- 1WSJ, CNBC and Forbes earn commissions when readers apply for business loans through their pages.
- 2They compete with NerdWallet, LendingTree and Bankrate for business loan traffic.
- 3Walmart's marketplace offers Payoneer, Parafin, Slope and Uncapped.
Walmart is not the only household name running a small business funding marketplace. The Wall Street Journal, CNBC and Forbes, among others, are also capturing search traffic and earning commissions by referring merchants to business loans, revenue-based financing and related products.
How the media brands monetize
The WSJ discloses that it is paid a commission whenever a merchant uses its links to apply for a small business loan, whether revenue-based financing, a line of credit or another type. Its review page suggests revenue-based financing may be a good option for businesses that do not qualify for a business term loan.
Forbes operates with paid placements and links that generate affiliate commissions. The CNBC Select site likewise discloses that the company earns commissions.
All three compete with established comparison platforms such as NerdWallet, LendingTree and Bankrate for business loan traffic online.
Walmart's version
The Walmart marketplace for business loans is made up of Payoneer, Parafin, Slope and Uncapped. Three of those four partners offer merchant cash advances.
Source reporting: deBanked.
