Lohit Pattanaik loves to modify and customize foreign cars. In 2012, his passion drove the formation of Fly1 Motorsports, a business that provides aftermarket body parts for mostly foreign cars. His business quickly grew through word-of-mouth presence in his Southern California community, around the U.S., and internationally.
Lohit creates custom pieces, and customers are often buying a full body kit to transform their entire car. It’s work that comes with a high price tag. And soon his customers began asking about financing options.
“It’s a sizable purchase, and if you spread that payment over nine to twelve months, it’s very doable. Otherwise, it might not be,” he says.
He began to look for financing options for customers, but he was told that his business wasn’t large enough to qualify for a program. To meet some customer requests for financing, Lohit would sometimes finance their purchases himself, but he was taking on all of the risk if a customer didn’t pay him back.
When he learned about Square Installments, a program offered by Square Loans that lets his customers pay over time while his business is paid up front, it was a natural fit. “The program is seamless — I didn’t need to set anything up. I can send Square Invoices as I was doing before but now my customers have another payment option,” Lohit says.
“Offering Square Installments allows me to capture that customer that otherwise wouldn’t have been able to make such a large purchase,” Lohit says. He adds, “My customers that were considering one or two parts now want to do a full build. They’re also saving money in the long run, because they can do new paint and body work all at once, instead of spread out over the years.”
Customers have responded positively to having the option to pay in monthly installments. Average order amounts through Square Invoices increased 55 percent seven months after implementation and Lohit attributes that to Square Installments. He also says that it’s created steadier business during that time — he estimates that it’s helped grow his overall business by 20 to 30 percent.
“Usually I’ll get an influx of orders around year-end, and it kind of tapers off before summer. Square Installments has allowed it to be consistently busy. It has made a huge impact on my bottom line,” Lohit says.
Fly1 Motorsports also has an active Square Loans business loan, which it uses to get ahead on inventory.
“With the volume I’ve been doing for the last six months, if I can cut down that lead time for the customer by building up my inventory in advance, it creates a better experience for them,” he says. “It’s so seamless, because it’s just a small percentage of each purchase that goes toward repayment. It’s really a no-brainer for me.”
The testimonials reflect the views and opinions of the merchant. Actual results from participating in Square Installments may vary.
Square Capital, LLC and Square Financial Services, Inc. are both wholly owned subsidiaries of Square, Inc. Square Capital, LLC d/b/a Square Capital of California, LLC in FL, GA, MT, and NY. All loans are issued by either Celtic Bank or Square Financial Services, Inc. Square Financial Services, Inc. and Celtic Bank are both Utah-Chartered Industrial Banks. Members FDIC, located in Salt Lake City, UT. The bank issuing your loan will be identified in your loan agreement. The individual authorized to act on behalf of the business must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years old. Loan eligibility is not guaranteed. All loans are subject to approval.
