Many ecommerce businesses feel financially fine until they need to make a big decision.
A pricing change, a large stock order, a new hire, extra marketing spend. Once you include platform fees, fulfilment costs, ad spend and returns, it’s easy to find that profit isn’t where you thought it was.
Cash can be even trickier because money is tied up in stock, and platform payout timings don’t always match when bills need paying.
Most ecommerce businesses have bookkeeping in place and an accountant handling year end accounts and compliance.
What’s often missing is senior finance support that turns the numbers into clear direction: monthly reporting that shows what’s driving profit, what’s changed since last month, and what needs attention next, alongside cash flow forecasts built around how your business operates and modelling before you commit to major decisions.
But you can’t justify the £80k – £120k salary of a full-time Finance Director when you don’t need someone five days a week.
That’s what our outsourced Finance Director and fractional CFO service provides. It gives you experienced support on a part-time basis, without the cost of employing a full-time Finance Director.
The problem:
Your accountant sends reports without explaining what they mean for your business. When you need to make decisions about pricing or product range, you’re relying on instinct because the numbers don’t give you what you need to decide confidently.
How we solve it:
Monthly management accounts with video commentary explaining what’s changed and why it’s important. We break down profitability by product and channel after fees are deducted. You can ask questions throughout the month rather than trying to interpret reports alone.
"Our profit looks good, but cash keeps disappearing"
The problem:
Your P&L shows healthy margins, but cash creates constant pressure. Stock payments happen long before sales revenue arrives. Without forward visibility, planning major purchases feels like guesswork.
How we solve it:
Rolling cash flow forecasts that account for your stock ordering patterns and supplier payment terms. You’ll see pressure weeks before it hits, giving you time to adjust ordering or make other changes.
"We can't justify a full-time CFO salary"
The problem:
You need strategic input on business planning, pricing decisions, and funding applications. A full-time Finance Director would provide this, but full-time employment costs don’t make sense when you don’t need someone five days a week.
How we solve it:
Our fractional FD service provides CFO-level expertise on a part-time basis. Involvement increases during intensive periods like fundraising and reduces when you need lighter oversight.
"Banks and investors want reporting we don't have"
The problem:
Your bank wants monthly management accounts with forward-looking forecasts. Your investors want KPI tracking. But your current setup produces statutory accounts once a year, which doesn’t meet their requirements.
How we solve it:
We create management accounts and forecasts designed for lender and investor requirements. We support clients through funding applications, including forecasts, packs and lender questions.
"Our bookkeeper needs senior guidance"
The problem:
Your bookkeeper handles transactions but can’t provide strategic advice or proper management accounts. When you ask why margin dropped or whether you can afford to hire, there’s no answer.
How we solve it:
We work alongside your bookkeeper, providing senior oversight and strategic direction. We review their work, set priorities, and ensure accounts arrive on time. Your bookkeeper handles daily work with proper quality control.
"We’re making major decisions without financial insight"
The problem:
Costs keep rising, and you need to decide whether to absorb them or pass them on through pricing. You’re considering hiring or investing in marketing, but you don’t have models showing what different scenarios look like.
How we solve it:
We model different scenarios before you commit. What happens to margins if you increase prices? Can you sustain a hire if revenue flattens? You make decisions with clear visibility of the trade-offs.
"We’ve
grown faster than our finance team"
The problem:
Business is going well – your revenue has doubled, you’ve added channels, and you’ve expanded your product range. The complexity increased significantly, but your finance function is still set up for when things were simpler.
How we solve it:
We provide Finance Director level support that scales as your business grows. This includes strategic planning with financial modelling alongside senior financial oversight and KPI development.
This works for ecommerce businesses with £1m – £20m turnover dealing with inventory cycles, multi-channel complexity, and cash flow timing challenges that basic bookkeeping can’t solve. We work extensively with fashion and apparel, sportswear and equipment, and health supplements – sectors where stock cycles create specific financial complexity.
