ScotPac Review
This ScotPac Business Finance review will provide readers a better understanding of the financing solutions that ScotPac offers to small and medium sized businesses. We share a full breakdown of who Scotpac Business Finance are; including the long history of ScotPac, what makes ScotPac unique and, of course, what ScotPac’s clients have had to say in their online ScotPac Business Finance reviews. We’ll also provide full details of what ScotPac looks for in prospective borrowers. Read the following ScotPac review and decide whether ScotPac is the right lender for your business finance needs.
| 🌐 Website: | https://www.scotpac.com.au/ |
| ®️ Logo: |  |
| 📝 ABN: | 79 008 636 388 |
| 📝 Credit License: | 008 636 388 |
| 💰 Loan Amount | $10,000 – $100,000,000 |
| ⏲️ Loan Term | Asset Finance up to 60 months Invoice Finance/Trade Finance up to 90 days |
| 💸 Unsecured Loans? | Invoice Finance uses a businesses’ unpaid debtors to act as a type of security on the cash advance |
| ⌚ Lender Requirements | Unpaid Invoices |
| 📃 Required: | ABN Bank Account Statements – integrate automatically online through ScotPac’s cash connector tool |
| ⏱️ Response Time: | 1-2 Days |
| 🌝 Easy to Apply: | Yes, fully online (expedited application here) |
The Nitty-gritty
| 💌 Online Reviews: | 24 Reviews (4.6/5) – TrustPilot 68 Reviews (4.9/5) – Google Reviews |
| 🏆 Awards and Recognition: | International Trade Award (2017) – Trade Finance Global Best SME Cash Flow Lender (2018) – International Finance Australia Ranked First for Debtor Finance Loans (2020) – The Adviser |
| 💳 Minimal Interest Rates: | Trade Finance will start at around 3% for 30 days and increase for 60 and 90 days respectively. Invoice Finance should come in slightly cheaper as there is less work involved for ScotPac Asset Finance will vary on asset type and borrower but like the industry, roughly 10%+ |
| ⚖️ Advantages |
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| ⚖️ Disadvantages |
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| ⚖️ Compare ScotPac | Compare ScotPac with 20+ Australian Lenders on Lend.com |
| Review Table of Contents |
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Company Story:
Established in 1988, ScotPac Business Finance is one of Australia and New Zealand’s largest specialist providers of working capital solutions with a comprehensive range of Invoice Finance, Asset Finance and Trade Finance facilities. Its vision is for ScotPac Business Finance to be the first choice for SMEs, to help them increase their cash flow and achieve their business aspirations.
ScotPac’s Invoice or Debtor Finance facilities have been helping businesses to leverage their outstanding sales invoices to fund growth and overcome short term cash shortages for over 30 years. Its trade finance facilities support small and medium sized businesses looking to take advantage of international markets, whether it’s importing goods from overseas suppliers or exporting products and services to customers in approved countries. Uniquely, ScotPac even has an office in Guangzhou, China, as many of its Trade Finance customers import goods from China. The team can even assist clients to negotiate favourable terms and ensure quality goods from Chinese suppliers.
The executive management team at ScotPac has more than 100 years of combined business finance experience and the company has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland. Many of the team’s senior leadership team have previously held roles at major banking institutions and the majority have even run their own business at some stage during their careers, knowing first hand the difficulties that SMEs can face when seeking finance.
In total, ScotPac employs more than 250 staff across its offices in Australia, New Zealand and China. They are one of the largest non-bank, specialist working capital providers in Australasia, with more than 2,800 clients in industries across transport, labour hire, manufacturing, wholesale, import/export and printing.
Credibility Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What Finance Options Do ScotPac Offer?
Originally starting out as an invoice finance specialist back in 1988, ScotPac is now a market leader in three types of lending solutions; invoice finance, trade finance and asset finance.
