Kickfurther vs Tipalti

Selecting the right financial technology platform depends on understanding which stage of your business cash flow needs the most attention. Kickfurther specializes in inventory financing through a consignment-based crowdfunding model, while Tipalti automates accounts payable processes for global supplier payments.

Neither platform addresses the critical challenge most B2B sellers face: getting paid faster by customers while managing credit risk. Resolve Pay fills this gap with accounts receivable automation combined with non-recourse invoice financing, enabling manufacturers and distributors to offer net terms without cash flow strain.

Key Takeaways

• Kickfurther provides inventory financing through a consignment-based model, with funding tied to eligible inventory costs and repayment aligned with actual sell-through rather than fixed schedules
• Tipalti focuses on accounts payable automation with payments to 196 countries in 120 currencies, helping mid-market and enterprise companies manage global supplier relationships
• These platforms serve fundamentally different business functions: Kickfurther handles pre-sale inventory capital while Tipalti manages outgoing payments to vendors
• Resolve Pay addresses the post-sale challenge by providing Advance Pay on eligible approved invoices while buyers pay on extended net terms
• Resolve Pay provides non-recourse financing on eligible approved invoices, helping sellers reduce exposure to approved buyer non-payment
• For B2B sellers focused on customer credit, net terms, cash flow, accounts receivable, payments, and collections, Resolve Pay brings these post-sale workflows into one connected platform

Kickfurther

Kickfurther operates as an inventory financing platform that connects brands with a community of marketplace buyers who fund production runs through a consignment model. The platform has funded over $300 million for brands since its founding in 2014, positioning itself as an alternative to traditional inventory loans and revenue-based financing.

How the Consignment Model Works

The platform's approach differs from standard business loans. Brands list their inventory needs on the Kickfurther marketplace, where individual investors fund the purchase through "Co-Ops." The funded inventory remains in consignment until it sells through to customers.

Key features of this structure include:

• Payment begins only when inventory actually sells, not on a fixed calendar schedule
• Funding can cover eligible inventory order costs
• Average funding amounts reach $78,000 with capacity scaling for larger orders
• The consignment structure potentially keeps financing off the traditional balance sheet

Target Industries and Eligibility

Kickfurther primarily serves physical product businesses including:

• CPG brands with proven sell-through history
• E-commerce companies managing inventory cycles
• Direct-to-consumer sellers preparing for seasonal demand
• Wholesale distributors fulfilling large orders

Eligibility requirements include minimum trailing 12-month revenue thresholds, demonstrated sell-through history, and physical product inventory. The platform offers funding within 24 hours to one day upon approval, making it competitive with other fast-funding options. Repeat customers benefit from loyalty rewards that reduce funding fees over time.

Kickfurther's Place in the Cash Flow Cycle

Kickfurther focuses on inventory capital before products are sold. For B2B sellers, a separate financial challenge can arise after goods ship and customer invoices are issued. Resolve Pay's net terms financing addresses this post-sale stage by combining customer credit management, Advance Pay on eligible approved invoices, payments, and accounts receivable workflows.

Tipalti

Tipalti provides comprehensive accounts payable automation for mid-market and enterprise companies managing complex supplier relationships. The platform has raised $715 million in funding at an $8.3 billion valuation, serving over 5,000 global companies with payment processing and AP workflow automation.

Global Payment Infrastructure

Tipalti's core strength lies in its international payment capabilities:

• Payments reach 196 countries in 120 currencies through multiple payment methods
• The system applies thousands of payment validation rules to reduce errors and fraud
• A self-service supplier portal operates in 27 languages for onboarding and invoice submission

Tax Compliance and Regulatory Features

For companies paying global contractors and suppliers, Tipalti offers tax compliance capabilities including:

• Automated W-8/W-9 collection and TIN validation
• 1099 and 1042-S generation for year-end reporting
• Withholding calculations across multiple jurisdictions

Implementation typically requires several weeks with professional services support, making it better suited for companies with dedicated finance teams and complex AP workflows.

Tipalti's Accounts Payable Focus

Tipalti centers on accounts payable, supplier onboarding, invoice processing, and outgoing payments. Resolve Pay serves a different part of the financial workflow by helping B2B sellers manage customer credit, net terms, accounts receivable, payments, and collections.

