Industry

Retail funding in Canada: what funders actually read.

The deposit patterns, seasonality and timing that decide how a Canadian retail file is read.

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How funders read retail files

Seasonal inventory, thin margins and card-heavy sales make retail a natural fit for share-of-sales repayment.

Card settlement consistency and average ticket
Seasonal peaks, especially the November–December quarter
Inventory turnover and supplier terms
Returns and refunds

A worked example

Illustrative arithmetic

A boutique in Halifax with $38,000 a month in deposits takes $20,000 at 1.26 for holiday inventory, repaying $25,200 at about 8% of daily sales.

Every figure on this page is illustrative arithmetic in Canadian dollars. It is not an offer, a quote or a promise of approval.

Typical starting points

Monthly revenueTypically from around $20,000 a month in deposits for Canadian files. The exact line varies by funder and by file.

Time in businessTypically about 12 months. Newer businesses can be reviewed, but the options narrow.

Account healthLimited low-balance or negative days. Funders read the last few months of bank statements for this.

CreditScores from 500 are considered. A score of 600 or higher opens more options and better offers.

DocumentsA signed application and recent business bank statements, typically the last four months.

Existing advancesFiles with an existing advance can be reviewed, including second position.

Common questions

What do funders read first in retail files?

Card settlement consistency and average ticket, then seasonal peaks, especially the November–December quarter.

What is the money usually used for?

Most often: seasonal inventory ahead of peak; store refit or relocation; point-of-sale and security upgrades; online store build-out.

Is retail funding the same as for other trades?

The review reads the same things in every trade. What changes is the rhythm: seasonal inventory, thin margins and card-heavy sales make retail a natural fit for share-of-sales repayment.

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