Retail financing is a more convenient and intelligent way to shop and pay. Customers benefit from increased flexibility, affordability, and selection at the checkout. This guide will teach you all you need to know about providing finance to the consumer, what retail financing is, and why you should do it in managing your business.
Retail Financing
Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, as opposed to wholesale, which is the sale of goods and services to businesses or institutions. A retailer purchases things in bulk from manufacturers, either directly or through a wholesaler, and then sells them to consumers in smaller quantities for a profit. Retailers complete the supply chain from manufacturers to consumers.
Retail finance is defined as ‘providing credit facilities or staged payments to creditworthy clients. This enables buyers to stretch the expense of a purchase over time, making it more affordable. If someone does not like to wait until payday, they may use these services and pay the balance later. Not only does this eliminate typical pricing barriers for your clients, but it also enables them to manage their finances more effectively.
Different types of retail finance
Listed below are some of the several sorts of finance you can provide:
#1. 0% financing
Customers can spread the cost of their purchase over time without incurring interest charges.
#2. Interest-bearing financing
Customers pay for their items over a specified number of months, plus interest.
The Advantages of Retail Finance
Financing clients not only enables them to purchase when and how they want, but it also helps maintain traffic and footfall moving on your website and in-store. Flexible payment alternatives can help your company enhance conversions and sales, eliminate basket abandonment, and provide a competitive edge.
Allowing customers to spread the cost of goods can enhance their experience, speed up their trip, and provide a point of differentiation from the competition. Understanding your consumers’ demands and streamlining the process will not only increase revenue but will also nurture relationships and foster loyalty and retention for continuous growth.
How Retail Financing Works for Businesses
The good news is that establishing retail finance is simple and will have no effect on your cash flow. With Geology, we can get you up and running on the same day and simplify the process for both you and your clients.
Loans are arranged between the customer and the loan provider, and you will receive immediate cash. Repayments are handled by the loan provider, which relieves retailers of the additional administrative burden of money collection.
Businesses face no risk. Without having to deal with debt collection, you may profit from greater sales and improved customer satisfaction. Additionally, with simple repayments that can be tracked via mobile, customers will find the buying experience to be flawless from beginning to end.
Financing for Retail Business
Retail store financing can be utilized for almost any purpose associated with the operation or improvement of a retail business. Additionally, retail business financing is extremely versatile in terms of the kind of establishments that qualify.
Types of Funding for Retail Business
After such a trying period for the industry, it is critical for lenders lending to retail enterprises to offer flexible repayment options. This type of investment enables retail firms to reopen without being bound by rigid payback arrangements and allows for corporate expansion.
Several more flexible financing alternatives that can be adjusted to the unique needs of retail firms include the following:
#1. Merchant Cash Advance
A merchant cash advance is the most frequent sort of cash advance and is an ingenious alternative financing solution for businesses. Unlike a traditional loan with a fixed monthly payment, Merchant Cash Advances provide businesses with a loan that is repaid through a portion of their customers’ card payments.
#2. Unsecured Loans
If you are unable or unable to provide collateral for a loan, or if you do not have any assets to utilize as collateral, an unsecured loan may be a wonderful alternative for your business. Unsecured loans are a quick funding alternative for firms that want additional inventory, making them an excellent choice for retail businesses.
#3. Revolving Credit Facilities (RCF)
A revolving credit arrangement is another excellent way to expand your business’s working capital. A revolving credit facility is a sort of flexible financing that enables your organization to obtain financing on a ‘tap in, tap out’ basis.
You can take funds as needed, use them to pay for purchases, refund them, and then withdraw them again at a later point. Additionally, with a revolving credit arrangement, you only pay interest when funds are ‘tapped’.
#4. Finance in eCommerce
If you run an online retail firm, you may benefit from eCommerce funding. Whether your firm needs additional personnel or inventory, or you wish to invest in your online presence, eCommerce finance may be a viable choice.
If you’re currently utilizing an online platform to operate your business, such as eBay, Magento, or Amazon, lenders can easily interface their systems with yours to analyze your online accounts in order to determine your current trends and affordability. It’s a simple and convenient way to obtain cash to keep your business afloat.
#5. Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS)
The Recovery Lending Scheme is the newest iteration of the government loan schemes, following the CLBILS, BBLS, and CBILS. The RLS aims to offer businesses the financial resources they require to succeed and grow during the UK’s economic recovery.
The RLS is intended to assist businesses in managing cash flow, investment, and expansion following a lockdown. It is available to qualifying businesses in the United Kingdom and offers a range of lending products including term loans, invoice finance, business overdrafts, and asset finance. The RLS offers loans of up to £10 million and payback terms of up to years, depending on the lender.
How Can I Use a Retail Business Financing?
The applications for retail business loans are nearly limitless and are mostly defined by the type of retail firm being financed. To offer suggestions for how to use a loan for a retail business, we must first determine the type of retail business. The following are a few examples of how retail finance can be used by small businesses:
- Stockpiling inventory
- Employing personnel
- Acquiring equipment
- Fixtures for stores
- Purchasing or leasing a physical place
- Commercialization
- Repairs and renovations, and so forth
The various uses for retail company loans will ultimately depend on the type of product sold, the size of the business, its long- and short-term goals, and much more. Therefore, before choosing the type of retail loan that is ideal for your business, it is critical to analyze the purpose for which you are seeking retail store financing.
Note: Financing may be a very beneficial tool for retail retailers looking to fuel growth, support expansion, or meet day-to-day expenses. The key to maximizing the value of borrowed capital is to understand your present credit condition, establish a specific loan purpose, determine the amount of capital you require, comprehend the potential return on investment, and have a contingency plan in case something goes wrong.