For sellers focused on their credit-to-cash process, Resolve Pay's business credit check and AR automation capabilities bring these customer-facing workflows into one platform.

Resolve Pay: Credit-to-Cash Platform for B2B Sellers

While Kickfurther and Tipalti each address specific points in the business financial cycle, Resolve Pay provides a comprehensive platform for the challenge most B2B sellers prioritize: getting paid faster while offering competitive terms to customers.

AI-Powered Credit Decisions

Resolve Pay's business credit check capability evaluates buyer creditworthiness using proprietary AI that analyzes thousands of data points. Resolve Pay can deliver credit decisions within 24 business hours using only the customer's business name and address, with some net terms approval workflows completed within hours. This streamlined process helps sellers evaluate business buyers without lengthy credit applications.

Non-Recourse Invoice Financing

When approved buyers place orders, Resolve Pay can provide Advance Pay on eligible approved invoices, with advances initiated within 24 hours. Resolve Pay's non-recourse financing means advances on eligible approved invoices are structured without recourse to the seller for covered buyer credit defaults. Resolve Pay manages the associated credit assessment, underwriting, and collections process.

This fundamentally changes the risk equation compared to traditional factoring where sellers may owe money back for unpaid invoices.

Automated Collections

Resolve Pay's agentic collections automates the follow-up process through multi-channel sequences including email, SMS, and voice AI. Configurable workflows escalate based on buyer response patterns and payment history, preserving customer relationships while reducing days sales outstanding.

Key capabilities include:

• Automated payment reminders across multiple channels
• Smart escalation based on buyer behavior
• Automatic logging of all customer interactions
• Workflows that pause when payments or disputes are received

White-Labeled Payment Portal

Buyers access a branded portal showing all invoices, credit lines, and payment history. Payment options include ACH, wire transfer, credit card, and check, with a mobile-responsive experience that maintains the seller's brand throughout the buyer journey.

Integration Ecosystem

Resolve Pay integrations support Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Magento 2 ecommerce workflows, along with supported ERP and accounting connections such as QuickBooks Online and NetSuite. APIs, SDKs, and data integration tools are available for businesses with custom requirements.

Accounting and ERP:

• QuickBooks Online
• Oracle NetSuite
• Additional ERP and accounting systems can be supported through Resolve Pay's APIs, data tools, and integration options

E-commerce Platforms:

• Shopify and Shopify Plus
• BigCommerce
• WooCommerce
• Magento 2

The platform's Smart Bookkeeping Automation maps and syncs transaction data in real time, automatically matching payments to original invoices without manual intervention. This eliminates the reconciliation burden that consumes significant AR staff time in traditional operations.

Comparing Core Business Functions

Understanding the fundamental differences between these platforms helps businesses identify which stage of the cash cycle deserves attention.

Business Problem Comparison

Kickfurther addresses:

• Capital needs before sales occur
• Funding inventory production and procurement
• Seasonal demand requiring large upfront inventory investment

Tipalti addresses:

• Automating supplier payments across multiple countries
• Managing contractor and vendor relationships at scale
• Tax compliance for international payments
• Invoice processing and payment reconciliation

Resolve Pay addresses:

• Getting paid faster by customers while offering net terms
• Managing customer credit risk with non-recourse financing
• Reducing manual AR work through automation
• Protection against covered buyer credit defaults

Where Inventory Financing Fits

Inventory financing is designed for businesses that need capital before products are sold, such as companies preparing production runs or building inventory for seasonal demand. It addresses a different stage of the cash cycle from customer receivables.

For B2B sellers whose capital becomes tied up after products ship, Resolve Pay addresses the customer side of the transaction with net terms, credit decisioning, Advance Pay on eligible approved invoices, AR automation, payments, and collections.

Where Accounts Payable Automation Fits

Accounts payable automation focuses on supplier invoices, approvals, tax documentation, payment execution, and reconciliation. These workflows sit on the outgoing-payment side of a company's finance operations.

Resolve Pay focuses on the incoming customer-payment side, helping B2B sellers manage credit, net terms, invoices, receivables, payments, and collections through a connected credit-to-cash workflow.

