INVOICE DEFINITION
Business Definition for: invoice bill prepared by a seller of goods or services and submitted to the buyer. The invoice describes such items as date, customer, vendor, quantities, prices, freight, and credit terms of a transaction. Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms invoice bill prepared by a seller of goods or services and submitted to the purchaser. The invoice lists all the items bought, together with amounts. Dictionary of Business Terms invoice bill prepared by a seller of goods or services and submitted to the purchaser. The invoice lists all items bought, together with amounts owed. Dictionary of Marketing Terms invoice bill or document showing the amount owed, the item(s) purchased, the price and quantity, and the billing date, and requesting payment for a credit order. In many businesses, particularly direct marketing , invoices are accompanied by a letter and a reply envelope . Related Terms: Dictionary of Marketing Terms direct mail promotion campaign that attempts to collect payment for goods delivered prior to payment, as in the case of a magazine subscription or a catalog order. The copy on each effort in a billing series is progressively harsher in tone. The first effort usually thanks the buyer for his order and gently invites him to pay. The last effort is colloquially termed a "pay or die" message. At the conclusion of the billing series, the unpaid accounts are turned over to a collection agent or written off as bad-debt expense. Dictionary of Marketing Terms secondary document, usually of a promotional nature, mailed along with an invoice to make optimal use of the mailing expense already incurred; also called bill enclosure, bill stuffer, or statement stuffer. For example, a telephone service bill might include an insert advertising an encyclopedia or a local car wash. Dictionary of Marketing Terms advance renewal of a subscription ordered at the same time that payment for the current subscription is sent; abbreviated RAB. Many publishers offer RABs at special rates to increase cash flow and to extend the term of the subscriptions sold. RAB offers usually include wording such as "pay $12 for one year, or double your savings and get two years for only $18." RABs are not a major source of business relative to other sources such as cold mail promotions, because relatively few customers will accept the offer to double their purchase. However, their cost is so minimal as to make them one of the most profitable.