Window on why more Salisbury businesses are offering finance options

Businesses in Salisbury are finding that their customers are increasingly expecting them to offer credit and finance options for their products and services.

Local traders such as Cara Glass in Wilton are among local SME (Small Medium-sized Enterprise) that has embraced the trend.

Many consumers now use instalment plans not just for big-ticket items, but for mid-range purchases of low value items, a clear sign that flexible credit is part of everyday budgeting, not just a luxury.

Simon Futcher from Cara Glass at Wilton Business Centre is one of the local businesses that has recently begun offering such credit facilities. 

The glazing company Business Manager told Salisbury Radio, “I remember going into a shop in the mid 80’s as a kid with my parents and them buying me my first computer on finance - but there was an embarrassing stigma for them and the retailer selling it as they filled in the paperwork.

“But over the past few years post Covid and the price pressures on doing house improvements and energy costs in amongst everyday living survival, more and more customers were asking us the serious question of ‘Do you do have finance options available?’.

 “Surprisingly, an increased response to us saying ‘unfortunately not’ was customers saying ‘oh! That’s a shame as we wanted to get the whole house done but it’s a lot more than we can afford’ and then proceeding to doing piecemeal one-window-at-a-time over several years, as and when they could afford it.”

Pressure on household finances is pushing this payment flexibility, not just as a gimmick, but as a practical tool to allow people to smooth out family cash flow. Buy Now Pay Later is no longer reserved for ‘big ticket’ items, but also for smaller purchases.

Simon adds, “It was those customer comments that made us reconsider what we do as a business, and we’ve now introduced finance options as part of our everyday sales offering for those who want it - and already seeing up take of it.”

Cara Glass have been operating for 33 years and pride themselves as supporters of the local Salisbury community, including sponsoring the Lifetime Achievement award at this year’s Local Hero Awards. The award was presented to Dave Cates from The Stars Appeal on September 12th this year.

Several converging factors are driving a shift in demand for finance products, including financial pressures on homeowners, increased trust in solutions and easier access to credit facilities and providers for small businesses.

Recent research from Lloyds Merchant Services shows that 84% of merchants are seeing growing demand for Buy Now, Pay Later and Point-of-Sale finance.

The Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) reported an 11% rise in new consumer finance business in June 2025 compared to the same month a year earlier. This suggests that more consumers are both taking on and being approved for credit, reinforcing that demand for financing options is not a niche or risky bet.

For small businesses in Salisbury, offering finance can be a powerful differentiator.

With so many customers leaning towards retailers that provide instalment payments, local stores and tradespeople like Cara Glass who embed finance into their payment options can attract a broader client base.

According to Lloyds’ research, firms that offer finance see higher repeat business and higher average transaction values.