Trade Credit: Are trade creditors assets or liabilities

Trade credit can be a better advantage for buyers than it to for sellers. It is defined as a case where a buyer buys goods from a seller without paying upfront. The buyer and seller can reach an agreement on when the credit will be cleared by the buyer which is mostly counted on 30, 60 to 90 days.

Some trade creditors although, use it in turn against the sellers because they may end u=p not paying up the scheduled time. On the side of the seller, it may become a hold to their products and market.

The only better way to avoid the troubles that come with trade credit is to bet a trade credit insurance. If you are a business owner, small or large business and you have been probably hearing about trade credit in the marketplace or other places.

But you may not have known what it is talking about, this article has been brought to you, To educate you on all that is involved in trade credit. From the definition, the advantages and disadvantages of trade credit and all about how it works. You will also get to know how to avoid the problems that most vendors face.

Continue reading to the end to get the answer to every question you may have regarding this topic.

What is trade credit?

Trade credit is the transaction carried out between a buyer and a seller as an agreement, to buy goods of the vendor and pay later. Some business owners try as much as possible to avoid the troubles associated with trade credit by pasting in front of their business places “No credit today come tomorrow”.

It is mostly seen in the rural areas and sometimes and some places in the urban too. Trade credit is an agreement reached by two businesses where the customer or buyer can make purchases of the seller’s goods on the account without making a cash payment right away.

This business-to-business agreement can sometimes be called trade finance or supplier financing. It is defined, as trade credit, as a case between two businesses and not a business and consumer agreement.

One business receives goods and agrees with the other on the time to make payment. Finally, in a more simple term, trade credit is the loan of goods or services that a buyer’s business receives from a seller’s business. The buyer agrees to pay for the goods or services at a scheduled later date.

Types of trade credit

It is the period on your invoice that determines the type of trade credit you are into.If you pick your invoice it will typically say “Net” which will be followed by the number of days agreed by the two businesses. It may be for 30 days, 40 days, 50 days or even 90 days.

So, the number of days or net days as will be on your invoice is the type you would call your trade credit.

• 30 days net trade credit type
• 40 days net trade credit type
• 60 days net trade credit type
• 90 days net trade credit type etc.

Are trade creditors assets or liabilities?

Trade creditors meet the definition of liabilities established by accounting principles. They are essentially obligations arising from previous transactions with suppliers. As a result, these balances satisfy the first part of the liability definition.

Second, they result in a future outflow of economic benefits. This outflow occurs when a business reimburses its suppliers for the amount owed. Some may question whether trade creditors are current or non-current liabilities.

Trade creditors are typically current liabilities. Companies are required by accounting standards to classify their obligations based on the expected settlement date. Companies must account for those amounts even if they do not settle them within the estimated time frame. As a result, if a company anticipates paying a trade creditor balance within a year, it must classify it as a current liability.

Trade creditors may also be classified as non-current liabilities under this definition. It happens when a company expects to pay a supplier after a year.

However, suppliers who allow credit terms of more than a year are extremely rare. Most businesses pay off their trade creditor balances within a few months. As a result, trade creditors are reported as current liabilities on the balance sheet.

Pros and cons Of Trade credit

The pros and cons of trade credit faced by the sellers and buyers are serious. It may be higher on the side of the seller in terms of cons associated lesser than it is on the side of the buyer who only gets free financing for their business.

PROS:

• The established relationship between buyer and seller
• Free and easy business financing for the buyer
• Cash flow is improved for the buyer
• Seller makes high sales.

CONS:

• The extra cost of repaying for the buyer if payment is delayed.
• Sellers risk their goods should buyers not pay back
• A strain is caused on the balance sheet if the buyer delays payment
• The negative damage to the buyer’s brand is if they break the trust of the seller.

Bank credit vs trade credit

Bank credit is otherwise called bank loans. It is the financing method a business gets from the bank, you can proceed to the bank to get your loan. Some of the time or most of the time the loaned must provide collateral before their loan or credit can be granted them.

Unlike the trade credit which is directly between businesses, the buyer or loan does not get to provide collateral to get their goods financed. Trade unlike a bank loan is just between two business while bank loan is between commercial or microfinance bank and a business. Riskier is it to get your credit from the bank than from a fellow business.

How to get trade credit for microbusiness

The terms of this type of financing can vary greatly, as can the cost. Assume a supplier has offered a 2% cash discount if an invoice is paid within 10 days and has a net date of 30 days. This means that if you do not pay within ten days, you forfeit the two per cent, but you still have 20 days to use the money. If this amount is compounded annually, it will cost you 36% of the total cost of the products you are purchasing.

If you do not pay within the agreed-upon timeframe, suppliers who offer trade credit will typically levy late payment penalties. These can also add up quickly. These fees are typically between one and two percent per month. This can quickly add up if you are unable to pay for an extended period of time!

Trade credit can be extremely beneficial to grow businesses, but it does necessitate diligence and careful planning to avoid accruing late fees or simply losing money by foregoing cash discounts. While it is prudent to take advantage of trade credit opportunities, it is also prudent to consider other forms of financing that can complement or replace it.

FAQs about trade credit