Finance Assets arranges asset finance for e-commerce businesses, helping UK online retailers, marketplace sellers, direct-to-consumer brands and fulfilment companies fund racking, packing automation, conveyors, forklifts, label printers, IT, delivery vans and production equipment.
E-commerce asset finance spreads the cost of warehouse and fulfilment equipment over 2 to 5 years, so you keep cash for stock and marketing. It suits online sellers bringing fulfilment in-house, moving into a bigger unit, automating packing ahead of peak season, or making products themselves.
Written by Marcus Wright, founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, in financial services since 2008 and a commercial finance broker since 2019. Last reviewed October 2026.
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The short version
- Asset finance lets online businesses spread the cost of warehouse, packing and IT equipment over 2 to 5 years.
- It is mostly used when a seller brings fulfilment in-house or moves into a bigger warehouse.
- Racking, packing machines, conveyors, forklifts and vans are all straightforward to fund.
- Stock and advertising are not asset finance. They are funded with other products, which we can also arrange.
- Finance Assets arranges asset finance for online businesses trading as limited companies and LLPs, and for sole traders and partnerships on agreements over £25,000.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Equipment covered | Racking and shelving, packing automation, conveyors, forklifts, scanners and label printers, IT, delivery vans and production equipment |
| Terms | Usually 2 to 5 years, matched to how long the equipment stays in use |
| Paid upfront | Hire purchase: often a 10% deposit plus VAT. Leases: usually 1 to 3 rentals in advance |
| Typical first step | Fitting out a first warehouse when moving away from a home setup or a fulfilment company |
| New or used | New and used, including used racking and forklifts from established dealers |
| Who we help | Limited companies and LLPs, plus sole traders and partnerships on business agreements over £25,000 |
Equipment we finance for e-commerce businesses
Lenders will fund most of the equipment an online business needs to store, pick, pack and ship orders. Each group links to our detailed guide where we have one.
| Equipment group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Storage | Pallet racking, longspan shelving, carton live storage and mezzanine floors. See pallet racking finance |
| Packing automation | Auto-baggers, box-on-demand machines, carton erectors, tape and void fill machines. See packaging machinery finance |
| Conveyors and sortation | Conveyor lines, parcel sorters, weigh and dimension stations, and automated label applicators |
| Materials handling | Forklifts, reach trucks, pallet trucks, order pickers and pick trolleys. See forklift truck finance |
| Robotics | Autonomous mobile robots, goods-to-person systems and robotic picking |
| Scanning and labelling | Handheld scanners, mobile computers, thermal label printers and pack station hardware |
| IT and content | Servers, laptops, workstations and product photography equipment. See IT equipment finance |
| Production | Print-on-demand printers, heat presses, embroidery machines and laser engravers. See print and imaging equipment finance |
| Delivery | Vans and electric vans for own-fleet or same-day delivery |
Bringing fulfilment in-house
Many online sellers start by packing at home or using a third-party fulfilment company. Taking fulfilment in-house is usually when equipment finance comes in, because a warehouse needs fitting out all at once.
- Fitting out a first unit. Racking, pack benches, a pallet truck or forklift, scanners and label printers, usually funded together as one package.
- Comparing the cost. Set the finance payment against the fees you would save by leaving your fulfilment company. Lenders like to see that comparison.
- Automating packing. Auto-baggers and box-on-demand machines reduce packing labour and box sizes, which can also cut courier charges.
- Moving to a bigger unit. Racking can usually be moved, so lenders are comfortable funding it even if you expect to relocate within the term.
If you rent your warehouse, the lender may ask your landlord to confirm it can remove racking or mezzanines if the agreement is not paid. Mezzanine floors are funded by some lenders but not others, because they are bolted into the building.
Types of e-commerce business
What an online business needs to fund depends on how it makes, stores and ships its products.
- Online retailers with their own warehouse. Racking, handling equipment, packing automation and IT, often the largest equipment buyers.
- Marketplace sellers. Businesses selling through Amazon, eBay and similar platforms. Those using the marketplace’s own fulfilment need less equipment, so stock funding is often the bigger need.
- Direct-to-consumer brands. Brands that make or finish their own products, funding production equipment as well as packing.
- Print-on-demand and personalisation businesses. Printers, heat presses, embroidery machines and engravers that turn each order into a product.
- Fulfilment and logistics companies. Third-party warehouses serving online sellers, funding racking, robotics and sortation at a larger scale.
Planning around peak season
For most online retailers, the months before Christmas bring the highest order volumes of the year. Equipment needs to be installed and working before that rush starts.
- Apply early. Approval often takes a few days, but racking and automation can have lead times of several weeks.
- Short-term extra capacity. Hire or a short lease may suit equipment only needed for peak.
- Payment timing. Some lenders will start payments later or set lower payments in quieter months, so ask if your sales are very seasonal.
Funding stock and marketing
Stock and advertising are usually the biggest costs for an online business, but they are not physical equipment, so asset finance does not cover them. Other business finance products can, and we can arrange those too.
- Revenue-based finance and merchant cash advances. Repaid as a share of your online sales, so payments rise and fall with your takings.
- Trade finance. Pays overseas suppliers for stock, so you can buy larger orders before selling them.
- Business loans. Unsecured loans for marketing, website work and general growth.
- Invoice finance. For businesses that also sell wholesale or to other businesses on credit terms.
