Wholesale houses usually invoice their goods to retailers at "list" prices. List prices were once upon a time supposed to be retail prices, but of late a system of " long" list prices has come into vogue in many lines of trade - that is, the list price is made exorbitantly high, so that wholesalers can give enormous discounts. These discounts, whether large or small, are called trade discounts, and are usually deducted at a certain rate per cent from the face of invoice.

The amount of discount generally depends upon size of bill or terms of settlement, or both. Sometimes two or more discounts are allowed.

Thus 30% and 5% is expressed 30 and 5, meaning first a discount of 30% and then 5% from the remainder.

Thirty and 5 is not 35%, but 331/2%. Ten, 5 and 3 off means three successive discounts.

A wholesale house allowing 10, 5 and 3 off gets more for its goods than it would at 18 off.