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The Daily Insight Hub

Why credit is extended to customer?

Author

Isabella Turner

Updated on January 17, 2026

Companies extend credit to customers because they want to give their customers the flexibility to purchase what they need without being limited by the amount of cash they have on hand. Plus, customers tend to purchase more when they can delay payment than if they have to pay for their goods and services immediately.

What is a company that extends credit to an individual?

A creditor is an entity (person or institution) that extends credit by giving another entity permission to borrow money intended to be repaid in the future.

How much of the US debt is consumer?

Faced with severe economic uncertainty, U.S. consumers continued to borrow in 2020. The total outstanding U.S. consumer debt balance grew $800 billion to a record high of $14.88 trillion, according to Experian data, an increase of 6%—the highest annual growth recorded in over a decade.

How much debt does the average American have 2020?

The average American has $90,460 in debt, according to a 2021 CNBC report. That included all types of consumer debt products, from credit cards to personal loans, mortgages and student debt. The average amount of debt by generation in 2020: Gen Z (ages 18 to 23): $16,043.

Why is it good for small business to extend credit?

What those terms are and how you determine them should be in your credit policy. Extending credit to customers is a great way to grow a small business and build customer loyalty. In addition to increased sales from existing customers, you’ll likely find that it is also easier to acquire new customers.

When is it time to extend credit to a customer?

As a customer continues to be late and the probability of receiving payment is very low, you may find it is probably time to initiate collection through a collection agency. One of the first steps to extending credit to a customer is a credit application.

Can a client extend trade credit to a business?

Many businesses extend trade credit, and your potential partners are probably among them. A client who invoices their customers has to wait to collect that money, which means their liquid assets could ebb and flow throughout the month.

How to set business credit limits and mitigate business?

A supplier should first learn as much as possible about their customer, then apply a consistent method of calculating the business’s credit limit. As exciting as it may be to bring on a new customer, suppliers should manage the risks associated with extending credit.