Corporate Diwali Gift Orders: Quotes, Advances and GST Billing Done Right
Published: 10/9/2026
Category: Retail
Corporate gift orders can make a festive season, or wreck it with late payments and billing disputes. A practical process for quotes, advances, delivery to multiple addresses and clean GST invoices.
A corporate Diwali order of 200 gift boxes can equal a month of walk-in sales. It can also go wrong: a vague quote, no advance, boxes delivered to five offices and a payment that arrives in February. The fix is a simple process, quote → confirmation with advance → invoice → delivery proof → payment follow-up, written down before the enquiries arrive.
Step 1: Quote clearly, in writing
A WhatsApp message saying "₹850 per box" is not a quote. Send a proper quotation with:
- Item list for each box, with photos if possible
- Price per box, with GST shown separately
- Minimum order quantity and delivery date
- Branding or packaging charges, if any
- Validity ("valid until 20 October")
- Payment terms: advance percentage and balance due date
A dated quote avoids the most common dispute: "We were told a different price."
Step 2: Confirm with a purchase order and advance
Ask for the company's purchase order (PO) or a written confirmation, plus an advance. For first-time corporate customers, a 30–50% advance is common and protects you if the order is cancelled after you have bought stock. Issue a receipt for the advance and ask your CA how to treat it for GST.
Step 3: Collect billing details before packing
Get these from the company's accounts team, not the person who placed the order:
| Detail | Why it matters |
|---|
| Legal name and GSTIN | Needed for a valid B2B invoice; verify on the GST portal |
| Billing address | Must match their GST registration |
| Delivery addresses | Several offices may mean several invoices or delivery challans |
| PO number | Their accounts team will match your invoice to it |
| Accounts contact and payment terms | Who to follow up with |
Step 4: Invoice correctly for multi-location delivery
If boxes go to offices in other states, the place of supply affects whether you charge IGST or CGST + SGST. Large deliveries may also need e-way bills. Decide with your CA whether to raise one invoice with delivery challans or separate invoices per location, and agree it with the customer before dispatch.
Step 5: Keep delivery proof
For every address, keep a signed delivery note or a photo with the recipient's name and date. When the payment is late, "Your Pune office received 40 boxes on 3 November" settles questions quickly.
Step 6: Follow up on payment like a system, not a favour
Corporate payments follow the accounts team's cycle. Send the invoice with the PO number on the day of delivery, a polite reminder a week before the due date and a firm one on the due date. Keep it professional; the same company may order again next year.
A quick pricing check before you quote
Work out your real cost per box: items, packaging, branding, delivery and any payment charges. Then add your margin. Many shops quote on item cost alone and discover later that ribbons, boxes and delivery ate the profit.
Where BizFlow fits
BizFlow turns a quotation into an invoice without retyping, records advances against the order, keeps the customer's GSTIN and PO on file and sends payment reminders on WhatsApp. See BillFlow and WhatsApp payment reminders.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How much advance should I take on corporate gift orders?
A: For first-time customers, 30–50% is common. It covers the stock you buy for their order if they cancel.
Q: Can the company claim GST credit on Diwali gifts?
A: That depends on the gifts and how they are used. It is the buyer's question to settle with their CA; your job is a correct, complete invoice.
Sources
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