Finance question
How does import finance work?
In short, import finance pays your overseas supplier now and gives you time to sell the stock before you repay. It funds the gap between paying for goods and earning from them, so a large order does not drain your working capital.
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The short answer
Pay your supplier now, repay once the stock sells
Importing ties up cash. You pay the factory before the goods ship, then wait weeks for them to arrive, clear customs and sell. Import finance covers that window, settling the supplier on your behalf so your own cash is not locked in a container for months. For a growing business, that gap between paying and earning is often the hardest part of importing to manage.
The facility is built around the trade cycle. Funds are drawn to pay for a shipment and repaid once the stock is sold or your customers pay, which keeps the borrowing tied to real orders rather than sitting as long-term debt. A broker matches the structure to your supplier terms and how quickly you turn stock, so the repayment lands after the money should, not before.
It lets you buy at the right size. Suppliers often reward larger orders with better pricing, but only if you can pay upfront. Import finance gives you the buying power to take those terms without starving the rest of the business of cash, so you can order to demand rather than to whatever your bank balance allows that week.
Do you qualify?
What makes an import deal fundable.
Confirmed orders
Supplier invoices or purchase orders to fund against.
An active ABN
An importing business with a trading history helps.
Stock that turns
Goods you can sell through to repay the facility.
Security can help
An asset or property can widen and cheapen the deal.
Why import finance protects your cashflow
Cash stays free
Your working capital funds the business while the facility funds the shipment.
Tied to the trade
Drawn per order, repaid on sale, so the debt matches your activity.
Buy bigger, buy better
Fund larger orders and earn the supplier discounts that come with them.
A real example
A homewares retailer places a $120,000 order with an overseas maker ahead of a busy season. Import finance pays the supplier so the container ships, and the facility is repaid as the stock sells through over the following weeks. Illustrative only.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What does import finance actually pay for?
It settles your overseas supplier for a confirmed order, covering the goods until you sell them and repay.
When do I repay?
Repayment is timed to your trade cycle, usually once the stock sells or your customers pay.
Do I need financials?
Some deals need limited paperwork, especially where the order or an asset supports the facility. It depends on the lender.
Can it fund every shipment?
It can be used order by order as you need it, subject to lender assessment each time.