August 7th, 2014 by Elma Jane

Bill Me Later Is Now PayPal Credit, PayPal Working Capital Exceeds $150 Million and Both are Going Global. Delivering flexible and convenient credit products is something. Bill Me Later with eBay (PayPal), a vision to make shopping and paying easy, flexible and convenient. Announcing the evolution of Bill Me Later to PayPal Credit and the exceptional growth of PayPal Working Capital a global portfolio of credit solutions that help people and businesses leap forward.

PayPal Credit Evolves and Plans to Expand to the UK and Germany

As people and businesses know and trust the PayPal name, this is a natural and logical brand transformation. It also demonstrates how credit are moving more towards the center of the business, aligning it more closely with overall brand and working as a partner with businesses to spur growth. Customers and merchants across the pond have been asking for the flexibility and convenience of PayPal Credit in their markets, today they’re also announcing the plan to introduce PayPal Credit to the UK and Germany. People will begin to see PayPal in places they haven’t seen before, allowing shoppers to easily make purchases with financial flexibility.

Since the pilot program launched last September, more than 20,000 businesses have collectively borrowed more than $150 million in PayPal Working Capital business loans through their lending partner, WebBank. The program is also expanding to the UK and Australia to fuel business growth. Businesses in these countries will have access to capital in minutes once they apply and are approved through a simple online interface. PayPal Working Capital allows these businesses to repay with a share of their sales they choose, and don’t repay on days they don’t have sales. The program uses a business’s sales history, there is no credit check or extensive documentation required. The loan charges a single, affordable fixed fee instead of periodic interest so businesses know the cost of the loan up front. Offering these products more broadly is a sign of the power that credit brings to both merchants and consumers. Merchants can leverage credit as a tool to secure capital and grow their businesses. Additionally, they can offer credit with flexible payments options for their customers and immediate sales, while consumers experience freedom of choice when buying what they want when they want it.

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October 10th, 2013 by Elma Jane

Merchant Cash Advance was originally structured as a lump sum payment to a business in exchange for an agreed upon percentage of future credit card and/or debit card sales.

Notion Merchant Cash Advance companies provide funds to businesses in exchange for a percentage of the businesses daily credit card income, directly from the processor that clears and settles the credit card payment. A company’s remittances are drawn from customers’ debit- and credit-card purchases on a daily basis until the obligation has been met. Most providers form partnerships with card-payment processors and take payments directly from a business owner’s card-swipe terminal.These Merchant Cash Advances are not loans – they are a sale of a portion of future credit and/or debit card sales. Therefore merchant cash advance companies claim that they are not bound by state usury laws which limit lenders from charging excessive interest rates. This technicality allows them to operate in a largely unregulated market and charge much higher interest rates than banks. This structure has some advantages over the structure of a conventional loan. Most importantly, payments to the merchant cash advance company fluctuate directly with the merchant’s sales volumes, giving the merchant greater flexibility with which to manage their cash flow, particularly during a slow season. Advances are processed quicker than a typical loan, giving borrowers quicker access to capital. Also, because MCA providers typically give more weight to the underlying performance of a business than the owner’s personal credit scores, Merchant Cash Advances offer an alternative to businesses who may not qualify for a conventional loan.

Usage Merchant cash advances are most often used by retail businesses that do not qualify for regular bank loans, and are generally more expensive than bank loans.  Competition and innovation led to downward pressure on rates and terms are now more closely correlated with an applicant’s FICO score.

Generally there are three different types of repayment methods for the business.

1. ACH (Automated Clearing House) Withholding: When structured as a sale, the finance company receives the credit card processing information and deducts its portion directly from the business’s checking account via ACH. When structured as a loan, the finance company debits a fixed amount daily regardless of business sales activity.

2. Lock Box or Trust Bank Account Withholding: All of the business’s credit card sales are deposited into bank account controlled by the finance company and then the agreed upon portion is forwarded onto the business via ACH (Automated Clearing House), EFT ( Electronic Funds Transfer) or wire. This is the least preferred method since it results in a one-day delay in the business receiving the proceeds of their credit card sales.

3. Split Withholding: When the credit card processing company automatically splits the credit card sales between the business and the finance company per the agreed portion (generally 10% to 22%). This is generally the most common and preferred method of collecting funds for both the clients and finance companies since it is seamless.

Opting for a merchant cash advance is a decision made by small business owners every day of the week across this country.  If you’re having a hard time establishing a business line of credit or getting approved for a business loan, a merchant cash advance may very well be the best option available to you to help you finance your business.

Here are reasons why a business cash advance makes sense.

A. Can take out more advances as advance is repaid

Most business loans will not be extended as you pay off your balance, but with a merchant cash advance, you can get more money as you pay off your advance.

B. Even with less-than-perfect credit, you can be approved

No worries about being approved if you have less-than-perfect credit, a high credit score is not a major factor in whether you are can receive business funding from a cash advance.

C. Flexible repayment terms – repayment is based on sales volume, not a flat rate

Some businesses can run into financial hardships with traditional business loans that require flat-rate monthly payments, but with merchant cash advances your monthly payments are dependent on your sales volume.  This means that if you have a slow month, you pay back less.

D. Frees up time because of the simple application/approval process

The application and waiting process for a business loan or even a business line of credit can be outstanding –sometimes you have to wait 30 days just to receive notice of approval from your application, add the wait time to the back and forth calls, document signing, etc – and it can be an arduous process.  However, by choosing a merchant cash advance, you can quickly qualify online or by phone.

E. Gives you more money in your pocket to improve cash flow

Cash advances can give you the opportunity to receive more money than you would be able to borrow from a bank.

F. Gives you money right away

With a merchant cash advance you literally can have your cash in as little as 72 hours from your applications approval – and most businesses get their funding in less than a week.   Now that’s a simple process

G. New business friendly

Many small business loans require that you have a well-established business (2 years or more) to even consider you for business funding.  With a cash advance, you can receive funding even if your company is newly in business.

H. No personal liability for repayment of the cash advance

Much unlike with business lines of credit and small business loans, you are not personally responsible for repayment of the advancement.

I. Non-restrictive usage on what you use the funding for

 Too many times business owners are restricted by what they can do with their business loans.  But, because a cash advance is designed to help you improve your cash flow, you can use your new funds wherever your business needs them.

J. Qualification is easier than with traditional business loans

Banks have a lot of stipulations for businesses that they loan money to or extend credit lines – cash advances have minimal qualifications and high approval rates.

Posted in Best Practices for Merchants, Merchant Cash Advance, Merchant Services Account Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,