You probably need this level of support if you’re raising capital, making major financial decisions without proper modelling, dealing with banks that want professional reporting, or your finance function hasn’t kept pace as the business has grown.
Our outsourced FD services help your ecommerce business in the following ways:
Strategic financial planning
Guidance on pricing strategy and hiring decisions. We model different scenarios before you commit, so you can see financial outcomes under various conditions.
Management accounts with video commentary
Delivered monthly with explanations of what’s changed, why it’s important, and what needs attention. Your questions are answered when they arise rather than waiting for the next reporting cycle.
Cash flow forecasting
Built around how ecommerce works – supplier payment cycles and platform settlement timing. Visibility extends weeks ahead, so adjustments happen before problems develop.
Funding and investor support
Forecasts and business plans that meet lender standards. We handle due diligence contacts and produce investor reporting that meets their requirements.
Finance team leadership
For businesses with existing finance staff, we provide oversight and direction. Review output quality, set priorities, implement improvements, help staff develop skills.
KPI development and tracking
We develop frameworks and track performance against sector benchmarks, giving you better visibility into what’s driving results.
Initial consultation
We discuss your current situation, what’s working, what isn’t, and what you need from your finance function. There’s no obligation, just an honest conversation about whether we’re the right fit.
Scope and engagement
We agree on the scope based on your priorities. Some businesses need several days monthly for oversight. Others require intensive CFO input during fundraising or growth. The arrangement flexes based on your circumstances.
Onboarding
We review your finance setup, build forecasting capability, define metrics, and establish reporting rhythms. The timeline varies depending on the historical cleanup needed.
Monthly reporting cycle
We produce management accounts and cash flow forecasts, which are accompanied by video commentary. We’re available throughout the month for questions, strategic discussions, and support on major decisions.
Ongoing partnership
Regular reviews to discuss trends in your numbers, proactive advice when we spot issues developing, support for investor or lender requests, and strategic input on significant business decisions.
Specialist Accounting Solutions Ltd is a firm of Chartered Accountants founded in 2015 by Sean Hackemann, who has been a Chartered Accountant for over 20 years and has extensive experience in leading finance departments of SMEs, advisory and corporate finance. Sean is supported by his team of colleagues across advisory and financial outsourcing, taxation and bookkeeping services.
Monthly fees depend on the level of involvement you need, the complexity of your business, and the specific support you need. We provide a quote after understanding your situation.
Pricing is a fixed monthly retainer with flexibility to adjust scope. No hidden fees. Costs run significantly lower than full-time employment while providing senior expertise matched to what you need.
Book a 30-minute discovery call to discuss your situation. We’ll assess whether fractional FD support fits your stage and explain how we’d work with your business.
1-3 days monthly for strategic oversight, financial planning, and management reporting. We scale up during busy periods like fundraising, then down when you need less intensive support.
We specialise in ecommerce, but we work with SMEs across other sectors. If you need strategic finance support but can’t justify a full-time FD, we can probably help.
Yes, many clients keep their existing accountant for statutory accounts and tax, while we handle strategic finance and FD services. We often work alongside bookkeepers too.
A fractional FD provides senior finance expertise on a part-time basis. You get strategic planning, financial modelling, and senior oversight without the full-time salary commitment.
Typically £1m – £20m turnover, but we’re flexible. The complexity matters more than revenue. If you’ve outgrown basic bookkeeping and need strategic finance input, we can help.
Yes, where required. We prepare board packs, attend meetings to present financial performance, and provide input on strategic decisions.
Yes, we regularly support clients through fundraising. We prepare forecasts, business plans, and documentation that lenders require. We can act as the key contact in financial due diligence.
We support the transition, help with recruitment if needed, and can either step back or continue working alongside your internal FD in an advisory capacity.
Primarily Xero and QuickBooks, which integrate well with ecommerce platforms. We can work with Sage or help you transition if needed.