Finance options for e-commerce businesses
Online businesses usually buy long-life warehouse equipment on hire purchase and lease technology they expect to replace. Our types of asset finance guide covers each option in more depth.
| Type | How it works | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hire purchase | A deposit, then fixed monthly payments. You own the equipment after the last one | Racking, packing machines and conveyors you will keep |
| Finance lease | Monthly rentals with VAT added to each one. The lender owns the equipment | Keeping cash free for stock at the start of a warehouse fit-out |
| Operating lease | Lower rentals priced around the expected resale value. You hand it back at the end | Forklifts, scanners, IT and vans you plan to replace |
| Refinance | Raising money against equipment you already own | Releasing cash for stock ahead of peak season |
Hire purchase for e-commerce
Hire purchase for e-commerce is the usual way to buy racking, packing automation and conveyors you will use for many years. You pay a deposit, often around 10% plus the VAT, then fixed monthly payments, and the equipment is yours after the last one. You are treated as the owner for tax from the start, so you may be able to claim capital allowances.
Finance lease for e-commerce
A finance lease for e-commerce adds VAT to each rental instead of asking for it upfront, which keeps more cash free for stock during a fit-out. The lender keeps ownership. At the end you can usually keep using the equipment for a small secondary rental, or sell it and receive most of the proceeds.
Operating lease for e-commerce
An operating lease for e-commerce works for forklifts, scanners, IT and delivery vans you expect to replace within a few years. Rentals are set around what the equipment should be worth at the end, and you hand it back or upgrade when the term finishes.
Refinancing e-commerce equipment
If you own racking, packing machines or vans outright, a lender can buy them and lease them back, or lend against them. Online sellers often use this to release cash for stock before their busiest months.
VAT and tax for e-commerce businesses
Most online businesses large enough to need warehouse equipment are VAT registered and can reclaim VAT on it. On hire purchase, VAT on the full price is paid at the start and reclaimed later, which can strain cash during a fit-out. On a lease, it is added to each rental. With hire purchase you may be able to claim capital allowances, and lease rentals are usually an allowable business expense. Check the VAT and tax treatment with your accountant.
E-commerce equipment finance costs: a worked example
A £140,000 warehouse fit-out, with pallet racking, an auto-bagging machine, a box-on-demand machine and a conveyor line, costs about £3,136 a month on a 4-year hire purchase, or about £2,616 a month over 5 years.
| Item | 4 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment price (excl. VAT) | £140,000 | £140,000 |
| Deposit (10%) | £14,000 | £14,000 |
| VAT paid upfront | £28,000 | £28,000 |
| Monthly payment | £3,135.52 | £2,615.55 |
| Total interest | £24,505 | £30,933 |
The longer term lowers the monthly payment by about £520 but adds around £6,428 of interest. Set the payment against what you currently pay a fulfilment company per order, and remember the £28,000 of VAT needs funding at the start on hire purchase.
Illustration calculated in October 2026, assuming an interest rate of 9% a year and equal monthly payments. It is not a quote. Your rate depends on your trading history, credit profile and the equipment.
What lenders look for in e-commerce businesses
Lenders look at the usual financial documents, plus how steady your online sales are.
- Your last 2 years of filed accounts, or management accounts and a forecast for newer businesses
- Your last 3 to 6 months of business bank statements
- Sales reports from your store platform or marketplace accounts, showing order volumes and trends
- Details of your warehouse lease, and current fulfilment costs if you are bringing it in-house
- Equipment quotes, plus photo ID and address history for each director, member or partner
Related guides
Who we can help
We arrange asset finance for e-commerce businesses that trade as UK limited companies and LLPs, and for sole traders and partnerships on agreements over £25,000 that are for business purposes. We are not authorised by the FCA, so we cannot arrange agreements of £25,000 or less for sole traders or partnerships of two or three partners, or finance for personal use.
Asset finance for e-commerce FAQs
Can I finance a warehouse fit-out?
Yes. Racking, shelving, pack benches, handling equipment, scanners and packing machines can usually be funded together as one package. Building work and the unit itself are funded differently.
Can asset finance fund stock?
No. Asset finance is for physical equipment. Stock is usually funded with revenue-based finance, trade finance or a business loan, which we can also arrange.
Can mezzanine floors be financed?
Some lenders will fund mezzanine floors and others will not, because they are fixed to the building. If you rent the unit, the lender may need your landlord’s agreement.
How much does e-commerce equipment finance cost?
It depends on the equipment, the term and your business. As an illustration, a £140,000 warehouse fit-out costs about £3,136 a month over 4 years on hire purchase at 9%, after a 10% deposit and the VAT paid upfront, or about £2,616 a month over 5 years.
Can a newer online business get asset finance?
Often, yes. Lenders will look at your platform sales history and bank statements as well as your accounts, and may ask for a larger deposit or a director’s guarantee.
Do you finance fulfilment companies?
Yes. Third-party fulfilment and logistics businesses can fund racking, robotics, sortation, handling equipment and IT.
Get an asset finance quote for your online business
Tell us what you want to finance
Send us the equipment, the prices and a few details about your business and how you sell. We will come back with the options that are realistic and what they are likely to cost.
About the author
Marcus Wright is the owner and founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, which trades as Finance Assets. He has worked in financial services since 2008, beginning his career at Santander, and has been a commercial finance broker since March 2019.
He founded Bolton Business Finance in 2020 to give businesses access to the whole lending market rather than one bank’s own product range. The firm is a member of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers and works with a panel of 135+ lenders. Call 0161 546 9128.
Finance Assets is a trading name of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, an independent commercial finance brokerage, not a lender. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and can only complete non-regulated introductions. All lending is for business purposes only. Registered address: Westgate House, 1 Westgate Avenue, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 4RF. Company number 12495909.