
In order to illustrate precisely accounting for purchase discounts, let’s assume that ABC Co purchases merchandise inventory from its supplier on November 02, 20X1 at the original invoice amount of $1,500. If the proportion of purchase discounts taken is too low, it may be necessary to restructure the payables process to ensure that early payment deals are dealt with more promptly. A common reconfiguration of the system is to log all incoming invoices directly into the accounting system, prior to sending them out for approvals.
Discount allowed and discount received
The purchase accounts are used along with freight in, and the beginning and ending inventory to determine the cost of goods sold (COGS). Assume that a retailer’s policy is to always pay a vendor’s legitimate invoice within the early payment discount period if such a discount is offered. Also assume that the retailer received a vendor’s invoice for $1,000 which has payment terms of 2/10, double declining balance depreciation method net 30 days. If the retailer pays the vendor’s invoice within the 10-day early payment discount period, the retailer will record the payment with a debit of $980 to Accounts Payable and a credit of $980 to Cash. Under perpetual inventory system, the company can make the purchase discount journal entry by debiting accounts payable and crediting cash account and inventory account.
- Therefore, purchases, along with any payables in the case of a credit purchase, are recorded net of any trade discounts offered.
- Bulk purchase discounts can also increase the average transaction value of a business.
- Discounts received refer to reductions in the amount payable by a business when purchasing goods or services.
- Thus, in the below section, we illustrate the journal entry to record this purchase transaction from the date of purchase until the date of purchase both receiving a discount and not receiving a discount.
- In this journal entry, the purchase discounts is a temporary account which will be cleared to zero at the end of the period.
- Inventory is a permanent account meaning the balance rolls over from period to period.
Purchase Discount in Accounting

Notice that we did not post the purchases to the inventory account, which is a major difference between this payroll periodic system and the perpetual system. The perpetual system is what we will be doing in the next unit as we study the perpetual system. Medici Music purchases instruments to sell in its stores from Whistling Flutes, LLC on August 13. The total purchase was $5,000 (with a cost of $3,000), terms 3/10, n/30.
Common Mistakes in Handling Discounts
Instead, CBS will make an adjustment to Merchandise Inventory at the end of the period. Cash increases (debit) and Accounts Receivable decreases (credit) by $16,800. The customer paid on their account outside of the discount window but within the total allotted timeframe for payment. The customer does not receive a discount in this case but does pay in full and on time.
Differences Between Discounts Allowed and Discounts Received
This increases (debit) Sales Returns and Allowances and decreases (credit) Cash. Cash increases (debit) and Sales increases (credit) by the selling price of the packages, $12,000 ($1,200 × 10). Unlike the perpetual inventory system, there is no entry for the cost of the sale. This recognition occurs at the end of the period with an adjustment to Cost of Goods Sold.
5: Buyer Entries under Periodic Inventory System
They offer their customers the option of purchasing extra individual hardware items for every electronic hardware package purchase. The following is the list of products CBS sells to customers; the prices are per-package, and per unit. Since CBS already paid in full for their purchase, a cash refund of the allowance is issued in the amount of $480 (60 × $8). This increases Cash (debit) and increases Purchase Returns and Allowances. On May 1, CBS purchases 67 tablet computers at a cost of $60 each on credit. On April 7, CBS purchases 30 desktop computers on credit at a cost of $400 each.

Journal Entry at the Date of Payment over Discount Period
Since the customer already paid in full for their purchase, a full cash refund is issued on September 3. This increases Sales Returns and Allowances (debit) and decreases Cash (credit) by $6,000 (40 × $150). Unlike in the perpetual inventory system, CBS does not recognize the return of merchandise to inventory.
The basic difference between a return and an allowance is that we usually don’t return the is purchase discount a debit or credit goods if they are damaged or unsatisfactory in some way. The vendor issues a Credit Memo anyway and we remove the items from inventory and dispose of them. In the accounting department, you have matched up the receiving documents sent with this invoice and it is now ready to be paid.
- The purpose of a business taking purchase discounts is to reduce its costs.
- The customer therefore pays £180 and the £20 reduction is the “discount allowed” by the seller.
- Accounting for purchase discounts, we can be recorded under either the net method or the gross method.
- Think of Accounts Payable as the guest room where all your unpaid bills hang out until you decide to pay them.
- This increases Cash (debit) and increases Purchase Returns and Allowances.
- A company may choose to simply present its net sales in its income statement, rather than breaking out the gross sales and sales discounts separately.

Buy assets like land, buildings, or that fancy espresso machine for the break room, and they land on the balance sheet under fixed assets. A company, Red Co., purchases goods worth $10,000 from a supplier. The supplier allows the company to settle the amount within 60 days. However, the supplier also offers a purchase discount of 5% on the transaction if Red Co. pays the amount in 10 days.
Purchase discounts lost definition

For the past 52 years, Harold Averkamp (CPA, MBA) hasworked as an accounting supervisor, manager, consultant, university instructor, and innovator in teaching accounting online. He is the sole author of all the materials on AccountingCoach.com. For the past 52 years, Harold Averkamp (CPA, MBA) has worked as an accounting supervisor, manager, consultant, university instructor, and innovator in teaching accounting online. Chartered accountant Michael Brown is the founder and CEO of Double Entry Bookkeeping. He has worked as an accountant and consultant for more than 25 years and has built financial models for all types of industries.
