The smarter way to find Trade Finance
What is trade finance?
Trade finance is sometimes referred to as purchase order finance, export finance, supplier finance, invoice finance or trade credit. Whatever name it is offered to you as, it is essentially the same thing: the release of cash from a financer to one of your suppliers.
Typically, it will use confirmed purchase orders or stock as collateral for the loan. Trade finance is used by businesses to pay suppliers so that they can deliver their product or service to an end customer without delays being caused by cash flow.
Trade finance allows you to remain agile, delivering on orders that would otherwise be outside your capacity to fund. Payment is fast, usually being made just a few days after the required information is provided.
Why choose trade finance for your business?
Trade finance allows you to ensure that you don’t miss out on large orders or a sudden upturn in demand.
Stepping into the waters of overseas trade it can be a daunting prospect. Trade finance can help minimise some of the risks and remove many of the obstacles and challenges. Similarly, once a trade finance line has been established, your business gains much better control over its trade cycle.
Where can you find a specialist trade financier?
At Financer.co we can partner you with many providers of trade finance.
When you apply online for a loan with us, we match your business finance needs with suppliers who understand your sector and have plenty of insight into the help that your business requires.
What can you use trade finance for?
Trade finance can only be used to pay a supplier for raw materials, products or services.
It typically requires proof in the form of a purchase order from a client to your business but, occasionally, stock will be used as collateral to secure the loan.
What else should you know about trade finance?
Trade finance can protect your entry into new markets, ensure you receive the goods you pay for, protect your international exports and allow you to pull off orders that are beyond your cash flow. But it does make transactions less profitable than they would be if completed with cash alone.
The options available to you will vary according to exactly where in the supply chain your business sits. At the same time, your specialist finance provider will be able to assist you in negotiating the best price and may be able to spread your payments out over a comfortable period of time.
Here’s an example of trade finance in action. Once you have your purchase orders, you order the goods you need. You provide details of the goods, costs, suppliers and terms to a trade financier. They will approve your request and wire funds to your supplier. You, however, will not have to pay the financier until your customers pay you.
Trade finance is available from traditional banks, alternative finance providers as well as chambers of commerce, industry associations, government agencies and business-to-business support programmes. You can apply to a number of these online today.
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