Which amount would be typical for a prompt payment discount?

• A. 1%
• B. 2%
• C. 4%
• D. 6%

Answer: (C)

A prompt payment discount is an incentive offered by a supplier to encourage paying an invoice quickly, which helps the supplier improve cash flow. In practice, these discounts are usually in the low single-digit range, and four percent is a representative example of what might be offered to prompt payment. It provides a meaningful incentive for the buyer while still protecting the supplier’s margins.

Smaller incentives, like one or two percent, exist but are less typical as the standard prompt-pay offer. A six percent discount would be unusually generous and harder for most suppliers to sustain, making it less common.