Early payment discounts are quite expensive, and so should only be offered to customers when the seller is having severe cash flow problems. The problem is that the effective interest rate the company is offering to its customers through a discount deal is extremely high. For example, allowing customers to take a two percent discount if they pay in 10 days, versus the usual 30, means that the company is offering a two percent discount in order to obtain cash 20 days earlier than normal. An interest rate of two percent for twenty days equates to an annualized rate of about 36 percent. The seller should be able to obtain less-expensive debt from some other source than paying this amount through its early payment discount deals.

Furthermore, many customers will not pay within the 10-day discount period, but will still take the discount. This can lead to a great deal of difficulty in obtaining payment of the withheld discount. Consequently, early payment discounts - especially for substantial amounts - should only be offered when a business is in dire financial straits and has no other sources of cash.