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A recent webinar hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association focused on cash-flow pressures facing independent home-improvement retailers. ECI Software Solutions business unit leader Kevin Ehinger recommended understanding how and when to use a working-capital line of credit, particularly for businesses carrying substantial accounts receivable or inventory.
A North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) webinar examined ways independent home-improvement retailers can protect margins and manage cash flow, with ECI Software Solutions business unit leader Kevin Ehinger pointing to working-capital credit as a possible backstop for businesses facing delays in receivables or carrying heavy inventory. The discussion comes as retailers face external economic and industry pressures, according to a report published by Hardware Retailing on November 6, 2026.
Ehinger said retailers should understand when, where, why and how to use a working-capital line of credit. He said the facility may help businesses whose cash is tied up in accounts receivable or inventory when payments take longer to arrive. The report did not identify specific lending terms, costs or eligibility requirements.
The webinar also addressed areas where independent dealers may be losing margin, payment processes and ways to reduce operational strain. The report presents these as topics discussed by Ehinger; it does not provide quantified results or data showing how much any particular measure improves cash flow.
Ehinger described stress and trouble sleeping as possible early warning signs of financial strain among business owners, based on his conversations with people in the industry. That observation is his experience, not a formal financial test or a measured indicator. His central recommendation was that retailers have access to working capital and plan how to use it rather than waiting until pressure builds.
Credit Can Bridge Payment Delays
For retailers that must pay suppliers and meet operating costs before customers settle invoices, a timing gap between outflows and incoming payments can put pressure on day-to-day cash. A line of credit may provide short-term flexibility, Ehinger said, particularly for businesses with substantial receivables or inventory. Whether it is appropriate depends on the retailer’s finances and the facility’s terms.
The webinar’s focus also reflects the difference between profitability and available cash: a sale recorded as revenue does not necessarily mean the customer has paid. Improving payment processes and keeping track of working capital can help owners identify pressure points, but the source report does not claim that borrowing alone resolves margin problems or guarantees stronger cash flow.
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Retailers Face Margin Pressure
Hardware Retailing’s report framed the webinar against external economic pressures and industry challenges that can make protecting margins more difficult for independent home-improvement retailers. It did not specify particular economic indicators or quantify the effect on the sector.
The event was hosted by NHPA, an industry association, and featured Ehinger of ECI Software Solutions. The report directed readers to a full webinar recording for more detail. It also mentioned a separate industry viewpoint on category pricing, but supplied no findings from that article relevant to Ehinger’s cash-flow recommendations.
““If you don’t have the capital and you are a heavy accounts receivable business or a heavy inventory and AR business, working capital credit can be a backstop when things stretch out for you.””
— Kevin Ehinger, ECI Software Solutions business unit leader, as quoted by Hardware Retailing
Costs and Outcomes Not Detailed
The report does not state interest rates, fees, collateral requirements or qualification criteria for working-capital credit. It also gives no examples of retailers that adopted the approach, no before-and-after cash-flow figures and no comparison with other financing options.
It is therefore unclear how broadly the recommendation applies or whether the webinar addressed specific methods for speeding customer payments, adjusting inventory or managing supplier terms. The source provides an overview of the discussion rather than a transcript or a full set of recommendations. A credit line can add borrowing costs, and the report does not assess those costs against potential benefits.
Webinar Recording Offers More Detail
Hardware Retailing pointed readers to the full webinar conversation for additional discussion of margin protection and cash-flow practices. The report did not announce a follow-up event, new policy or scheduled next step. Retailers considering a credit line would need to review their cash needs and the specific terms offered by a lender; the article itself does not provide individualized financial advice.
Key Questions
What cash-flow measure did Kevin Ehinger highlight?
Ehinger said a working-capital line of credit may act as a backstop when a retailer’s cash is tied up in receivables or inventory and payments take longer than expected.
Who hosted the webinar?
The North American Hardware and Paint Association hosted the webinar. Ehinger, a business unit leader at ECI Software Solutions, shared the recommendations described in the report.
Did the report provide loan rates or eligibility requirements?
No. The report did not give rates, fees, collateral terms or qualification rules for a working-capital line of credit.
Did the report show that a credit line improves cash flow?
No quantified results were provided. Ehinger described credit as a potential backstop for certain businesses, but the report included no case studies or measured outcomes.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
