Cash advances for UK independent retail.
Funded against your card takings, clothing, homeware, gift shops, bookshops, garden centres, and the rest of the British high street.
What MCA means for an independent retailer.
Card now dominates over cash for most independent shops. Your annual rhythm is seasonal, Christmas drives much of the year's profit, summer drives garden/clothing, January is for clearing through. MCA fits the seasonal capital need: stock buy ahead of peak, refit during quiet periods, expansion when growth justifies it.
Sound familiar?
Christmas stock needs paying for in October.
Suppliers want payment on delivery, but the takings come in November and December. £10k-£40k of stock typically.
MCA bridges the buy-to-sell cash gap. Peak takings repay fast.
The shop needs a refit.
Lighting, fixtures, paint, perhaps a new till and EPOS system. £5k-£15k for a meaningful refresh.
MCA funds the work during a quieter trading period. Repaid through subsequent trade.
You want to take on a second site.
First site profitable, lease offered on a second. Fit-out, stock, deposit, £20k+ before opening.
MCA can contribute, but for material site openings a term loan from Funding Flow is often a better instrument. We'll compare.
Here's what it actually costs.
An independent homeware shop borrows £12,000 for Christmas stock. Monthly card takings: £18,000. £12,000. Average monthly card takings £18,000. Fixed cost 1.26. 13% daily repayment % on card sales, total cost £3,120.
These figures are illustrative. If a term loan or asset finance fits your situation better, we'll tell you.
Open the fixed cost calculator →Work out the real cost.
New businesses typically start at a higher daily % and a shorter term.
Illustrative only, not a quote.
- Advance£12,000
- vs card takings67%
- Fixed cost1.26
- Daily repayment£77
- Avg monthly£2,340
- Est. term6.5 months
Illustrative. The fixed cost is set on day one; daily repayment varies with takings. Term capped at 18 months.
Illustrative only, not a quote. Every figure here is subject to the funder. Funders advance anywhere from 100% up to 150% of monthly card takings, so 150% is not guaranteed, and the fixed cost is not guaranteed either. Your actual advance, fixed cost and terms depend on the funder and your business profile.
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£8,000 funded Christmas stock, repaid by end of January.
Illustrative composite. Single-site indie bookshop, £14k/mo card takings. MCA at 1.27 factor, 14% daily repayment. Stock arrived November, sold through December peak, advance fully repaid by end of January.
Illustrative composite scenarioIndependent retail, quick answers.
Aggregate card takings are what counts. Online plus in-store all fold in. Often makes you a stronger applicant, multiple revenue streams.
Funding options for independent retail
Independent retail now runs mostly on card across the till and online checkout. A merchant cash advance (MCA), also known as a PDQ cash advance or card machine loan, turns that card flow into working capital for stock buys, refit, or a second site. Repaid as a percentage of daily card sales. Advances from £10,000 to £1,000,000. See PDQ cash advance →
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