How E-commerce Businesses Use Relay to Simplify Finances

Running an e-commerce store means managing more than just product listings and shipping labels. You’ve got revenue coming in from multiple channels, ad spend flying out daily, and vendors waiting on invoices.

That’s where Relay steps in.

In 2025, e-commerce entrepreneurs—from Shopify sellers to Amazon storefronts—are switching to Relay to gain visibility, control spending, and build smarter cash flow systems.

Here’s exactly how e-commerce businesses are using Relay to manage their money like pros.

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✅ 1. Multiple Accounts for Clearer Cash Flow

Relay allows you to create up to 20 free checking accounts under a single business.

For e-commerce owners, this is a game changer.

Example setup:

• Income (Stripe, PayPal, Shopify deposits)
• Ad Spend (Meta, Google, TikTok)
• Product Costs (Inventory, suppliers)
• Taxes
• Profit
• Owner’s Pay
• Emergency or Reserve fund

With each account dedicated to a specific purpose, you stop guessing where your money is—and start budgeting like a CFO.

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✅ 2. Manage Ad Spend With Virtual Cards

Relay lets you issue unlimited virtual Visa® debit cards, each with its own name, limit, and account.

Use this to separate:

• Google Ads
• Facebook/Instagram Ads
• Influencer payments
• Subscription tools like Canva or Shopify apps

Each card is tied to a specific budget, and you can freeze or cancel it instantly. This gives e-commerce founders true spending control without spreadsheets.

📌 Bonus: You’ll never get blindsided by a surprise ad overcharge again.

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✅ 3. Pay Vendors & Suppliers in a Few Clicks

Relay’s built-in bill pay tools are perfect for managing relationships with:

• Product manufacturers
• 3PL warehouses
• Packaging suppliers
• Freelance designers or editors

You can:

• Upload invoices
• Approve payments
• Pay via ACH, checks, or wires
• Track vendor history and due dates

No more sending manual payments from a personal bank or hunting through Gmail for invoice PDFs.

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✅ 4. Automate Profit First for E-commerce

Many Shopify and Amazon sellers follow the Profit First method to control expenses and improve margins. Relay is one of the only platforms that supports it natively.

Set up accounts like:

• Income
• Inventory Purchases
• Marketing
• Owner’s Pay
• Profit
• Taxes

Then use scheduled transfers to move money into the right accounts on autopilot—weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

📌 Relay makes it easy to separate cash and avoid “accidental” overspending.

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✅ 5. Real-Time Visibility Into Your Business

Relay’s dashboard shows:

• Live account balances
• Upcoming payments
• Transaction history by account
• Who spent what and where

If you’re scaling fast, this visibility becomes your secret weapon for staying profitable.

No more logging into five platforms.
No more wondering where your Stripe payout actually went.

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✅ 6. Integrate With QuickBooks and Xero

Relay syncs automatically with:

• QuickBooks Online
• Xero

That means your accountant can categorize revenue and expenses without endless CSV exports.

📌 Pro tip: Use account-level categories to speed up reconciliation (e.g. match “Ad Spend” account to Google Ads category).

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✅ 7. Scale With Your Team

Whether you have a virtual assistant in the Philippines, a media buyer in the U.S., or a warehouse partner in Canada—Relay helps you scale securely.

You can:

• Add team members with specific roles
• Limit what they can view or do
• Assign individual debit cards with limits
• Track spending by user

This keeps your growing e-commerce operation organized, secure, and transparent.

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🛍️ Real Store Example: D2C Brand Using Relay

Alex runs a 6-figure Shopify store selling eco-friendly accessories.

Before Relay:

• He used one account for everything
• Ad spend got out of control
• Paying contractors was clunky
• Monthly profit reports were messy

After switching to Relay:

• He created 6 sub-accounts for budgeting
• Issued a virtual card for ads with a $3,000 cap
• Pays his Chinese supplier via ACH
• Tracks cash flow weekly with clarity

His profit margin grew by 17% in 3 months, simply by organizing how money moves.

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Final Thoughts: E-commerce Banking That Works Like You Do

E-commerce isn’t simple anymore. You need fast, modern tools to manage a fast-moving business—and traditional banks just don’t cut it.

With Relay, you get:

• Better budgeting
• Tighter controls
• Smoother operations
• Zero monthly fees

If you’re ready to scale your online store without the financial chaos, Relay is your new back office—automated, organized, and ready to grow.