of convenience" and compensates for cash flow risk - Present the pay-in-full price as the "best value" option - Always show both options side by side — let the customer choose ### Terms and Policies ``` ## Payment Plan Terms - Payments are non-refundable after the refund window (first 30 days) - Missed payments: 7-day grace period, then access paused until current - Failed payment retry: automatic retry at 3, 7, and 14 days - Cancellation: remaining payments are still owed; access continues through paid period - No early payoff penalty — customers can switch to pay-in-full at any time ``` **GATE: Approve the plan structure before writing the messaging.** --- ## Phase 3: Write Messaging ### Sales Page Payment Section ``` ## Choose Your Investment Level **Best Value — Pay in Full** One payment of $997 ✓ Immediate full access ✓ Save $104 compared to the payment plan ✓ [Bonus for pay-in-full buyers, if applicable] [Enroll Now — $997] **Most Flexible — Payment Plan** 3 monthly payments of $367 ✓ Immediate full access ✓ Spread the investment over 3 months ✓ Same program, same results [Enroll Now — $367/month] ``` ### Checkout Page Copy Write the payment option selector copy for the checkout page: - Clear labels for each option - Total cost visible for the payment plan - Any pay-in-full bonuses highlighted ### Payment Plan FAQ - "What happens if I miss a payment?" - "Can I switch to pay-in-full later?" - "Is the program different for payment plan buyers?" - "When are payments charged?" - "What's your refund policy for payment plans?" --- ## Phase 4: Polish ### 1. Implementation Checklist - [ ] Payment processor configured with recurring billing - [ ] Failed payment retry logic set up - [ ] Dunning emails configured (payment failed, please update card) - [ ] Access control rules defined (if pausing on missed payments) - [ ] Terms clearly stated on checkout page - [ ] Confirmation email includes payment schedule ### 2. Dunning Email Sequence Write 3 emails for failed payments: 1. Day 0: "Your payment didn't go through — here's how to update your card" 2. Day 3: "Quick reminder — we need your updated payment info" 3. Day 7: "Final notice — your access will be paused until payment is current" ### 3. Conversion Benchmarks - Payment plan selection rate: 40-60% of total buyers - Payment plan completion rate: 85-95% (below 85% signals pricing issues) - Impact on total revenue: 15-30% more sales when payment plan is offered --- ## Anti-Patterns - **Same total price for both options** — if pay-in-full and payment plan cost the same, there is no incentive to pay in full. You lose cash flow. - **Too many installments** — 12 monthly payments for a $997 product creates high default risk. Keep it to 2-4 payments. - **No failed payment process** — without dunning emails and retry logic, you will lose 10-20% of payment plan revenue. - **Restricting access for payment plan buyers** — giving fewer modules or delayed access punishes them and increases chargebacks. - **No terms on the checkout page** — the payment schedule and total cost must be clear before purchase. Hidden terms create disputes. --- ## Recovery - **Low-price product (under $200):** Payment plans below $50/month feel trivial and create more admin than they're worth. Recommend a 2-payment option only. - **High default rate (over 15%):** Shorten the plan (fewer, larger payments) or require pay-in-full with a money-back guarantee instead. - **User wants 12+ installments:** Recommend 3-4 payments max for digital products. Longer plans belong in formal financing arrangements. - **No payment processor set up:** Recommend Stripe for its built-in subscription and dunning features. Provide setup guidance.