Advantages of Trade Credit

Trade credit has various advantages, making it a favorite source of working capital for all levels for buyers and a promotional tool for suppliers. The most important benefit is that it has no explicit cost. Advantages of trade credit also include its effortless acquisition and easily maintainable. There are no requirements for signature on legal instruments, which makes it all the more flexible source of working capital finance.

Advantages of Trade Credit

For Buyers

Low-Cost Finance

Trade Credit considers being the cheapest form of working capital finance. All other sources of working capital finance, such as bank overdrafts, cash credit, etc., have interest costs attached to them. Practically, there is no interest cost attached to trade credit, provided the dues are paid within the credit period provided by the supplier/ creditor.

(Refer: Cost of Trade Credit)

Discounts on Early Payments

It is not only a free source of finance but also gets a discount if paid before a certain period of time. Credit terms say “2/10 net 30”. If paid on the 10th day, the buyer will get a discount on the bill and a free credit period of 10 days.

Advantages of Trade CreditHassle-Free Sanction

The most important characteristic of trade credit is that it is effortlessly available to the business, and therefore it is widely utilized by managers. The purchase is an essential function of any business, and trade credit is processed while executing the function of purchase. As per the say, there is no special process to obtain this credit. All we have to do is to make payment a little later.

Easily Maintainable

Accounting is an integral part of any business. Managing trade credit does not require too many additional efforts apart from normal accounting and administering the time of payment, which a business will do.

Since no formal negotiable instrument is being executed, trade credit is free from any legal repercussions. Also, since there is no involvement of banks anywhere, there is no fear of the account going NPA – Non-Performing Asset.

For Supplier

Improved Sales

In a competitive market, trade credit from the point of view of the supplier act as a promotion. Liberal the terms of trade credit, higher will be the sales. There is a direct correlation between the terms of credit and the sales generated by the supplier.

A liberal trade credit policy is one of the tools to penetrate the market.

Improved Margins

It is pretty obvious that the credit allowed by the supplier is not a donation given to the buyer. The cost of extending credit is compensated by the higher prices the supplier charges. It is a win-win situation for the buyer as well as the seller. On the other hand, the buyer is also happy paying a little extra in the absence of cash availability with him. Almost no businesses run completely on cash.

Before forming any decision, it will be wise to look at the disadvantages of trade credit.

Advantages of Trade Credit

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Sanjay Borad

Sanjay Bulaki Borad

MBA-Finance, CMA, CS, Insolvency Professional, B'Com

Sanjay Borad, Founder of eFinanceManagement, is a Management Consultant with 7 years of MNC experience and 11 years in Consultancy. He caters to clients with turnovers from 200 Million to 12,000 Million, including listed entities, and has vast industry experience in over 20 sectors. Additionally, he serves as a visiting faculty for Finance and Costing in MBA Colleges and CA, CMA Coaching Classes.

2 thoughts on “Advantages of Trade Credit”

  1. Yes, the work is good but not well explained. but send me all the work about project work on my email as below…thanks if you do so.

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