One Large-sales companies, which operate by purchasing unpaid customer accounts at a discount from merchants and collecting payments due from consumers, were a response to the need for installment financing for the purchase of automobiles in the early 1900s. Ally Financial, for example, was established as the General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) in 1919 to purchase automobile accounts receivable from car dealers who were themselves unable to finance time purchases. Many companies in both Europe and the United States continue to specialize in financing purchases of particular commodities and remain closely associated with specific manufacturers. Some also extend credit for wholesale purchases by retail dealers.
