Finance question
Can I get import finance to pay overseas suppliers?
Often yes. When an overseas factory wants a deposit up front and the balance before goods ship, finance can bridge the long gap between paying the supplier and selling the stock here. It is usually raised against property equity at single-digit rates or against assets you already own.
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The short answer
Fund the order before the stock arrives
Importing ties your cash up for months. A typical overseas order asks for a deposit to start production and the balance before the container leaves the port, then you wait weeks for shipping and clearance and longer again to sell the goods and get paid. That is a long stretch with a large sum sitting on the water, and it is the single biggest cash squeeze most importers face.
Import finance is built to bridge that gap. It funds the supplier payments so production starts and the goods ship on schedule, and it is repaid once the stock lands and sells through. Secured against property equity the funding sits at single-digit rates, and secured against plant or equipment you already own it is low-doc and can settle quickly across 40-plus lenders, which matters when a factory is holding a production slot for you.
Getting the timing and the amount right is the whole game. We size the facility to the deposit and balance the supplier actually requires and to your expected sell-through, so you are not overcommitted while the container is in transit. Currency movements and shipping delays are real, so we build in room rather than fund it to the last dollar.
Do you qualify?
What makes an import facility fundable.
A confirmed order
A supplier invoice or pro forma with terms and amounts.
Equity or assets
Property equity or owned plant to secure the funding.
A sell-through plan
Where the stock goes and how it repays the facility.
An active ABN
Sole traders and companies both qualify.
Why import finance makes sense
Production starts on time
The deposit and balance are paid so the factory keeps your slot.
Cash is not stranded
Your working capital stays free while the container is in transit.
Secured pricing
Property-backed funding lands at single-digit rates, not unsecured pricing.
A real example
A homewares importer places a $200,000 order in China, with a 30 percent deposit due to start production and the balance due before shipping. From payment to landed, sold and paid is about four months. A facility secured against equity funds both supplier payments, and it clears as the stock sells through the retail season. Illustrative only.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I fund a deposit and balance to an overseas supplier?
Often yes. A facility can cover the supplier payments so production starts and the goods ship, then repay once the stock sells.
How is it secured?
Usually against property equity at single-digit rates, or against plant and equipment you already own.
What about shipping delays or currency moves?
They are real, so we size the facility with room rather than to the last dollar, allowing for transit time and exchange movements.
Do I need a purchase order or invoice?
A supplier invoice or pro forma with the terms and amounts helps us structure the facility around the actual order.