Trade finance · Retail
Trade finance for retail
Retail finance is lending sized to daily takings and seasonal stock cycles, covering inventory buys ahead of peak trade, store fit-outs and the working capital that carries a shop through quiet months.
How trade finance works for retail
Retailers importing directly — homewares, apparel, furniture — face supplier deposits at order and balance at shipment, months before the goods hit the floor. Trade finance pays the supplier at those points and gives you 90 to 120 days to sell through. It effectively converts an importer into a business with generous supplier terms. Facilities are revolving and sized on import history. Watch the exchange rate exposure across a long cycle, and factor freight and duty into the funded amount rather than paying them from cash.
The cash-flow pattern we plan around
Daily card takings with heavy seasonal peaks, against stock commitments and supplier deposits made two to four months ahead of the selling season.
What retail typically fund
- Seasonal stock and supplier deposits
- Store fit-out and refurbishment
- POS, security and back-of-house systems
- Rent and wages through quiet months
- Opening a second location
Trade finance for retail: the numbers
| Typical amounts | $50,000 – $5,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Term | 2–6 months |
| Indicative rates | 9% – 20% p.a. |
| Repayments | Each drawdown repaid in full at the end of its term |
| Speed | 1–3 weeks to establish, then 24–48 hours per drawdown |
| Documents retail usually need | ABN and lease or licence for the premises · 6 months of bank statements and merchant statements · Supplier quotes or purchase orders for stock |
Rates are indicative, change without notice and depend on the lender, product, asset, term and your credit profile at the time of application. They are not an offer of finance. Comparison rates, where shown, are true only for the example given.
Key terms
Retail inventory finance
Retail inventory finance is short-term funding used to buy stock ahead of a selling season, repaid from the sales that stock generates rather than from existing cash reserves.
Merchant statement assessment
Merchant statement assessment is a lending approach that sizes a facility against daily card settlement data, allowing a retailer to be assessed on current trade rather than on a year-old set of financials.
What is trade finance?
Trade finance is short-term funding that pays a supplier for goods at the point of order or shipment, with the borrower repaying the financier once the goods are sold. It is typically a revolving limit with drawdown periods of 60 to 180 days.
What is a letter of credit?
A letter of credit is a bank undertaking to pay an overseas supplier once specified shipping documents are presented. It gives the supplier payment certainty and gives the buyer assurance that payment only happens when the shipment is properly documented.
Trade finance vs invoice finance
Trade finance funds stock before you sell it; invoice finance funds the receivable after you have invoiced. Importers frequently run both, so the facility covers the full cycle from purchase order to customer payment.
Questions from retail
How do retailers fund stock ahead of the peak season?
Trade finance pays suppliers for stock with 90 to 180 days to repay from sales, a line of credit funds deposits and top-ups, and a merchant cash advance repays from daily card takings. The right mix depends on your margins and how quickly stock turns, and a broker prices all three against your season.
What is a merchant cash advance and does it suit retail?
A merchant cash advance is a lump sum repaid as a fixed percentage of daily card takings, so repayments flex with trade and are lighter in quiet weeks. It suits retailers with strong card sales who need funds fast and can be more expensive than a term loan, so it is best for short, high-return uses such as stock for a peak season.
Can a store fit-out and POS be financed together?
Yes. Shopfitting, joinery, lighting, signage, refrigeration and POS systems can be funded under one fit-out facility with the builder and suppliers paid as the work progresses, repaid over three to five years within the lease term. Movable equipment is often financed separately at a sharper rate and combined under the same application.
What do lenders look for in a retail business?
Consistent daily takings in the bank statements, gross margin, stock turn, the lease term and the seasonality of the business. Lenders like retailers with strong card sales and a stable location. For new stores, a deposit, retail experience and a business plan matter; established stores are often approved on bank statements alone.