Builder Payouts & Fees

Builder Tiers

RodSmith uses a three-tier system that rewards builders with faster payouts as they build their track record. Every new builder starts at the New tier and automatically advances as they meet the criteria.

New Builder (default)

As a new builder, 50% of your earnings are released when you ship with tracking, and the remaining 50% when the buyer receives their rod. Payouts are processed weekly (Fridays), and funds typically arrive in your bank account within 7–10 days of shipping.

Verified Builder

To qualify for Verified, you need:

• 5 or more delivered orders
• 0 open disputes
• Account age of 30+ days
• Stripe verification complete
• Fulfillment address on file

Verified builders receive 100% of their earnings when they ship with tracking. Payouts are processed daily, and funds typically arrive within 3–5 days of shipping.

Trusted Builder

To qualify for Trusted, you need:

• 15 or more delivered orders
• 0 disputes in the last 90 days
• Account age of 90+ days
• Stripe verification complete

Trusted builders receive their earnings as soon as the buyer pays. Payouts are processed daily, and funds typically arrive within 2–3 business days of each sale. Trusted builders also receive a badge on their public profile.

Tier comparison

Can I lose my tier?

If a dispute is filed against you, your tier is demoted by one level (e.g., Trusted → Verified). Your tier is not dropped straight to New — demotion is always one step at a time.

After a dispute is resolved in your favor, a 90-day recovery window begins. Once 90 days pass with no new disputes, you’re re-eligible for your previous tier. Tier evaluation happens automatically each day.

Platform Fees

RodSmith charges a platform fee on accepted orders. The fee is calculated on the pre-tax subtotal (rod price + shipping).

• First 5 accepted orders: 0% platform fee — a free tier to help new builders get started
• After 5 orders: 3% platform fee on the pre-tax subtotal

Stripe processing fees (~2.9% + $0.30) are separate and come off the charge automatically. The buyer never sees the platform fee — they pay the listed price plus shipping and tax.

Example breakdown

For a $500 rod with $25 shipping (after the free tier):

• Buyer pays: $525 + tax
• Platform fee (3% of $525): $15.75
• Stripe processing (~2.9% + $0.30): ~$15.53
• Builder receives: ~$493.72

Order Lifecycle

Every made-to-order commission follows this lifecycle:

1. Pending — Buyer pays the rod price + tax upfront and submits an order request
2. Accepted — Builder accepts the commission (72-hour deadline; auto-declines with full refund if no response)
3. Building — Builder marks the rod as in-progress
4. Ready to Ship — Builder enters package dimensions and selects a shipping rate
5. Paid — Buyer pays shipping + tax
6. Label Created — Builder purchases the shipping label
7. Dropped Off — Builder drops off the package at the carrier
8. Shipped — Carrier scans the package (first transit scan)
9. Delivered — Carrier confirms delivery (or buyer manually confirms)

Stock orders skip the building phase and are auto-accepted immediately. Buyers pay upfront, and the builder ships the rod directly.

Getting Started

To start receiving commissions, connect your Stripe account in Account Settings. Once your Stripe account is connected and your charges are enabled, you’re ready to list specs for sale and accept orders.