Linho da Vila is a Guimarães maker of linen aprons, napkins, and workwear for independent restaurants. Founder Inês Carvalho signed the First Order Terms pledge because small workshops often had to accept unfamiliar payment terms when trying to win their first order from a new business customer. Linho da Vila now offers net-30 payment terms on a customer’s first order, with the due date stated plainly on the quotation and invoice. The team also explains how to raise a billing question, so new buyers do not have to guess whom to contact. In the first four months, the policy helped the maker complete 11 first orders for new restaurant clients, with a combined value of €9,700. Eight of those clients placed a repeat order within the following three months. Inês says the pledge does not guarantee a sale, but it removes one avoidable barrier for a small buyer testing a new supplier. The business has kept its usual order checks while making the opening terms more welcoming.
