The structures that fit
| Structure | Fits when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term working capital | A fast-turning closeout or bulk buy | Highest cost per dollar; shortest term |
| Line of credit | You buy opportunistically and repeatedly | Takes longer to set up than to draw on |
| Term loan | A large, planned seasonal build | Longer review |
| Purchase order financing | A confirmed B2B order you must fulfil | Requires a commercial customer |
Match the payment to the sell-through
This is the whole discipline. Ask when the first payment leaves your account and compare it to when the stock is actually on the shelf and moving. A daily remittance that starts before a container clears customs creates a cash problem out of a profitable buy.
Seasonal buyers get caught here most often: stock ordered in June for Q4 has to be paid for through the slowest months of the year.
The maths that decides the deal
Take the gross margin the inventory will produce and subtract the total cost of funding it. If funding costs more than the margin, the buy does not work at that price — no matter how good the unit cost looked.
What we will tell you straight
Thin-margin reorders with slow sell-through are the deals we most often advise against funding. If the numbers do not work we would rather say so than place it and watch the payments outrun the stock.
Common questions
How much can I borrow against inventory?
Deposit-based funding is sized against your bank deposits rather than the stock itself, so the inventory value is not the cap.
Can I get funded before I buy?
Yes. Apply with the supplier quote while you are still negotiating so the review is underway before the deadline.
What if the stock sells slower than planned?
Say so early. The levers are lowering the payment or extending the term — neither pays the balance off.
How fast can it move?
A decision typically comes within 2 to 4 hours on a complete file, with funding the same or next business day.
See what you qualify for
Same-day decision. Applying takes a few minutes and will not affect your credit score.