Neato’s Road to Amazon’s Top 500 with Slope Financing

In a Nutshell

Neato was frustrated with funding constraints that limited their ability to capture purchase discounts and stand out among other Amazon sellers.

They needed flexible financing and a way to optimize inventory management for faster delivery to buyers and improved seller rankings.

With Slope, Neato has achieved significant supplier savings, sped up delivery, and increased sales, climbing to become a Top 500 Amazon seller.

About Neato

Founded in 2018, The Neato Company LLC is a fast-growing business that helps top consumer brands grow on Amazon by serving as their exclusive Amazon retailer. In just 6 years, Neato has grown to 80+ employees, services 10 countries, and achieved 9 figures in total revenue.

Neato has been recognized as one of America’s fastest-growing companies by Inc. 100 three years in a row.

(Co-founders of Neato, Anthony Connelly and Spencer Jacobs)

Challenges

Neato’s operational excellence attracted many household brand name partners, but they encountered three key challenges that made them move slower than they’d like.

First, while their suppliers offered significant discounts for bulk purchases and early payments, Neato frequently lacked the upfront cash to realize these savings. As a result, they often had to pay more than necessary for their inventory. 

Second, like many eCommerce sellers, Neato initially considered Merchant Cash Advances (MCAs). However, as they scaled, the hidden costs of MCAs became clear. Fixed fees and revenue-based repayments mean that as sales grow, repayments speed up while total dollar cost remains the same—driving up the real APR and hurting margins.

(For anyone interested, this article outlines key differences between regular loans vs. MCA loans.) 

Lastly, Neato faced intense competition on Amazon, where similar products were readily available. Faster delivery is a good way to stand out and improve product rankings in Amazon search results. However, with limited inventory, quick shipping in less populated regions was difficult, as there weren’t enough goods to stock up Amazon’s last-mile distribution centers in those areas.

As the company continued to add new brand partners, they needed a more efficient, scalable financing solution.

Finding a Solution with Slope

To overcome these challenges, Neato turned to Slope Pay, a flexible and transparent invoice financing solution tailored to their needs. 

Using Slope Pay, Neato was able to buy inventory in bulk and pay upfront (when placing the orders), unlocking an average 10% discount—nearly four times the financing fees it paid Slope**. 

This helped the Neato team significantly boost their margins while maintaining cash flow flexibility for their other operations. 

The extra funding also allowed them to stock more inventory in Amazon’s smaller, regional distribution centers, which meant they could deliver to nearby areas 1-2 days faster than competitors limited to major hubs. Faster delivery drove customer choices and boosted Neato’s Amazon rankings, creating a virtuous cycle of greater visibility and stronger sales. 

Unlike MCAs, Slope’s straightforward pricing and full early payment flexibility / savings gave Neato the confidence to grow without worrying about financing cost burdens.

The Impact

Slope’s financing solution transformed Neato’s business. By securing purchase discounts, Neato instantly expanded profit margins by 350bps (of sales supported by Slope*), through inventory savings net of financing costs.

With faster delivery times and happier customers, Neato’s Amazon rankings jumped, fueling even greater sales momentum. In just 6 months, their sales grew 12%. 

The intuitive Slope platform also made it easy for Neato’s lean team to get funding and pay it back as needed, in a matter of seconds.

For Neato, Slope delivered a unique combination of cost savings, operational flexibility, and competitive advantage on a crowded e-commerce platform. As Neato continues to grow its brand portfolio, Slope remains a trusted partner, helping them thrive on Amazon and beyond.

Want to learn more about Slope? Check out this Slope Pay 101 – an overview of our invoice financing product, and email us at support@slopepay.com for all available options and how to apply. You’ll hear from us within 1 business day!

* Based on sales realized from inventory financed through Slope. Average profit improvement shown.

** Terms are subject to credit underwriting and may vary based on your business. Not all customers may be eligible for financing through Slope, originated by Lead Bank.

Slope is not a bank. Business-purpose loans made by Lead Bank and subject to credit approval. Application required and personal guaranty may be required. Subject to minimum revenue and business requirements. Fees vary based on loan amount.