As the holiday season heats up, ecommerce businesses across the United States are preparing for a massive boost in consumer activity. From Black Friday and Cyber Monday to the final weeks of the holiday rush, the fourth quarter is when marketing spend skyrockets. In the U.S. alone, holiday retail ecommerce sales are projected to hit $271.58 billion in 2024, marking a 9.5% increase from the previous year. This surge proves the necessity for powerful marketing strategies to capitalize on consumer spending during this critical quarter. However, managing this spend can strain cash flow, especially for smaller brands aiming to compete in a crowded space. Luckily, Clearco is here to help ecommerce brands keep their cash flow steady through their receipt funding solution. They can provide the liquidity needed to maximize Q4 growth via submitted receipts for already-paid marketing and vendor bills.

Holiday Marketing Spend: The Numbers You Need to Know

The statistics are clear: holiday spending is big business for U.S. ecommerce. Recent studies reveal:

Holiday Marketing Expenses Increase

According to Deloitte’s 2024 Holiday Retail Survey, 80% of U.S. retail executives expect growth this holiday season aided by anticipated traffic growth in both in-store and online channels. 78% felt that earlier promotions are pulling sales forward, emphasizing the need for retailers to provide the right products and prices early in the season.

Digital Advertising Costs Soar

So far, 2024 search ad spending stands at $132 billion, accounting for 40% of the U.S. digital ad spending. Search attracts more than twice as much ad investments as TV, which has been the most invested-in traditional medium in the U.S. this year. It’s expected that search ad spend will grow to $189 billion by 2028.

Average Marketing Growth

According to Madison and Wall, marketers indicate a 7.2% growth in overall U.S. advertising in 2024. Marketers are under increased pressure to prove how their media investments drive a return on ad spend, leading them to focus more on performance than the actual content. However, if the content isn’t high-quality, the performance will be minimal. Marketers must find the right balance between ad and content spend to ensure sales growth.

How Clearco’s Receipt Funding Works

Clearco’s receipt funding is designed to provide fast liquidity to ecommerce businesses that have already paid their marketing and vendor costs. This differs from traditional invoice funding, which is typically used before payments are made. Receipt funding reimburses expenses already incurred, freeing up cash flow for reinvestment.

Here’s how it works:

1️⃣ Spend First: Pay your marketing, advertising, or vendor bills upfront (e.g., social media ads, Google ads, influencer campaigns).

2️⃣ Submit Receipts: Upload your receipts to Clearco for reimbursement. Include expenses like paid ads, vendor bills, and prepaid marketing costs.

3️⃣ Get Funded: Clearco quickly reimburses a percentage of your submitted costs, giving you extra cash flow to reinvest into holiday campaigns.

This flexible funding model is ideal for high-growth ecommerce brands needing immediate liquidity to fuel ongoing marketing efforts during the peak season.

Why Ecommerce Brands Choose Receipt Funding 

Research shows that companies using flexible funding solutions during Q4 often report higher Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), which can reduce financial stress. Clearco’s receipt funding offers several benefits:

• Instant Liquidity: Access quick funding based on expenses already paid, keeping cash flow strong during the busiest season.
• Scalable Support: Reinvest in marketing campaigns without worrying about running out of funds.
• Data-Driven Financing: Clearco uses performance data to offer personalized funding options, aligning with your business growth.

Optimize Your Q4 Marketing Budget 

Clearco’s receipt funding solution is built for ecommerce brands facing high marketing expenses during the holiday season. Submit your receipts for marketing, advertising, and vendor bills today to keep your holiday campaigns running smoothly.

Get Funded