B2B Buying Without a Credit Card: The Open Account & Term Invoice Guide
How do companies buy when there’s no corporate card? How open accounts, trade credit and term invoicing actually work.
Can you buy B2B in Türkiye without a company credit card?
Yes — and the card was never the standard instrument. Corporate purchasing here runs on an open (current) account with deferred invoicing: the order is placed, goods and invoice arrive, payment follows by bank transfer at the end of the term. A current account is usually not opened on the first order; the supplier wants to see payment behaviour across one or two prepaid or short-term transactions first. What you will be asked for: tax certificate (vergi levhası), signature circular, and a named contact.
Seen through consumer e-commerce habits it may look odd: in Türkiye and worldwide, the majority of corporate purchasing happens without credit cards. In most companies employees hold no corporate card — and where cards exist, limits and spend policies reserve them for exceptions. So how do large organisations buy? The answer: open account trading and term invoicing.
Why not cards?
- Control: A card means money leaves at the moment of spending, bypassing approval flows. The request-approval-order chain makes every spend visible in advance.
- Audit: Invoice + order + goods receipt tell the full story of every purchase. A card statement can’t.
- Cash flow: Term invoices let payment be scheduled weeks after delivery, easing working capital.
- Scale: Running a site’s monthly six-figure materials spend through a card is neither practical nor manageable for accounting.
How is an open account established?
An open account is a documented, trust-based trading arrangement between buyer and supplier. A typical setup:
- Introduction and documents: Tax registration, signature circulars and trade registry details are exchanged; the account is opened.
- Setting the terms: Payment terms (e.g. 30/45/60 days), delivery conditions and, where needed, a credit limit are agreed.
- First purchases: Early orders usually run on advance payment or short terms; as regular trade settles, terms and limits expand.
- Reconciliation: Monthly or periodic statements verify records on both sides.
How term invoicing works
The order is approved, goods are delivered, the invoice is issued — and payment follows at the agreed term, counted from invoice or delivery date as the contract states. For the buyer this means flexibility to match cash out with revenue; for the supplier, predictable collection.
Note: Terms are a financing instrument and can be reflected in pricing. Discounts for advance payment and premiums for long terms are normal market practice. The right question isn’t “the longest term” but “the total cost that best fits our cash flow”.
Combined with request-for-quote buying
Open account trading works best in the request-for-quote model: you send your needs list, receive a written quote, approve it, and the process closes with delivery and invoice. No card details, no online payment, no virtual POS — every step documented and respectful of your approval flow.
Frequently asked: “How do we start term trading with a new supplier?”
The sensible path is gradual: advance or short-term payment on first orders, moving to your standard terms as trust and volume build. A professional supplier will propose this progression themselves — all they expect is regular reconciliation and on-time payment.
At AKSCO, our whole working model is built on this routine: send your request and we’ll clarify payment and term options along with the quote. You don’t need a credit card — you never did.
| Method | Typical use | What the buyer needs to provide | Practical note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer (havale / EFT) | The default for first orders and for any supplier relationship that is not yet on account | Nothing beyond the company’s own bank details | Same-day settlement domestically; the supplier normally releases the goods on receipt |
| Open account (cari hesap) | Established relationships with recurring orders | Company details, tax registration, and usually a short trading history | Opened after the first order, not before it — this is the single most misunderstood point for buyers new to the market |
| Term invoice (vadeli fatura) | Planned, recurring spend where the buyer’s own cycle is monthly | An agreed term (commonly 30 / 45 / 60 days) written into the order | The supplier finances the term, so it is priced into the quote; asking for a longer term after the price is agreed reopens the price |
| Letter of credit / documentary collection | Export orders where neither side has a trading history with the other | Bank arrangement on the buyer’s side | Bank charges are material on small orders; usually only worth it above a meaningful order value |
| Corporate credit card | Small, ad-hoc purchases from retail-facing sellers | The card | Uncommon in Turkish B2B supply. Most suppliers are not set up to take one, which is why the question arises at all |
Payment terms are commercial, not regulatory — every point above is negotiable and belongs in the written order rather than in a phone call.
Can a foreign company buy from a Turkish supplier without a credit card?
Yes — in fact card payment is the exception rather than the rule in Turkish B2B supply. The normal route is bank transfer for the first order, moving to an open account with agreed terms once a trading history exists. For export orders, the currency, the Incoterm and who arranges freight are agreed at quotation stage and written on the order.
How long does it take to open an open account?
There is no fixed period; it depends on order frequency and value rather than on elapsed time. In practice, an account is usually opened after the first one or two orders have completed and settled without issue. Asking for terms before any order has been placed is the most common reason a request stalls — the first purchase generally begins with prepayment or a short term.
What documents does a Turkish supplier ask for?
For a domestic buyer: company title, tax office and tax number, and a delivery and invoicing address. For a foreign buyer: company details, the delivery country and the Incoterm you want to trade on. If your onboarding checklist includes a trade registry gazette or signature circular, tell us and we will send the equivalent documents that apply to us.
Is VAT charged on an export order?
Exports are generally exempt from Turkish VAT when the export formalities are completed, but the taxes and duties of the destination country are the buyer’s responsibility and are not included in our quote. Confirm the treatment with your own tax adviser before committing — this page is information, not tax advice.
Who pays the bank charges on an international transfer?
That is a choice made when the transfer is sent, and it belongs in the order rather than in an email afterwards. Under the common options the sender pays all charges, the beneficiary pays them, or they are shared — and under the shared option an invoice settled in full can still arrive short by the intermediary bank’s fee. Agree which applies before the first payment, because a short settlement has to be reconciled line by line later.
What happens if we need to change the quantity after the order is placed?
Tell us before the goods ship and it is usually a revised order and a revised invoice, at the same unit prices where the quantity break still holds. After shipment it becomes a return, which depends on the item: stock lines can normally be taken back in original packaging, while items ordered specially or cut to size cannot. The earlier the change is raised, the fewer documents have to be reissued.
Frequently Asked Questions
Send your needs list — your quote is ready within 1 business day.
Quotes are free of charge and carry no purchase obligation. Requests received during business hours (Mon–Fri, 09:00–18:00 Türkiye time, UTC+3) are processed the same day; those arriving outside them go to the front of the queue the next business morning.