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The Daily Insight Hub

How does trade credit affect a business?

Author

Matthew Harrington

Updated on February 04, 2026

Trade credit is a type of commercial financing in which a customer is allowed to purchase goods or services and pay the supplier at a later scheduled date. Trade credit can be a good way for businesses to free up cash flow and finance short-term growth.

Why is trade credit so important to small businesses?

But trade credit can help businesses build their credit scores and financial qualifications for larger loans. Trade credit can do just that for many businesses. Trade credit not only smooths out any cash flow issues a business might have but also helps your business build a strong credit history to show to lenders.

Does personal credit affect getting business credit?

In most cases, your personal credit will impact your business far more than the other way around. Some business credit card applications will require your Social Security number. Credit bureaus don’t distinguish between business and personal inquiries, and too many can have a negative impact on your credit score.

Why is credit important for businesses?

Having access to business credit is the lifeline for a business. It enables you to obtain the capital you need to expand, cover day to day expenses, purchase inventory, hire additional staff and allows you to conserve the cash on hand to cover your cost of doing business.

Do they check your credit for business loan?

Are you applying for a business loan? Commercial lenders may look at both your business and personal credit scores before they approve your application. If you have poor personal credit and you’re wondering if it will affect your approval or the terms of your commercial loan, the answer is yes, it can.

How does being denied a credit card affect your credit score?

Does being denied a credit card hurt your credit score? The act of being rejected for credit doesn’t hurt your score, but a hard pull from the application can temporarily lower it by a few points Being denied a credit card or other type of credit doesn’t affect your score because it’s not reflected in your credit report.

How does a trade account affect your credit?

Trade accounts could potentially damage your business credit, if you don’t pay on time. If you fall behind on payments, the negative impact on your business credit scores could be serious. Your company could be charged late fees or incur other penalties if it doesn’t pay on time.

Do you need trade credit to do business?

You can find all kinds of companies that offer trade credit, but you might need a business credit score or a certain amount of time as an established business for a deal. Trade finance even spans different countries, but with it comes the added layers of difficulty from international trade.

What should I do if I get rejected for credit?

For that reason, it’s also helpful to get a credit score that isn’t customized for that particular lender, so you can see where your credit stands overall. You can get two free credit scores at Credit.com. When you do, pay particular attention to how your score compares to others, and what factors influence it the most. 3.