Short answer
Merchant Fund Express funds existing retail franchise owners (specialty stores, mattress, phone and electronics, resale, hardware, convenience, nutrition and gift concepts) with business loans, merchant cash advances, revenue-based financing, lines of credit, equipment financing and working capital from $5,000 to $5,000,000. Typical uses are seasonal inventory, fixtures and displays, POS and security upgrades, seasonal staffing and store refreshes. Send three months of business bank statements and ID; a complete file usually gets a decision in 2–4 hours.
What retail owners fund
Retail cash flow runs backward: you pay for the product weeks or months before you sell it. When a vendor offers a deal for buying early, or the franchisor sets a new fixture standard, the cash has to be there first.
Inventory
Seasonal buys, vendor minimums and early-order discounts that need cash before the season.
Fixtures and displays
Shelving, cases, signage and the layout changes a franchisor refresh calls for.
POS and security
New terminals, scanners, cameras and inventory software. See POS upgrades.
Seasonal staff
Extra hours and new hires for back-to-school and the holidays.
Match the need to the funding
| If you need to… | Fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Place a big seasonal order | Inventory funding or Working capital | Repaid from the sales the stock brings |
| Take a vendor's early-buy discount | Merchant cash advance | Fast decision so the discount is not missed |
| Replace fixtures and displays | Equipment financing | The fixtures anchor the deal |
| Upgrade POS and cameras | Equipment financing | Send the vendor quote |
| Cover payroll before holiday sales | Business line of credit | Draw and repay as sales land |
| Even out a seasonal year | Revenue-based financing | Payments track revenue |
| Fund a full store refresh | Franchise business loans | Lump sum on a set schedule |
How retail deposits read
Retail deposits are daily card batches plus some cash, with clear peaks around holidays and local events. A reviewer looks at three months of totals, the weekly pattern, what goes out to vendors and royalties, and any existing funding. Large vendor payments are normal; a short note on your buying calendar helps the file read correctly.
If the request is for inventory, say what you are buying, from whom and when it should sell through. Merchant Fund Express matches the payment to that sell-through, so stock that moves in eight weeks is not funded like a fixture that lasts years.
Hypothetical example, not a past deal: a specialty retail franchise owner is offered an early-order discount on holiday stock if they pay in September. A reviewer could fund the order with working capital repaid from holiday sales, and put new display cases on equipment financing at the same time.
Retail brands we fund
Running a brand that is not named here? Put the brand on the application. Merchant Fund Express funds the location on its own deposits, whatever the logo over the door.
Any retail franchise with an open store and card deposits applies the same way: name the brand and the number of stores. Opening another store? See second location; each store in its own LLC? See separate LLCs.
Three fast calls retail owners make
Vendor discount with a deadline? Apply in about 4 minutes; a complete file usually gets a decision in 2–4 hours, so the discount is not lost to paperwork.
Franchisor fixture or layout standard? Split it: fixtures on equipment financing, labor and finish work as a lump sum.
Holiday sales strong, January thin? A line of credit carries payroll and rent through the dip; revenue-based financing keeps payments in step with sales. Already carrying an advance? It is considered, not an automatic decline.
What to send
- Apply in about 4 minutesName your retail brand, the location and what the money is for.
- Upload statements and IDThree months of business bank statements per store entity, plus photo ID for each owner.
- Decision in 2–4 hoursOn a complete file. Same-day funding is available, and funding often lands the next business day.
No tax returns to apply. 500+ FICO accepted. Sole proprietors are eligible, Spanish-speaking support is available and ITIN applicants are accepted.
Owner questions, answered
Can a retail franchise owner fund seasonal inventory?
Yes. Seasonal stock and vendor minimums are among the most common working capital and inventory requests.
Can I finance new fixtures and displays?
Yes. Fixtures, cases and signage at an operating store can go on equipment financing.
How fast can I get money for an early-buy discount?
A complete file usually gets a decision in 2–4 hours, and same-day funding is available.
Do large vendor payments on my statements hurt?
No. They are normal in retail. A short note on your buying calendar helps the reviewer read them.
Are you affiliated with any retail franchise?
No. Merchant Fund Express is independent and has no franchisor ties.
Keep going
Merchant Fund Express is a separate company with no franchisor ties. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.