Five ways to fund a distributor. Here’s which one fits.
Dockdoor Capital offers five funding products to wholesalers, distributors, importers and food-service suppliers: working capital ($10K–$2M, 24 hours, no minimum FICO), a line of credit ($25K–$500K, 600+), invoice factoring (facilities up to $5M, no minimum FICO), term loans ($50K–$5M, 650+), and SBA 7(a) ($50K–$5M, 680+). The fastest money costs the most. The cheapest money takes the longest. Below is the whole trade-off in one table, with no form in the way.
What does each distributor funding product cost in time and credit?
| Product | Amount | Term | Speed | Min FICO | Min time in business | Min monthly deposits | Who underwrites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Working capital advance | $10K – $2M | 3–18 months | 24 hours | None | 6 months | $15,000 | Dockdoor, in-house |
| Line of credit | $25K – $500K | Revolving, 6–24 month draws | 1–3 business days | 600 | 12 months | $25,000 | Dockdoor, in-house |
| Invoice factoring | Up to $5M facility | Per invoice, 30–90 days | 3–5 days to open, 24 hours per invoice after | None | 6 months | $15,000 | Dockdoor, in-house |
| Term loan | $50K – $5M | 6–60 months | 3–7 business days | 650 | 24 months | $40,000 | Dockdoor in-house to $500K; bank partners above |
| SBA 7(a) / SBA Express | $50K – $5M | Up to 10 years working capital, 25 years real estate | SBA Express 10–21 days; 7(a) 30–45 days | 680 | 24 months | — | SBA-preferred bank partners, packaged by Dockdoor |
Dockdoor Capital underwrites and funds working capital, lines of credit and factoring in-house. SBA 7(a), SBA Express and term loans above $500,000 are packaged by Dockdoor and placed with bank and SBA-preferred lending partners. See disclosures.
Invoice factoring
In‑houseCash for what grocery chains and food-service accounts owe you on terms. Facilities up to $5M. No minimum FICO.
Invoice factoring →Inventory working capital
In‑housePay the supplier deposit and take the volume discount. 3 to 18 months, fixed ACH. No minimum FICO.
Working capital →Line of credit
In‑houseDraw for each container, repay as it sells through, draw again. 600+ FICO. No cost on an unused line.
Line of credit →Term loan
Bank partnersA bigger warehouse, a new territory, a competitor’s book, or consolidating stacked advances into one monthly payment. 650+ FICO.
Term loan →SBA 7(a) & Express
SBA partnersThe lowest cost of capital available to a wholesaler, if you have the time and the credit. 10% down, 680+ FICO.
SBA 7(a) & Express →Which product should I use for what I’m doing?
Find the row that matches the job in front of you. The right product depends on whether the money goes out before the goods arrive or comes in after they ship.
| What you’re doing | Best product | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A supplier deposit due this week to hold a price | Working capital | Speed matters more than cost; you repay it as the order sells through. |
| A container balance due before release | Working capital, or a line draw if you have one open | Get the goods out of the port. Demurrage is more expensive than either product. |
| Grocery or food-service accounts paying on net-45 to net-90 | Invoice factoring | You’re not short on sales, you’re short on timing. Up to 90% in 24 hours. |
| Importing on a monthly or quarterly rhythm | Line of credit | Draw per container, repay as it sells through, draw again. No cost on an unused line. |
| A bulk buy to hit a supplier’s volume tier | Working capital or line of credit | Compare the cost of funding against the discount. When the discount is bigger, buy. |
| A bigger warehouse, racking and reach trucks | Term loan | Match the term to the useful life of the build-out, not to one season. |
| Buying a competitor’s route or customer book | Term loan or SBA 7(a) | SBA explicitly allows business acquisition and partner buyouts. |
| Three advances you can’t carry | Term loan consolidation | One monthly payment, longer term. Call before taking a fourth position. |
| Buying the building you distribute from | SBA 7(a) | Up to 25 years on owner-occupied real estate, 10% down. |
How fast does each one actually move?
- 24 hoursWorking capital advance
- 1–3 daysLine of credit
- 3–5 daysFactoring facility to open, then 24h per invoice
- 3–7 daysTerm loan decision
- 10–21 daysSBA Express
- 30–45 daysStandard SBA 7(a)
Timelines describe typical outcomes on complete files during business days, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM ET. Holidays, incomplete files and third-party response times extend any timeline.
Four minutes to apply. Twenty-four hours to fund.
Send us four minutes and three statements
Company details, monthly deposits, what the money is for, and your three most recent months of business bank statements. Four if you’re seasonal. Add an A/R aging if you want factoring quoted. No tax returns under $500,000.
