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ForthFocus™ | The Digital Solutions Experts

Payment Terms

Last updated: [16 September 2026]

About This Policy

ForthFocus is a digital services agency — we design and build websites, eCommerce platforms, hospitality systems, custom web applications, and communication workflows for our clients. We do not operate an online store or sell fixed-price products through this website; every engagement is a custom, scoped service delivered under a signed agreement.

This page sets out our standard payment terms. It is published to:

  • Comply with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) guidelines on payment aggregators and merchant onboarding
  • Support transparency requirements under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act)
  • Meet the business verification and disclosure requirements of our payment gateway partner, Zoho Payments

Because our work is quoted and delivered per project rather than sold as listed products, these terms describe how advance, milestone, and retainer payments for services are structured — not a checkout or product-purchase process.

1. How We Charge

Every engagement (website development, eCommerce builds, hospitality systems, custom applications, communication workflows, marketing services, etc.) is scoped individually and billed under one of the following models, as agreed in the proposal or Statement of Work (SOW):

  • Fixed-price projects: A total project fee agreed upfront, billed in an advance payment plus one or more milestone/completion payments.
  • Milestone-based projects: Payments tied to specific deliverables or project phases as defined in the SOW.
  • Retainers: A recurring monthly or periodic fee for ongoing services, billed in advance of each service period.

2. Advance Payments

  • Most projects require an advance payment before work begins. This is typically a percentage of the total project value, as specified in the proposal or SOW.
  • The advance secures scheduling and resource allocation for the project and is adjusted against the final invoice.
  • Advance payments are treated per our Cancellation and Refund Policy if a project does not proceed.

3. Milestone and Balance Payments

  • For projects billed in stages, invoices are raised on completion of each agreed milestone (e.g., design approval, development completion, pre-launch review).
  • The final balance is due on completion of the project or as otherwise specified in the SOW, and is generally required before final handover, source files, or go-live/publishing of the deliverable.
  • Payment due dates and any late-payment terms are specified in the individual invoice or agreement.

4. Retainer/Recurring Payments

  • Retainer clients are billed in advance for each service cycle (typically monthly), as agreed at the start of the engagement.
  • Continued access to services is contingent on timely payment of each cycle’s invoice.
  • Retainers renew automatically at the end of each cycle unless cancelled with the notice period specified in the Cancellation and Refund Policy.

5. Accepted Payment Methods

Payments may be made via bank transfer (NEFT/RTGS/IMPS), UPI, or through our online payment gateway (Zoho Payments), as indicated on the invoice. Payment details are shared directly on each invoice; we do not process payments through this website via an online checkout.

6. Third-Party and Pass-Through Costs

Where a project involves third-party costs incurred on the client’s behalf — such as domain registration, hosting, plugins, licenses, or API/subscription fees — these are billed separately or included in the project invoice as pass-through costs, and are non-refundable once paid to the third party.

7. Taxes and Charges

All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes (GST) unless stated otherwise on the invoice. GST is charged as per applicable rates and our GSTIN is stated on all tax invoices. Any bank or payment gateway processing charges are borne as specified in the agreement.

8. Late or Non-Payment

Delayed payments may result in a pause of ongoing work, delayed delivery timelines, or suspension of retainer services until payment is received, as specified in the relevant agreement.

9. Contact Us

For any questions about invoices, payment schedules, or this policy, please reach out to:

ForthFocus
#283/1A4, 1st Floor, Chinnu Compound, Fish Market Road, Kundapura, Udupi Dist, Karnataka, India – 576201
Phone: +91-90198-55033
Email: info@forthfocus.com
Hours: Mon–Fri, 10 AM to 7 PM IST