Benefits of Efficient Accounts Payable Management

Accounts payable automation delivers measurable benefits for companies processing significant supplier payment volumes. Understanding these advantages helps businesses evaluate their operational priorities.

Core Benefits of AP Automation

Reduced Processing Costs: According to IOFM research on invoice costs, processing a paper invoice can cost between $4 and $20, depending on the use of scanning and OCR technology. Automation platforms can reduce these costs significantly through OCR capture, automated coding, and straight-through processing.

Faster Supplier Payments: Automated workflows eliminate bottlenecks in approval chains, enabling companies to take advantage of early payment discounts and maintain strong supplier relationships. AP automation can accelerate the financial close process by reducing manual intervention points.

Improved Compliance: Automated tax document collection and validation reduces the risk of year-end compliance issues. For companies paying international contractors, this becomes particularly valuable given complex withholding requirements.

Better Visibility: Real-time dashboards showing payment status, cash flow projections, and supplier analytics help finance teams make informed decisions about working capital management.

Complementing AP with AR Solutions

While AP automation improves outgoing payment efficiency, incoming payment velocity often has a more direct impact on cash flow. Companies that reduce their days payable outstanding without simultaneously improving days sales outstanding may actually worsen their cash conversion cycle.

Resolve Pay's agentic collections address the other side of this equation. The platform's multi-channel automated sequences including email, SMS, and voice AI follow-ups help businesses collect customer payments faster while maintaining professional relationships.

For B2B sellers specifically, the ability to offer competitive net terms while receiving immediate payment changes the cash flow equation entirely.

ERP and Accounting System Integration

Modern financial platforms require deep integration with existing business systems. Both Tipalti and Resolve Pay offer extensive connectivity, though with different focus areas matching their respective functions.

Tipalti's ERP Integration Capabilities

Tipalti provides pre-built integrations with major enterprise resource planning systems including NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, and Sage Intacct. The platform's API-based architecture supports custom workflows for organizations with unique requirements or proprietary systems.

These integrations focus on invoice sync, payment reconciliation, and GL posting for the accounts payable workflow.

Resolve Pay's Integration Approach

Resolve Pay's integration ecosystem covers both accounting systems and e-commerce platforms, reflecting its position in the post-sale workflow. Rather than managing supplier relationships, the platform connects where customer transactions originate and where financial records need to land.

Resolve Pay offers low-code and no-code integrations for supported platforms, along with APIs and developer tools for custom implementations. This gives B2B sellers several ways to connect Resolve Pay with their existing ecommerce, ERP, and accounting workflows.

Funding Alternatives: Grants vs. Financing

Businesses seeking capital for inventory or operations face multiple funding paths, each with distinct advantages and trade-offs.

Understanding Grant Funding

Government and private grants provide non-dilutive capital that never requires repayment. SBA small business grants, state economic development programs, and industry-specific initiatives offer funding for qualifying businesses.

Advantages of Grants:

• No repayment obligation or equity dilution
• No interest costs
• Can fund various business needs beyond inventory

Challenges with Grants:

• Highly competitive application processes
• Lengthy approval timelines (often 3-6+ months)
• Restrictive use requirements and reporting obligations
• Limited availability for established, profitable businesses

When Financing Makes More Sense

For businesses with immediate inventory needs and proven sales history, inventory financing offers faster access to capital. The trade-off involves funding costs, but the speed advantage often justifies the expense for time-sensitive opportunities.

Addressing Post-Sale Cash Flow

Many businesses discover that their primary cash flow constraint occurs after inventory ships, not before. When customers pay on Net 30, 60, or 90 day terms, the capital remains tied up regardless of how inventory was originally funded.

Resolve Pay's net terms financing addresses this specific challenge by providing Advance Pay on eligible approved invoices rather than waiting for customers to pay. This approach often proves more impactful than pre-sale inventory financing for established B2B sellers with consistent customer relationships.

Purchase Order Financing as Another Alternative

Purchase order financing provides another pathway to fund inventory before sales occur, operating differently from Kickfurther's consignment model.

