The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →In a WooCommerce store, accept customer-initiated bank transfers with the built-in Direct Bank Transfer (BACS) method. Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Payments > Take offline payments, enable BACS, then enter the checkout instructions and bank-account details. WooCommerce creates the order and places it On hold; you must verify that the money has cleared in your bank account before processing or shipping it.
What the WooCommerce bank-transfer method does
BACS is an offline payment method, not an online payment gateway. The customer checks out, receives your payment instructions, and sends money through their own bank. Choosing BACS does not confirm that a transfer was sent or received.
WooCommerce shows the order as On hold while you reconcile the payment. Move it to Processing or Completed only after the funds are visible and cleared in the store’s bank account. This manual check is the control that prevents shipping against a promised, delayed, reversed or fraudulent transfer.
How to enable bank transfers in WooCommerce
- Open the payment settings. In the WordPress dashboard, select WooCommerce > Settings > Payments > Take offline payments.
- Enable Direct Bank Transfer. Turn on the BACS method and open its settings.
- Set the customer-facing title. Use a clear label such as “Bank transfer” or “Pay by bank transfer.”
- Write the checkout description. Explain that the order is reserved or held while payment is awaited, and that the customer must send the transfer outside the store.
- Add payment instructions. Tell customers exactly where to send the money, what reference to use, and that dispatch waits for cleared funds.
- Enter the bank details. Add every account detail customers need, such as the account name, bank name, account number or IBAN, and routing or sort-code information applicable to your country.
- Save the changes and place a test order. Confirm that the instructions appear on the Order Received page and in the order email, as WooCommerce documents.
What to put in the instructions
Good instructions reduce reconciliation work and prevent avoidable support questions. Include:
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute#1 Best Overall
- The beneficiary or account name.
- The bank details required in your market.
- The exact amount to transfer, including shipping and taxes shown at checkout.
- A payment reference rule, such as using the WooCommerce Order ID.
- A statement that the order will not ship until the transfer has cleared.
- A support contact for customers who entered the wrong reference or sent an incorrect amount.
Using the Order ID as the reference gives staff a practical way to match an incoming bank transaction to the correct order. If your accounting system requires a different identifier, state that rule instead and use it consistently.
How to process an order paid by bank transfer
1. Review the order
After checkout, open the order in WooCommerce and confirm it is On hold. Do not treat the presence of an order, an uploaded receipt or a customer email as proof of payment.
2. Check the bank account
Compare the bank transaction with the order’s amount, reference and customer details. Check the account directly rather than relying on a screenshot or an unverified notification.
3. Wait for clearance
A transaction that is pending, scheduled or reversible is not the same as cleared funds. Follow your bank’s status and your own risk policy.
4. Update WooCommerce
When the money has cleared, move the order to Processing so it can enter fulfillment, or to Completed when your workflow considers it fulfilled. If no matching payment arrives, leave the order on hold while you contact the customer or cancel it according to your store policy.
Showing bank details at checkout and in email
The BACS settings supply the text and account fields WooCommerce uses after checkout. Customers can see the account details on the Order Received page and in the order email. Review both views on a test order: long account numbers, international fields and line breaks should be legible on mobile as well as desktop.
Keep the same reference instruction in the checkout text, the order-received screen and the email. If you change an account, remove obsolete details from saved templates or custom email content so customers do not pay the wrong destination.
Manual BACS versus an automated payment service
The right approach depends on how much settlement work your staff can handle and which methods your customers use.
| Decision point | Built-in Direct Bank Transfer (BACS) | Extension or payment service |
|---|---|---|
| Settlement | Staff manually inspect the bank account and reconcile each order. | A provider may offer an automated or provider-confirmed status flow; verify exactly what is supported. |
| Customer action | The customer initiates a transfer in their own banking service. | The customer may use an online bank method or another supported method through the provider. |
| Instructions | You control the title, description, payment reference and bank details. | The provider controls or adds its own checkout screens and confirmation behavior. |
| Country and availability | Suitable when your bank-transfer process works for the merchant and customer. | Availability, currencies and eligible countries vary by extension and provider. |
| Security and integration | There is no card-entry gateway in the documented core flow. | Review the integration’s SSL, account, webhook and PCI requirements before enabling it. |
WooCommerce’s Stripe extension documents additional payment methods under WooCommerce > Settings > Payments > Stripe > Payment Methods, but warns that methods visible in the Stripe dashboard are not necessarily supported by the WooCommerce extension. A Stripe-based method should therefore be evaluated as a separate online payment flow, not assumed to be equivalent to a customer manually sending money to your bank account.
When a plugin or provider makes sense
Consider an extension when manual reconciliation is too slow, your market expects a local bank method, or you need provider-generated confirmations. WooCommerce directs merchants to its Marketplace for add-ons. The WordPress.org listing for Direct Payments for WooCommerce describes bank transfers alongside mobile money, cryptocurrency and peer-to-peer methods; its listing says the free version supports one payment method and that the Pro version adds capabilities such as multiple methods and email confirmations. Those are vendor claims, so check current compatibility, maintenance, regional coverage and terms before installing.
- Confirm that the extension supports your WooCommerce and WordPress versions.
- Check whether the method is available in both your country and your customers’ countries.
- Find out whether “confirmation” means an actual provider callback or merely a customer-submitted notice.
- Test refunds, partial payments, failed payments and order-status changes in a staging site.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Shipping on an order screenshot: screenshots do not prove cleared funds.
- Marking an order complete at checkout: BACS checkout creates an order; it does not settle it.
- Leaving out a reference: without an Order ID or another identifier, matching deposits takes longer and can produce errors.
- Publishing incomplete account details: customers may be unable to send the transfer or may send it to the wrong account.
- Assuming every bank method is automatic: the core BACS flow is manual, while provider-based methods have their own availability and confirmation rules.
- Buying a card terminal: a terminal is not required for the documented customer-initiated bank-transfer workflow.
Is this method right for your store?
Use BACS when your team can monitor the bank account, reconcile references and hold fulfillment until settlement. It is a straightforward way to offer bank transfer without adding a gateway, but it shifts payment verification and fraud checks to the merchant. Choose an extension or payment service when you need a supported local method or a genuinely automated confirmation flow, and validate that integration for your country and operational requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WooCommerce automatically confirm a bank transfer?
No. Direct Bank Transfer (BACS) is manual. WooCommerce creates an on-hold order, and the merchant must verify cleared funds in the bank account.
Where do customers see my bank details?
WooCommerce displays the BACS account details and instructions on the Order Received page and in the order email.
When should I ship a bank-transfer order?
Ship only after the payment appears in the store’s bank account as cleared, then update the order to Processing or Completed according to your fulfillment workflow.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
