Accounting Treatment of Purchase Discounts Shawnee Corp., a household appliances dealer, purchases its inventories from various suppliers. Shawnee has consistently stated its inventories at the lower of cost (FIFO) or market. Shawnee is considering alternate methods of accounting for the cash discounts it takes when paying its suppliers promptly. From a theoretical standpoint, discuss the acceptability of each of the following methods.

(a) Financial income when payments are made.

(b) Reduction of cost of goods sold for the period when payments are made.

(c) Direct reduction of purchase cost.

(AICPA adapted)