Last updated: 06 Oct 2026

Ecommerce funding

Ecommerce funding is finance built for online businesses, giving you money for stock, advertising and growth that's assessed on your sales data and often repaid as a share of your revenue.

Compare ecommerce finance options from multiple lenders across our panel of lenders in one application, with a dedicated funding specialist supporting you through to completion.

Why choose Capitalise for an ecommerce loan?

  • 200,000 UK businesses trust us

  • Business credit data powered by Experian

  • £2bn in funding approved

  • FCA regulated since 2016

What is ecommerce funding?

Ecommerce funding is a group of finance options designed around how online businesses trade. It covers products such as revenue based finance, merchant cash advances, stock and trade finance, and unsecured business loans.

What sets it apart from a standard business loan is how lenders make their decision. Instead of relying mainly on filed accounts and physical assets, ecommerce lenders look at your sales history, order volumes and payment data. Many connect directly to platforms such as Shopify, Amazon, Stripe and PayPal, or to your business bank account through open banking, to see how your store is really performing.

How does ecommerce funding work?

You start by telling a lender how much you need and connecting your sales or bank data. The lender reviews your recent revenue, how steady it is and how fast it's growing, then makes you an offer. With ecommerce specialists, this can happen much faster than with a traditional loan, and some lenders on our panel can make an offer in as little as 48 hours.

Once you accept, the money is paid into your business account or, with stock and trade finance, sent directly to your supplier. Repayment then depends on the product. Revenue based finance and merchant cash advances take an agreed share of your sales automatically until the balance is cleared, while a loan is repaid in fixed monthly instalments.

Which types of ecommerce funding are available?

The right option depends on what you need the money for and how your business takes payment. These are the main types of ecommerce funding available through our panel.

Funding type

How you repay

Often suits

Revenue based finance

A fixed percentage of your revenue until the advance and a fixed fee are cleared

Growing brands funding stock or customer acquisition

Merchant cash advance

A percentage of your future card sales, taken automatically

Online stores taking most payments by card

Stock and trade finance

The lender pays your supplier, and you repay once the goods have sold or over an agreed term

Large or seasonal stock orders, including goods bought from overseas

Unsecured business loan

Fixed monthly payments over an agreed term

Businesses wanting a predictable repayment and a set total cost

Invoice finance

The lender advances cash against unpaid invoices, and is repaid when your customer pays

Online wholesalers selling to other businesses on payment terms

What can you use ecommerce funding for?

  • Buying stock in bulk to secure better supplier pricing

  • Building up inventory ahead of Black Friday, Christmas and other seasonal peaks

  • Funding paid advertising and customer acquisition campaigns

  • Launching new product lines or expanding into new marketplaces

  • Covering the gap between paying for stock and receiving marketplace payouts

  • Investing in your website, fulfilment or warehouse space

Am I eligible for ecommerce funding?

Every lender on our panel sets its own criteria, but most will look at a mix of the following:

  • Your business is a UK based limited company, sole trader or partnership that sells online.

  • You have a trading history, which for many ecommerce lenders can be shorter than a traditional bank would ask for.

  • You have regular monthly revenue that you can evidence through your sales platforms or bank account.

  • Your business credit score shows your business manages its existing commitments well.

  • A director is willing to sign a personal guarantee, if the lender asks for one.

What documents do you need for ecommerce funding?

Having these ready will speed up your application:

  • Access to your sales platform or payment processor accounts, such as Shopify, Amazon Seller Central, Stripe or PayPal.

  • 3 to 6 months of business bank statements, or an open banking connection.

  • Your last set of filed accounts, if you have them.

  • Proof of ID for each business owner or director, such as a passport or driving licence.

  • Proof of address dated within the last 3 months.

How do I apply for ecommerce funding?

  • Green circle with a white number "1" in the center.

    Tell us what you need

    Let us know how much you're looking to raise and what it's for, whether that's stock, marketing or growth.

  • Green circle with white number "2" in the center.

    Get matched with lenders

    Share some details about your business and your online sales so lenders can assess your application. This uses a soft search, so it won't affect your credit score.

  • Green circle with the white number 3 in the center.

    Get funded

    A dedicated funding specialist takes your application to the ecommerce lenders on our panel best suited to your business, and supports you through to completion.

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Apply for ecommerce funding today

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