Invoice Finance / Debtor Finance
ScotPac can provide borrowers with both general debtor finance which acts as a type of line of credit (i.e. the whole book of invoices is advanced) and selective invoice finance (used on an ad-hoc basis for one-off large invoices, i.e. like that in the construction industry). Benefits of ScotPac invoice finance include:
- Up to 95% of the invoice can be advanced (above the industry norm of usually 80%-90%)
- No security provided by the borrower as the invoice acts as collateral to the lender
- Commonly used alongside other direct borrowing facilities such as term loans and business overdrafts
- Funding available from $10k through to $100m, suitable for all types of businesses from micro to multinationals.
Trade Finance
ScotPac Trade Finance provides businesses with fast funding for inventory and raw materials. It works as a revolving line of credit to pay overseas or local suppliers in almost any currency. ScotPac facilitates transactions using TT (telegraphic transfer), Letters of Credit and Documents Against Payment.
Trade Finance helps to reduce the risk of international trade. For importers, it means receiving funding in order to pay a supplier and allow time for the goods to be received, sold and turned into cash. ScotPac will pay the client’s supplier when the goods are shipped and can provide clients with 30, 60 or 90 days’ credit.
Exporters typically utilise export factoring or bill facilities as the primary means of financing overseas trading, which may be supported by a letter of credit to secure the transaction.
With an office in Guangzhou, China, ScotPac works with clients to negotiate favourable terms and ensure quality goods from Chinese suppliers. As industry-leading trade experts, they have the know-how to make simple or complex deals work for their clients.
Asset Finance
ScotPac Asset Finance can help to fund plant, equipment and business vehicles. ScotPac’s solutions are flexible and easily tailored to fund assets which are unique to each business. ScotPac can even help to fund assets when banks won’t – with more flexible terms (up to 5 years) and competitive rates. ScotPac can provide funding in as little as 24 hours.
SME Bounce Back Fund (New in 2021)
It’s also worth mentioning ScotPac’s unique initiative which has been launched in response to the pandemic. With $100m allocated to the fund, it will enable new clients to access up to $1million in working capital funding for three months, interest free. The funding is available through ScotPac’s invoice and trade finance facilities. Applications will be considered on a ‘first come’ basis and available until April 2022 or until funds are dispersed.
On approval clients will pay no interest for the first three months – the initial interest cost is being completely waived for the business owner and borne by ScotPac. This differs to other lenders who offer a ‘repayment holiday’ where repayments are postponed for a set period of time, but interest continues to compound throughout the ‘repayment holiday’.
Product Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ScotPac Client Reviews
–TrustPilot: 24 Reviews, 96% Excellent, 4% Bad – TrustScore 4.6/5
– Google Reviews: 68 Reviews, one 1* review, one 3* review, two 4* reviews and 64 5* reviews.
Seeing as the vast majority of ScotPac reviews were positive, we’ve picked up on some of the main themes:
- Account managers are regularly praised by name for their excellent service
- Invoice finance solution is very slick, by synching bank accounts online the process is easy
- Very professional approach that brings knowledge and expertise
- Quick to respond to communication and quick to issue finance
This is summed up by one reviewer who commented, “Very professional and reliable, happy to deal with them over the past 2 years, they made my business flourish with cash flow. Efficient and fast process.”
Of the handful of poor reviews, a couple of these just criticise ScotPac without specifying their issues. The most considered piece of poor feedback was left on TrustPilot and was left by a user of the invoice finance solution who had all of their accounts receivables processed with ScotPac. They found their average days to receive payment extended from 42 days to 52 days (causing a greater amount of interest to be accrued) and a lack of flexibility by ScotPac in financing larger invoices which were above their limit. The business was incurring costs by ScotPac for uploading invoices but then not receiving the finance.
Analysis of Client Reviews:
Before analysing the content of reviews it’s worth exploring the credibility and the amount of ScotPac reviews we could find. We were a little surprised to see just 92 ScotPac reviews online, given they have been operating their service for over 30 years. Lumi, for comparison, was formed in 2018 but already has over 170 reviews on TrustPilot. It seems that ScotPac has only been receiving reviews for the last two years so it has perhaps a missed trick here – having thousands of reviews like Prospa does, would certainly propel their credibility.
