Strategies to Reduce Vendor and Supplier Credit for Small Businesses

Strategies to Reduce Vendor and Supplier Credit for Small Businesses

Negotiate Payment Terms

One of the most effective ways for small businesses to reduce the amount of credit they give to vendors and suppliers is to negotiate better payment terms. This involves requesting longer payment periods, early payment discounts, or net payment terms rather than paying with credit. Some things small businesses can do:

• Request 30, 60 or 90 day payment terms rather than paying invoices immediately or within a few days. This gives more time to have cash on hand to make the payments.
• Ask for a 2% or 5% discount for paying invoices early. This incentivizes having cash available sooner to make payments.
• See if vendors will agree to net payment terms where the small business does not pay for 60-90 days from the invoice date.

Take Advantage of Credit Card Rewards

If vendors and suppliers accept credit card payments, small businesses can take advantage of credit card rewards programs. Points and cash back rewards can be used to offset some of the credit card processing fees. This allows small businesses to benefit from the longer payment periods credit cards provide.

Consolidate Suppliers

Rather than sourcing products and materials from many different vendors, small businesses can reduce credit usage by consolidating to fewer suppliers. Negotiating higher discounts for larger purchase volumes can offset some of the advantages of sourcing from many vendors. This makes payment tracking and cash flow management simpler.

Shorten Inventory Holding Times

Carrying excess inventory can negatively impact cash flow for small businesses. By shortening inventory holding times through efficiency improvements or ordering materials only when needed, small businesses can reduce credit usage. Less money is tied up in inventory, allowing faster repayment of vendors and suppliers.

Implementing combinations of these strategies and techniques can help small businesses strengthen their cash flow and rely less on trade credit from their partners. This provides financial stability benefits in addition to reduced credit usage over time. Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions!

Resources:

• https://reddit.com/r/smallbusiness/comments/wk8ckg/how_to_negotiate_better_payment_terms/
• https://www.quora.com/What-kind-of-early-payment-discount-should-I-offer-my-customers-for-early-payment-of-invoices-I-sell-products-and-services-to-other-businesses
• https://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/what-are-net-payment-terms
• https://www.lawinfo.com/resources/small-business/credit-cards-rewards-programs-help-small-businesses.html
• https://www.findlaw.com/smallbusiness/business-finances/consolidating-your-suppliers-can-simplify-your-small-business.html
• https://smallbiztrends.com/2016/09/holding-inventory-costs-money.html