remise

Remise is a term used in commerce to denote a reduction applied to the price of goods or services. It originates from the French word remettre and is widely used in French-speaking business contexts. A remise can take several forms, including commercial discounts offered to retailers or wholesalers, quantity or seasonal allowances to encourage larger purchases, and deductions from an invoice known as remise sur facture.

In some contexts, the term also covers discounts for prompt payment, often referred to as escompte. Although escompte is a precise financial term in many jurisdictions, remise is sometimes used more broadly to describe any agreed reduction in the amount due.

In accounting, a remise reduces the amount billed and is reflected differently depending on whether the seller or the buyer is recording the transaction. For sellers, the remise reduces revenue or is recorded as a contra-revenue item; for buyers, it lowers the amount payable. The exact treatment can vary by jurisdiction, contract terms, and company policy.

Remises are typically negotiated as part of commercial contracts and can depend on payment terms, order quantities, or performance criteria. They remain common in French-speaking markets and in international trade documents that use French terminology, but in English-language practice they are usually described with terms such as discount, rebate, or price allowance.

See also: discount, rebate, price reduction, cash discount.