The History of Consumer Credit

Before you establish your new credit identity, it is important to understand how the credit reporting system works, how it operates and how it affects you.

The roots of consumer credit goes as far back as man can remember. It starts with someone or some business having a product or service to sell. Either the price of the product is beyond the reach of the average person or payment for the product is not convenient at the time of sale and that's what gives birth to a consumer credit program.

Take, for example a moderately priced automobile at $13,500. The manufacturer, in order to make a profit, needs to sell many vehicles at this price. But how many of us can plop down $13,500 in one lump sum?

If the manufacturer only sold automobiles to people who could afford to pay in one lump sum, he would sell very few cars. Consequently, the price would skyrocket from $13,500 to let's say $113,500, due to the manufacturer's need to make an equitable profit. On the other hand, the manufacturer couldn't make any money if he sold the same automobile for $400.

So the manufacturer needs to sell the automobile at a price consistent with perceived value and quality, but still make it available to people who don't have the entire $13,500. That's why the automobile loan business is so big.

Another example. Actually, this next example is rooted deep in our history. When the payment for products or services is inconvenient at the time of sale, a merchant (or creditor) typically offers payment terms, usually within 30 days.

This type of consumer credit can be traced back to the General Store days when a patron would typically pick up a few things, charge them to an open account and agree to pay the entire account by the end of the month.

Those days are pretty much long gone, replaced by major credit cards and department store cards. But the principle is still the same. The only difference today is that theoretically you never have to completely pay off a charge account. As long as you pay the interest on the account or the minimum payment, you can continue to charge to this account, up to the credit limit, without ever paying off the original debt. This is how a lot of people get into serious trouble and consequently damage their credit files almost irreparably.

As an evolution of this process, it was natural that some kind of credit reporting system would emerge.

Creditors became concerned that they were doing business with a consumer who would repay their account in a timely fashion, and had proven timely repayment with other creditors as well.

So the credit bureaus were born and began to track credit information on individuals and businesses, selling that information to subscribers (creditors) and receiving information as well.

You should understand that the relationship between the credit bureau and the subscriber can (with your permission only) receive information about your current credit status. But, in exchange, the subscriber must provide payment history and account information to the credit bureau. This, however, transpires without your permission.

In other words, only you can authorize access to your credit file but once you have, your creditor has carte blanch to report any credit information on your file he chooses, even if the information is incorrect!

psugirl

 

Oopsy,
thanks Greg! your great,

and by the way, i didnt get the information from off of a website.

psugirl