Consumer Retail Financing
Customer financing enables your consumers to enroll in a manageable payment plan instead of paying the whole price of a costly item upfront. Consumer retail financing is developed in this way to convert consumers from browsing and contemplating shopping in your business to really purchasing your product.
In other words, the merchant is paid in full upfront. The customer receives the merchandise immediately but is required to pay over time. Typically, the customer pays interest on the financing, and the merchant may be charged a modest fee for each funded transaction. Both small enterprises and huge brands offer client financing in order to convert more surfers to buyers.
Advantages Of Retail Consumer Financing
#1. Risk Management
Many merchants finance their customers in-house, extending periods to customers ranging from 30 days to 24 months to pay for a product or service. The disadvantage of this system is that if a customer falls behind on payments or does not pay at all, the merchant assumes a loss of revenue. With consumer retail financing, that risk is transferred to the firm that financed your customer, not to your business.
#2. Increase Sales and Client BaseÂ
As a merchant, you may utilize consumer retail finance as a marketing tool to attract new customers to your business by taking advantage of promotional financing offers. Additionally, the program attracts clients who find it less stressful to be able to spread the cost of your service across multiple installments, without the requirement of having a perfect credit rating.
#3. A Competitive AdvantageÂ
Additionally, the program provides your firm with a competitive advantage. Many of your competitors may not offer the aforementioned financing choices to their consumers, forcing them to turn away business.
The Disadvantages of Retail Customer Financing
Having said that, you’ll want to consider the following disadvantages when determining how to finance your customers:
#1. Possibility of Bad Debts
Even if you conduct a full credit check on a customer before financing them—which is unquestionably a smart practice—you may never completely know how financially responsible they are or what financial roadblocks they may encounter that would prevent them from honoring their debt agreement.
Additionally, even if you work with a third-party provider, the majority of merchant contracts stipulate that the provider has the right to terminate the relationship at any moment. A provider may deactivate your account if you have a high rate of chargebacks or customer service issues.
#2. Additional Receivables
If you decide to provide client financing on your own, you may save money by not engaging an outside company; but you must factor in the expense of expanding your accounts receivable department. Whether you need to recruit another person or spend time tracking and following up on financing payments on your own, taking up customer financing on your own will result in additional expenses.
#3. Cash Flow Consequences
Once again, if you do not partner with a third-party supplier to offer finance to your consumers; and instead offer it directly to them, you will experience negative cash flow, at least initially. You will eventually receive payment from your consumers, but if cash on hand is critical to your organization; offering in-house customer financing may not be the ideal solution.
How Consumer Retail Financing Platforms Are Structured
Numerous consumer retail finance platforms are structured as follows:
1. Typically, the platform will collaborate with a variety of financial services businesses; in order to offer diverse solutions through a single platform. They may collaborate with traditional banks, credit unions, alternative loan firms, leasing organizations, and rent-to-own companies, among others.
2. At the point of sale, the consumer will complete a brief application; and the system will recommend the most appropriate package based on their risk profile. Once the “approved” notification is displayed, the specifics are displayed; allowing the consumer to decide whether or not to enroll in the program.
3. Certain retail financing platforms enable your firm to profit from the loans it provides; by marking up the interest rates and charges charged to your customers.
4. After a consumer accepts a loan option and electronically signs the papers, they typically receive a receipt; at which point you are authorized to provide the customer with the products or services they requested. The money of the purchase is deposited into your bank account within about 24 – 72 hours. The finance business will subsequently begin deducting the agreed-upon loan payments from your customer’s bank account.
Note: Consumer retail finance can be an excellent approach to retain existing clients and attract new ones; who require your goods or services but prefer a more flexible payment method. However, keep in mind that this is not appropriate for everyone. You must carefully assess the cost to your firm, not just the finance provider’s fees; but also the startup costs associated with executing your retail financing program.
How to Offer Financing to Customers
As previously said, consumer financing enables clients to purchase your goods; services but are unable to pay the full price upfront. In essence, by offering finance to your customers, you help them afford your products or services.
Offering financing to customers benefits the merchant by increasing buyer conversion and customer loyalty. Indeed, one study discovered that extending consumer credit improves the average order quantity of a customer by 15%.
The second alternative is to utilize a third-party organization to finance your customers. By partnering with a third-party supplier, the firm takes on the responsibility of issuing credit offers and collecting consumer payments; saving you time and removing some of the legal hazards from your organization. Here’s how you offer finance to customers when utilizing a third-party provider:
- The customer begins by spotting a product or service they wish to purchase, either in-store or online.
- Following that, if the consumer cannot pay the entire price of the product; but still wishes to purchase it, they will ask for financing. Your financing provider may do a credit check on the customer at this point.
- Your consumer will know within seconds whether they have been accepted or denied for finance. If the customer is accepted, you will immediately get full payment for the merchandise.
- Your consumer will immediately receive the product or service, but will repay the finance provider in installments. The provider with whom you work will establish the customer’s payment schedule; the percentage of the purchase that they must pay ahead.
- Unless the finance provider is running a promotion, the customer will typically have to pay interest.
Retail Financing FAQ
What is retail finance and its importance?
Retail finance is defined as ‘providing credit facilities or staged payments to creditworthy clients. This enables buyers to stretch the expense of a purchase over time, making it more affordable.
What is a retail customer finance?
Customer financing enables your consumers to enroll in a manageable payment plan instead of paying the whole price of a costly item upfront.
