The cash gap in online retail
Stock is paid for months ahead, often to overseas manufacturers, and advertising spend lands before sales. Even profitable brands can run short of cash during growth or ahead of peak season.
Options that fit
Trade finance pays suppliers directly and gives you time to sell before repaying. Inventory finance lends against stock you already hold. Revenue based finance covers marketing and smaller stock orders, repaid from sales.
Once the business is profitable with two years of accounts, a bank or asset based line usually becomes the cheapest long term solution.
What funders look at
Gross margin after returns and fulfilment, customer acquisition cost, repeat purchase rate and stock turn. Bring marketplace and payment platform data, since most funders will want it.
Frequently asked questions
Can marketplace sellers get funding?
Yes. Several funders specialise in sellers on the large marketplaces and use sales data to decide.
Is stock enough security on its own?
Sometimes, if it is easy to sell and well tracked.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-06