Why Distribution Businesses Experience Working-Capital Pressure
A distributor or wholesaler may pay suppliers, warehouse costs, freight, and operating expenses before a commercial customer pays for a completed sale. Large orders, seasonal demand, or growth can increase the gap between outgoing costs and customer collections.
LIEquity's intended program focuses on completed commercial receivables. It is not presented as inventory financing or purchase-order financing.
Purchase Orders Versus Completed Sales
| Stage | What it represents | Factoring review question |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase order | Customer request or commitment to buy | Has a sale actually been completed? |
| Inventory or undelivered goods | Goods held or still moving through fulfillment | Have applicable delivery conditions been satisfied? |
| Completed sale | Goods sold and delivered or accepted as required | Is there an invoice and support for the payment obligation? |
| Invoice | Amount billed for completed performance | Are documentation, verification, disputes, and other requirements satisfied? |
A purchase order itself is not the receivable LIEquity's intended factoring program would pursue. The potentially factorable receivable arises after the applicable sale is completed, goods are delivered or accepted as required, an invoice is issued, and other conditions are satisfied.
Delivery, Acceptance, and Invoice Documentation
A provider may compare the invoice with the customer order, sales terms, shipment, delivery, acceptance, and payment records. Exact documentation varies by transaction, customer, product, and provider.
- Customer order, contract, specifications, and agreed terms.
- Final invoice identifying goods, quantities, prices, and customer.
- Shipping confirmation, bill of lading, delivery receipt, or proof of delivery where applicable.
- Customer receiving, inspection, acceptance, or portal records where required.
- Records of returns, credits, shortages, damage, deductions, or other adjustments.
- Customer contacts and a clear verification process.
Government receivables may be considered, but not every government customer or contract qualifies and providers may use different verification or assignment procedures.
Returns, Credits, Shortages, and Deductions
A distributor's customer may dispute quantity, condition, delivery, pricing, freight, shortages, damage, returns, or acceptance. Credits, offsets, deductions, and chargebacks can reduce or make uncertain the amount ultimately collectible.
Customer Concentration and Large Orders
A provider may review the credit, payment history, verification access, and share of receivables represented by one customer or related group. There is no universal concentration threshold. A large order does not itself create an eligible receivable.
Existing Financing and Assignments
Existing liens, security interests, assignments, or financing arrangements may affect a transaction and require review. An existing UCC filing does not automatically establish ineligibility, and this guide does not provide legal conclusions about lien priority.
Seasonal and Growth-Driven Pressure
Distribution growth can require cash for inventory purchases, freight, storage, personnel, and customer-service operations before completed invoices are collected. A receivables-based arrangement may be discussed with a provider when completed, supportable invoices exist.
It does not mean that a provider will finance inventory, an undelivered order, a purchase order, or future sales. The provider makes final decisions under its agreement.
Before discussing completed wholesale invoices
- The commercial or government customer and sale are identified.
- The goods represented by the invoice have been sold and delivered or accepted as required.
- The invoice matches the order, quantities, prices, and terms.
- Proof of delivery or applicable acceptance records are available.
- Returns, credits, shortages, damage, deductions, and disputes are documented.
- Purchase orders, inventory, undelivered goods, and future sales are not being presented as completed receivables.
- Existing liens, assignments, or financing arrangements are disclosed for review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a distributor factor completed delivery invoices?
A provider may review invoices for completed sales when applicable delivery, acceptance, documentation, verification, and other requirements are satisfied. LIEquity is an independent commercial factoring broker.
Is a purchase order itself eligible for factoring?
No, not under LIEquity's intended program. A purchase order is not the completed receivable being pursued. The sale, delivery or acceptance, invoice, and other requirements must be reviewed.
Does LIEquity provide inventory financing?
No. LIEquity does not present itself as an inventory or purchase-order financing provider. This page explains the distinction between inventory or orders and completed commercial receivables.
What distribution records may be requested?
A provider may request orders or contracts, invoices, shipping and delivery records, acceptance information, customer contacts, and details about returns, credits, shortages, damage, deductions, or disputes.
Can government distribution receivables be considered?
LIEquity may consider invoices owed by government entities, but not every government receivable qualifies and providers may handle those transactions differently.
Does LIEquity purchase wholesale invoices?
No. LIEquity is an independent commercial factoring broker. The provider makes final eligibility, approval, customer-credit, and contractual decisions.
This guide is educational and does not promise eligibility, approval, placement, funding, pricing, or timing. LIEquity is an independent commercial factoring broker; it does not purchase invoices, provide funding, make final credit decisions, or set provider terms. A purchase order is not the completed receivable pursued by LIEquity's intended program.