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Managing Buyer Concentration Risk

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Managing Buyer Concentration Risk

03/08/2026

Strong customer relationships can help businesses grow.

However, relying too heavily on one buyer can increase exposure and create additional risk.

This is known as buyer concentration risk.


What is buyer concentration risk?

Buyer concentration risk occurs when a large share of a company's sales depends on one customer or a small group of customers.

If one of those buyers experiences financial difficulty, the impact on the exporter can be significant.


Why does this matter?

Managing concentration risk helps exporters:

  • Reduce dependency on individual buyers
  • Improve portfolio resilience
  • Support long-term business stability

A diversified customer base can help reduce overall exposure.


A simple example

An exporter generates nearly half of its annual revenue from a single overseas buyer.

While the relationship remains strong, any disruption to that buyer's ability to pay could have a significant impact on cash flow and business operations.

Understanding concentration risk helps businesses evaluate whether their exposure is appropriately balanced.


How Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI) helps

Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI) supports exporters by:

  • Helping businesses assess concentration risk
  • Providing insights into buyer exposure
  • Supporting stronger risk management practices

👉 Explore ECI’s trade credit insurance solutions.