Free invoice template
Free invoice template for retail shops
A shop bill has one job at the counter: to be quick. It also has a second job later, when a customer comes back with it to exchange something, or when your accountant sits down to match your sales to your tax return.
This template covers both. It shows goods with their quantity and price, the tax, a total in words, and a line about exchanges, and it is short enough to fill in while the customer waits.
The lines below are samples, so you can see how the invoice looks. Change the words and the prices to your own, add your business and your customer, and download the PDF. The sample prices and the tax rate are only placeholders: set the right rate for what you actually sell. Tax is added once you enter your tax number; without one, the invoice is made without tax.
Optional. Printed at the bottom, e.g. payment terms or thanks.
What goes on a retail shop invoice
Six things, and each one is there for a reason. Leave them out and you are the one who pays for it later, in chasing and in explaining.
- 1
Your shop's name, address and tax number
A registered shop must print its GSTIN (or the tax number in your country) on every tax invoice. It is the first thing a customer or an inspector looks for.
- 2
A bill number that runs in order
One after another, never repeated. Handwritten pads and software both work, as long as nothing is skipped without a reason.
- 3
The date, and the items sold
Each item with its quantity, its price and its tax. Where required, the HSN code too.
- 4
Prices that include tax, stated clearly
Shelf prices usually include tax. Tick "My prices already include tax" in the form, and the bill works out the tax inside each price rather than adding it on top.
- 5
The customer's details when it matters
For small sales to individuals you can keep this short. For a business customer, their name and tax number are essential, because they need them to claim the tax. In India, a sale of ₹50,000 or more to an unregistered buyer also needs their name, address and state.
- 6
Your exchange or return policy
One sentence is enough: "exchange within 7 days with this bill and the price tag intact". It prevents arguments at the counter.
How to use this template
- Fill in your details once. Your business name, address and tax number. Your browser remembers them for next time, only on your own device.
- Replace the sample lines with what you actually did or sold. Add as many as you need, and move them up or down.
- Check the preview, then download the PDF to send, or the Excel file if you want to keep editing it in a spreadsheet (its totals are live formulas). After you download, the next invoice starts blank with your details kept and the number counted up.
A few habits that get you paid sooner
Decide how you price, then be consistent
Either your price tags include tax (most shops) or they do not. Mixing the two on one bill is where mistakes begin.
Keep a copy of every bill
A saved PDF per sale, or a carbon copy in a bound book, is the record your accountant and the tax office will ask for.
Give a bill even for small sales
A customer with a bill is a customer who can return, exchange and recommend you. For a registered shop, it is also the law.
Mistakes to avoid
- Charging tax on a bill when the shop is not registered, or on the composition scheme.
- Printing a total that includes tax but showing the prices as if they did not.
- Giving a business customer a bill without their tax number, so they cannot claim the tax.
A word on tax for shops
A registered shop in India charges GST at the rate for each item, and rates differ from one product to the next, so set the rate on each line. The rate shown in this template (5%) is only a placeholder for garments and textiles at these prices, at the time of writing. Small traders can choose the composition scheme, paying a low flat percentage of turnover instead (1% for traders, up to a turnover limit), and then they issue a Bill of Supply and cannot charge GST to customers. In the UK and the UAE, VAT is charged once you are registered, and shops often show prices that include VAT.
Questions people ask
Is a shop bill the same as a GST invoice?
For a registered shop selling to a customer, a GST bill is a tax invoice, and has to carry the details the law lists. A shop that is not registered, or is on the composition scheme, issues a simpler bill or a Bill of Supply with no GST.
How do I show a discount?
Use the discount percentage on the line. The tax is then worked out on the price after the discount, which is how it is done on a real invoice.
Do I need the customer's name for every sale?
Not for ordinary small sales to individuals. You do need it for business customers and, in India, for sales of ₹50,000 or more to an unregistered buyer.
Checked against the official sources
Last reviewed on 11 October 2026. Tax rules and limits change, and we cannot see your whole situation, so treat this page as a guide, not advice. If something here looks out of date, the official pages below are the ones to trust, and we would be grateful if you told us.
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