An underwriter reads your file
Every file is read by a person, not a score. Average daily balance, deposit count, NSF pattern and your slowest month on working capital; your customers’ credit on factoring. Offer in about four business hours during the week.
Sign two pages and get funded
You see the amount, the payback, the payment and the schedule before you sign anything. A clean file signed before 11:00 AM ET generally funds the same day; otherwise next business day.
One application covers all five products. Not sure which fits? Call an underwriter or read the guides — none of them are gated.
What a distributor needs to qualify.
Every number below is a real criterion. If you clear these, apply. If you don’t, call us and we’ll tell you what would change it.
| Minimum monthly revenue | $15,000 in business bank deposits |
|---|---|
| Minimum time in business | 6 months |
| Minimum credit score | None for working capital or factoring. 600+ for a line of credit. 650+ for a term loan. 680+ for SBA. |
| Funding range | $10,000 to $2,000,000 for working capital. Up to $5,000,000 for term loans, SBA, and factoring facilities. |
| Time to a real offer | About 4 business hours on a complete file. |
| Time to funding | 24 hours. Same day if a clean file is signed before 11:00 AM ET. |
| Documents required | Application plus your 3 most recent months of business bank statements. 4 months if your business is seasonal. Factoring adds your A/R aging and sample invoices. |
| Contract length | 2 pages. |
| Repayment | Fixed daily or weekly ACH from your operating account. No split funding. No holdback percentage. No lockbox. |
| Prepayment discount | Up to 30% off the remaining cost of funding when a working capital advance is paid off within the first 30, 60, or 90 days. |
| Receivables on terms | Factorable. Net-30 to net-90 invoices owed by grocery chains, convenience stores, food-service operators, institutions and other business accounts. Up to 90% advanced. |
| Supplier deposits, containers & duty | Approved uses. Purchase orders, supplier deposits, landed cost, customs duty and freight are what working capital and a line of credit are for here. |
| Business types approved | Broadline and specialty food-service distributors, produce, meat and seafood wholesalers, beverage distributors, importers and container buyers, grocery and convenience wholesalers, cash-and-carry warehouses, packaging and disposables suppliers, frozen and cold-chain distributors, DSD route distributors, smallwares dealers, industrial and MRO wholesalers, building-materials supply, e-commerce and marketplace wholesalers, apparel and general-merchandise wholesalers. |
| Not required | Collateral for working capital. A business plan. Tax returns under $500,000. A warehouse you own. A minimum SKU count or customer count. Domestic-only sourcing. |
| Open to | U.S. businesses with a U.S. business bank account. All 50 states. |
Four minutes. Three bank statements. No credit impact to apply.
Picking between the five.
What’s the cheapest way to fund a distributor?
An SBA 7(a) loan is the lowest cost of capital available to a wholesaler — up to 10 years on working capital and 25 years on owner-occupied real estate, with 10% down. It requires 680+ credit, 24 months in business, filed tax returns, and 30 to 45 days. An in-house term loan is the next cheapest at 650+ credit and 3 to 7 business days.
What’s the fastest way to fund a supplier deposit?
A working capital advance. Dockdoor Capital gives an offer in about four business hours on a complete file and funds in 24 hours, with no minimum credit score, $15,000 a month in deposits, and 6 months in business. A clean file signed before 11:00 AM ET generally funds the same day.
Should I use working capital or factoring?
Both, usually. Working capital pays the supplier before the goods arrive. Factoring pays you for the invoice after the goods are delivered. If your problem is the deposit at order, start with working capital or a line. If your problem is waiting 60 days on a chain that already took delivery, start with factoring. They run together on one application.
Can I have more than one product at a time?
Yes for complementary products. A factoring facility commonly runs alongside a working capital advance or a line of credit. A second working capital position does not — if you already have an advance out, we will look at a consolidation or a re-term rather than stacking on top of you.
Does applying hurt my credit?
No. Submitting the application does not affect your credit. Dockdoor Capital reviews your business bank statements first. On a credit-qualified product — a line of credit, a term loan, or SBA — a credit pull happens only when you move forward, and we tell you before it does.
Which of these does Dockdoor fund itself?
Dockdoor Capital underwrites and funds working capital advances, lines of credit, and factoring facilities in-house from its own capital. SBA 7(a), SBA Express, and term loans above $500,000 are packaged by Dockdoor and placed with bank and SBA-preferred lending partners.
One application covers all five.
$10,000 to $2,000,000. No minimum FICO for working capital or factoring. Four minutes to apply, and checking your options does not affect your credit.