STORES Launches 'STORES Financing': Leveraging Sales Data for Fast, Collateral-Free SME Funding

Service Overview

STORES Co., Ltd., in collaboration with Kanmu Inc., has launched "STORES Financing," a new financial service tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By leveraging sales data from both online shops and physical retail locations, the service aims to provide rapid access to capital for growth-phase needs such as inventory procurement and capital investment.

Features and Mechanism

"STORES Financing" functions by purchasing future accounts receivable. Unlike traditional loans, the application process requires no financial statements, bank records, collateral, or guarantors; merchants can apply using only identification documents. Funding amounts range from 500,000 to 10 million JPY, with deposits made in as little as four business days. Fees are set between 3.75% and 15%, and merchants can choose repayment terms of 3, 6, or 12 months. Currently, the service is available via an invitation-only system based on the merchant's track record with STORES.

Strategic Background

The environment for SMEs is shifting as Japan enters an era of rising interest rates, making cash flow management an increasingly visible challenge. By cross-referencing data accumulated through "STORES Net Shop" and "STORES Payment," the platform enables credit assessments that reflect the actual state of the business—a departure from traditional credit screening. The service utilizes the infrastructure of Kanmu's "Sakutto Shikin Chotatsu" to ensure high-speed funding.

Future Outlook

With the addition of "STORES Financing" (accelerated cash flow) alongside the existing "STORES Business Buy Now, Pay Later" (deferred payments), STORES has strengthened its support system for both incoming and outgoing capital. Moving forward, the company plans to continue expanding its product ecosystem to support merchants through every stage of business, from initial launch to long-term growth.