PMF Reconcile sales with money reaching the bank
Gross sales can include taxes, refunds, chargebacks and amounts still held by a platform. Map each sales channel to its actual payout schedule and net deposits. Separate wholesale invoices from card or marketplace receipts. This explains why a strong sales dashboard may coexist with a cash shortfall and gives the funding review a more dependable starting point.
Fund products with a clear cash cycle
For each important product group, show the landed cost, expected selling margin, inventory lead time and return pattern. Include advertising and fulfillment costs where they support the sale. A fast-selling item can still strain cash if reorders must be paid before platform receipts arrive. Evaluate inventory and marketing together without assuming every additional advertising dollar produces the same return.
Bring a channel-level funding picture
- Net sales and deposits by storefront, marketplace and wholesale channel.
- Payout holds, refunds and chargebacks shown separately.
- Inventory on hand, reorder points and supplier lead times.
- Contribution after product, fulfillment and attributable marketing costs.
- A forecast covering the next reorder and a slower payout period.
The next reorder is due before the last batch pays out
Illustrative planning example. An ecommerce operator sells inventory quickly but waits for platform settlement while another supplier deposit is due. A cash schedule connects the old batch’s payouts to the new batch’s costs. The request can then address the repeat timing gap instead of relying on gross sales alone.
Questions business owners ask
Can I use marketplace sales reports instead of bank statements?
They can provide useful detail, but they do not replace the view of cash received and obligations paid. Bring both and explain differences between reported sales and deposits, including refunds, fees and settlement timing.
Should marketing spend be financed with inventory?
Show the connection and measure the full margin. Funding inventory with established demand is different from financing unproven customer acquisition. Separate tested spending from experiments so the repayment plan does not depend on an unverified return.