How PO Financing Works

Traditional purchase order financing involves:

1. A business receives a confirmed purchase order from a creditworthy customer
2. A financing company provides funds to help pay suppliers against an eligible purchase order
3. The supplier ships products directly to the customer
4. When the customer pays, the financing company recovers their advance plus fees
5. The remaining balance goes to the business

Comparing PO Financing to Kickfurther

Kickfurther characteristics:

• Does not require confirmed purchase orders
• Inventory-based funding structure
• Payment trigger based on inventory sell-through
• No customer involvement required
• Suitable for production runs and seasonal inventory

Traditional PO Financing characteristics:

• Requires confirmed purchase orders
• Purchase-order-based funding structure
• Payment trigger based on customer invoice payment
• PO verification required
• Designed for specific large orders

Addressing Post-Sale Collections

Inventory financing and purchase order financing primarily address capital needs associated with obtaining or fulfilling inventory. After a B2B sale occurs, sellers may still need to manage customer credit, invoices, payment terms, and collections.

Resolve Pay's AR automation is designed for this post-sale workflow, combining receivables automation with credit management, payment processing, collections, and Advance Pay on eligible approved invoices.

Why Resolve Pay for B2B Sellers

For manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and other B2B companies, the customer credit-to-cash process often represents the most significant cash flow opportunity. While inventory financing and AP automation serve valuable functions, getting paid faster on customer invoices directly improves working capital and reduces operational burden.

Real Business Impact

Companies using Resolve Pay report significant operational improvements:

• Trenchless Supply reported a substantial reduction in AR workload with Resolve Pay
• Archipelago Lighting tripled revenue while reducing net terms approval time significantly
• ConEquip reported year-over-year growth while offering extended terms without the same cash flow strain
• Elston Materials reported improved margins alongside stronger cash flow management

Comprehensive Credit-to-Cash Workflow

Resolve Pay combines multiple functions that traditionally required separate vendors:

• AI-powered business credit checks delivering decisions within 24 business hours
• Non-recourse financing on eligible approved invoices with advances initiated within 24 hours
• Automated agentic collections through email, SMS, and voice AI
• White-labeled payment portals maintaining your brand throughout the buyer journey
• Smart Bookkeeping Automation that syncs transactions and matches payments automatically

This integrated approach helps B2B sellers support customer purchasing power while improving cash flow and reducing the operational work involved in managing trade credit. Rather than waiting 30-90 days for payment or choosing between offering competitive terms and maintaining cash reserves, sellers can do both through Resolve Pay's combined platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Does Resolve Pay Help B2B Sellers Improve Cash Flow?

Resolve Pay helps eligible B2B sellers offer customers flexible net terms while receiving Advance Pay on approved invoices. This allows sellers to support customer purchasing needs without waiting through the full invoice term to access cash. The platform combines credit decisioning, financing, AR automation, and collections into one workflow.

Is Resolve Pay's Financing Non-Recourse?

Resolve Pay provides non-recourse financing on eligible approved invoices. Resolve Pay manages customer credit assessment, underwriting, payment servicing, and collections while helping reduce the seller's exposure to covered buyer credit defaults. This differs from traditional factoring where sellers may have recourse obligations.

How Does Resolve Pay Evaluate Business Credit?

Resolve Pay's business credit check uses AI, business data, behavioral signals, and credit expertise to evaluate buyers. Sellers can begin an assessment using basic business information, helping streamline customer credit decisions. The platform can deliver credit decisions within 24 business hours.

Can Resolve Pay Automate Accounts Receivable?

Yes. Resolve Pay's AR automation supports invoicing, reconciliation, payment reminders, collections workflows, and payment tracking. Its agentic collections capabilities can also automate follow-up through multiple communication channels including email, SMS, and voice AI, with configurable escalation based on buyer behavior.

Which Businesses Are a Good Fit for Resolve Pay?

Resolve Pay is designed for B2B sellers such as manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and other businesses that extend payment terms to commercial customers. It is particularly relevant for sellers that want to combine net terms, customer credit management, receivables automation, payments, collections, and Advance Pay within one connected platform.

This post is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult his or her own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this post. Resolve assumes no liability for actions taken in reliance upon the information contained herein.