Payment times of enterprises, whether suppliers (55 days on average in 2012) or clients (43 days), were characterised by both a high dependence on their industry or their size and marked heterogeneity within the same industry or class of headcount. Thus, in 2012, the client payment period was 13 days less than in half of enterprises. It was less than eight days in the three quarters of enterprises producing goods or services for households (B to C, business to consumer). Conversely, it is higher in sectors oriented towards enterprises (B to B, business to business) and much more dispersed: 25% of these enterprises had client payment times of more than 74.5 days. This divide was not present in supplier payment times. Moreover, enterprises with more than 5,000 employees had client and supplier payment times which were less dispersed than the others. Since 2009, payment times have decreased across the market sector by four days on average, by four days for supplier payment times and by two days for client payment times. However, this very comprehensive approach does not account of the diversity of situations faced by companies: one in three companies only had a reduction in both its supplier and client payment times, both increased in one in five, one in four had shorter client payment times and longer supplier payment times and one in six the opposite.