Quick answer
Wholesalers and importers use fast loans to pay overseas supplier deposits and balances, release containers, cover duty and freight and carry long payment terms to retailers. Unsecured funding, invoice finance and lines of credit all suit the cycle. With statements and shipping documents ready, approval within the hour is common.
Key points
- Supplier deposits and balances come months before retailers pay
- Containers wait at the port until paid
- Invoice finance suits retailer debtor books
- Lines of credit suit repeating shipments
Importing and wholesaling stretch cash over a long cycle. A deposit goes to the overseas supplier when the order is placed, the balance before shipping, then freight, duty, GST and broker fees before the container is released. The goods sit in the warehouse, go out to retailers and are paid for 30 to 60 days later. Months can pass between the first payment and the last receipt.
The usual pressure points
- Supplier deposits and balances in advance of shipping.
- Container release: freight, duty, import GST and broker fees.
- Port storage charges when payment is late.
- Retailer payment terms of 30 to 60 days.
- Price rises and allocations that reward early buying.
How lenders read a wholesaler
Assessors look at receipts from retail customers, payments to suppliers and logistics providers, debtor days and customer concentration. Shipping documents, supplier invoices and an aged debtors report make decisions quicker. Approval within the hour is common with statements online.
If you would rather talk than read, enquire online or call 07 3106 8922 and a person will walk you through it.
Your first 24 hours, mapped out
| When | What happens | Your job |
|---|---|---|
| Minute 0 | You send the 60-second enquiry | Answer accurately |
| Within minutes | A real person calls in business hours | Keep your phone close |
| Within the hour | Approval is common once statements or property details are in | Share them straight away |
| Same day | Documents arrive for electronic signing | Make sure every signatory is ready |
| Within 24 hours | Funds can land in your account | Confirm payment details early |
Matching the need to the loan
| Need | Usually fastest |
|---|---|
| Container release | Short-term funding paid to supplier and broker |
| Retailer debtor book | Fast invoice finance |
| Repeating shipments | A line of credit |
| Bulk buying ahead of a price rise | Fast stock finance |
Speed tips for importers
- Keep the commercial invoice, bill of lading and broker estimate together.
- Know your total landed cost before you enquire.
- Have an aged debtors report ready for invoice finance.
- Arrange a line of credit before peak shipping months.
A worked example (illustrative)
A Brisbane importer of kitchenware has two containers arriving before a major retailer promotion, with about $170,000 due to the supplier and broker. Its retailers pay on 60 days. The owner shares statements and shipping documents, is approved within the hour and both containers are released before storage charges start.
Plan around the shipping calendar
Lunar New Year factory closures, peak shipping seasons and port congestion all shift when payments fall due. Map your shipments for the year and set up funding in advance, rather than on the day a broker’s invoice arrives.
What to have ready
The fastest approvals happen when this list is ready to send in one reply:
- Supplier invoices and payment terms
- Shipping documents and broker estimates
- Aged debtors report
- Business bank statements
- Photo ID and ABN
Speed bumps to avoid
If funding is slower than expected, it is usually because of:
- Unclear landed costs
- Supplier invoices in the wrong entity
- Customer concentration without contracts
- Waiting until storage charges start
Get the form right, get funded faster
The enquiry form asks for the amount, purpose, time trading, monthly revenue, credit history, state and whether you own property. Each answer points your enquiry towards the right lane. When the answers are accurate, the first call can go straight to approval. When they are rounded up, guessed or left vague, the assessor has to unpick them, and that is where hours turn into days. If you are unsure of a figure, give your best honest estimate and say so.
In a nutshell
- Supplier deposits and balances come months before retailers pay
- Containers wait at the port until paid
- Invoice finance suits retailer debtor books
- Lines of credit suit repeating shipments
Inside a fast approval
Most lending is slow because steps happen one after another, with days of waiting in between. We run them side by side. While your statements are being read, the documents are being drafted. While you are signing, any security is being prepared. No valuation is needed on property-secured loans, which removes the biggest delay in property lending. The result is that approval within the hour is common, 15-minute approvals happen for clean profiles, and funding within 24 hours is genuinely possible when signatures come back quickly.
What to do next
Nobody can promise approval, but we can promise a fast, honest look. There is no credit check when you enquire, we do not farm your details out, and a person rather than a bot reads what you send. Answer the questions accurately and you give yourself the best shot at a quick yes. Start here.
Frequently asked questions
Can I fund a container before it is released?
Yes. Supplier balances, freight, duty and broker fees can be paid so the container is released on time.
Is invoice finance good for wholesalers?
Often, yes. Invoices to retailers on 30 to 60 days are a good fit.
How fast can a supplier deposit be paid?
With statements ready, approval within the hour is common and payment can follow within 24 hours.
What about currency movements?
Funding is advanced in local currency; your bank or payment provider handles the foreign exchange to your supplier.
Start the clock right here
The same 60-second enquiry, on this page. No credit check to enquire, and a real person picks it up fast.