This was (and still is) the norm in Mumbai where I grew up. We had an account at the local grocery store; the store owner knew us by name and would let us buy snacks on the way back home from school or after a cricket match. The term “khaata” (translation: account) is well known in Mumbai, and should evoke feelings of nostalgia about a simpler time for others who grew up in Mumbai like I did.

Accounts were typically settled at the end of the month. The system is predicated on trust and customer service.