IFRS 15 Retail – the finest perfect examples

IFRS 15 Retail revenue – finest perfect examples

Retail is the process of selling consumer goods or services to customers through multiple channels of distribution to earn a profit. Retailers satisfy demand identified through a supply chain. The term “retailer” is typically applied where a service provider fills the small orders of many individuals, who are end-users, rather than large orders of a small number of wholesale, corporate or government clientele. (Source: Wikipedia)

So what is the IFRS 15 guidance for retail?

Here are the cases covering the most significant accounting topics for retail in IFRS 15.


Case – Customer incentives Buy three, get coupon for one free

Death By Chocolate Ltd, a high street chain, is offering a promotion whereby a customer who purchases three boxes of chocolates at €20 per box in a single transaction in a store receives an offer for one free box of chocolates if the customer fills out a request form and mails it to them before a set expiration date.

Death By Chocolate estimates, based on recent experience with similar promotions, that 80% of the customers will complete the mail in rebate required to receive the free box of chocolates.

How is a ‘buy three, get one free’ transaction accounted for and presented by Death By Chocolate?

The rules

IFRS 15.22 states: “At contract inception, an entity shall assess the goods or services promised in a contract with a customer and shall identify as a performance obligation each promise to transfer to the customer either:IFRS 15 Retail

  1. a good or service (or a bundle of goods or services) that is distinct; or
  2. a series of distinct goods or services that are substantially the same and that have the same pattern of transfer to the customer (see paragraph 23).”

IFRS 15.26 provides examples of distinct goods and services, including “granting options to purchase additional goods or services (when those options provide a customer with a material right, as described in paragraphs B39-B43)”.

IFRS 15.B40: “If , in a contract, an entity grants a customer the option to acquire additional goods or services, that option gives rise to a performance obligation in the contract only if the option provides a material right to the customer that it would not receive without entering into that contract (for example, a discount that is incremental to the range of discounts typically given for those goods or services to that class of customer in that geographical area or market).

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IFRS 15 Contract modifications Decision tree

IFRS 15 Contract modifications Decision tree guides you through the treatment of changes in contracts under IFRS 15 Revenue from contracts with customers. Parties to an arrangement frequently agree to modify the scope or price (or both) of their contract. If that happens, an entity must determine whether the modification is accounted for as a new contract or as part of the existing contract. Generally, it is clear when a contract modification has taken place, but in some circumstances, that determination is more difficult. [see IFRS 15 18 – 19] Account for contract modifications timely IFRS 15 indicates that an entity may have to account for a contract modification prior to the parties reaching final agreement on changes in scope … Read more

Revenue from additional goods or services

Revenue from additional goods or services – Under some contracts, entities provide the customer with the right to future purchases of additional tech products or services for an amount below fair value. Under IFRS 15, such options are separate performance obligations if they provide a material right to the customer that it would not receive without entering into that contract. For example, it may convey a material right if the discount exceeds the range of discounts typically given for those goods or services to that class of customer in that geographical area or market. If an option is a separate performance obligation, a portion of the transaction price is allocated to the option (see Allocation of transaction price to performance … Read more

Performance obligation

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer to the customer either 1 distinct goods/services or 2 a series of distinct goods/services

2 Strong Options to purchase additional goods or services

Options to purchase additional goods or services Contracts frequently include options for customers to purchase additional goods or services in the future. Customer options that provide a material right to the customer (such as a free or discounted good or service) give rise to a separate performance obligation. In this case, the performance obligation is the option itself, rather than the underlying goods or services. Management will allocate a portion of the transaction price to such options, and recognize revenue allocated to the option when the additional goods or services are transferred to the customer, or when the option expires. The additional consideration that would result from a customer exercising an option in the future is not included in the … Read more

Identify the contract with the customer – Engineering & Construction industry

Identify the contract with the customer – This part relates to a complete explanation of IFRS 15 Revenue from contracts with customers in respect of Engineering & Construction contracts, see Revenue from Engineering & Construction contracts. Identify the contract with the customer The model in IFRS 15 applies to each contract with a customer. Contracts may be written, oral or implied by an entity’s customary business practices, but must be legally enforceable and meet specified attributes. To apply the five-step model in IFRS 15, an entity must first identify the contract, or contracts, to provide goods or services to customers. Attributes of a contract Identify the contract with the customer To help entities determine whether (and when) their arrangements with … Read more

Promises in a contract – IFRS 15 Best complete read

What are promises in a contract, from an accounting/financial reporting point of view and from a legal point of view. IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers (contents page is here) introduced a single and comprehensive framework which sets out how much revenue is to be recognised, and when. The core principle is that a vendor should recognise revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the vendor expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. See a summary of IFRS 15 here. Promises in a contract from an accounting/financial reporting point of view Promises in a contract can be explicit, or implicit if … Read more