That being said, the vast majority of reviews are very positive and we have no reason to doubt the service provided by ScotPac. Even though a number of the reviews are left on google (and could easily be faked if they wanted to) we do think they appear legitimate. The reviews are detailed and often mention a specific member of the ScotPac team. On the whole, ScotPac appears to provide a very professional service that works for the vast majority of clients. Invoice Finance, which was ScotPac’s original and only offering when it first launched, appears to remain its most popular financing solution.
Client Reviews Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ScotPac’s Online Platform
Scotpac’s website, scotpac.com.au, is professional and easy to navigate. Slick, straightforward and simple. For trade finance, borrowers can read information on how the facility can be used for both importers and exporters. Its asset finance page is simple to understand and it has a wide variety of pages dedicated to how invoice finance can be used to solve business challenges. This includes invoice factoring, selective invoice discounting, progressive claim finance and bad debt protection.
On a deeper look, readers will also find blogs which delve into financing solutions in more detail and tips for businesses as to how to improve cash flow and collect unpaid invoices.
Our only criticism is the lack of information regarding borrower requirements. There is a very simple one-page lead form for applicants to complete and speak to a representative about their situation but some basic information around the length of time borrowers are required to be in business would help prospective borrowers easily understand whether it’s worth applying with ScotPac.
Website Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ScotPac Loan Compatibility
- Startup: Not clear on length of time businesses should be GST registered.
- Bad credit: ScotPac provides facilities secured by either assets or unpaid invoices, meaning the credit profile of applicants is less of a consideration.
- Sole trader: Yes, ScotPac works with sole traders.
- Established business: Yes, ScotPac can provide up to $100m, covering even large businesses.
- Turnover: ScotPac does not specify turnover requirements, arguably because lending amounts are dependent on unpaid invoices due to the business or the cost of an asset.
Compatability Score: ⭐⭐⭐
ScotPac Pricing & Rates
There is not a huge amount of detail to be found on ScotPac’s website with regards to lending costs but ScotPac does specify, “The cost of Cashflow Finance depends on the type of funding facility, the number of invoices submitted, and the creditworthiness of your customers. Invoice factoring generally costs more than invoice discounting due to the collections and account management services included with the facility. You’ll find our prices to be highly competitive.”
Just as with normal business loans, the longer that borrowers seek an advance on an invoice, the greater the repayment they will have to make.
Looking through ScotPac reviews online, we haven’t been able to find any that specifically praise ScotPac for their rates and fees. Though with the majority of clients reporting an ‘excellent’ experience, we have to assume they were happy with fees, relative to the service received.
Fees Score: ⭐⭐
ScotPac Review Summary
Overall
- Credibility - 92%92%
- Client Reviews - 84%84%
- Website - 87%87%
- Compatibility - 78%78%
- Min Interest Rate - 70%70%
Editor's Conclusions
ScotPac is a trustworthy lender that’s been operating for over 30 years. It continues to specialise in the provision of invoice finance – offering a range of complete debtor solutions, as well as selective invoice discounting. It has also become a respected asset finance lender that considers unique business circumstances and can provide capital for a wide-range of assets. Its trade finance solution is supported by an office in Guangzhou, China, making it a great option for businesses who import stock or machinery from China. Its strong reputation and long track record of working with international clients can also provide confidence to nervous importers who will want to understand stock is shipped and will arrive in good condition.
Whilst online lending giants like Capify or Prospa are suitable for short-term business loans, ScotPac is one of the alternative lending giants when it comes to invoice, trade and asset finance.
Best for:
✓ Australia & NZ Based Businesses
✓ Construction Services
✓ Importers/Exporters
We hope this ScotPac Business Finance review has helped you to understand the pros and cons of using ScotPac as a lending provider, which will ultimately help you decide whether ScotPac is the right choice for your financing needs. For any inaccuracies or more information please contact us.