> In fact, with almost every purchase that involves a loan, the company offering the loan is different than the company offering the product / service.

I suspect this isn't true. Amazon puts up some pretty intrusive financing offers on all kinds of products. Jewelry is commonly purchased with vendor financing. Electronics are commonly purchased with vendor financing. Cars are usually purchased with vendor financing.

It's true that such vendor financing may be technically offered through a separate corporate form, but I don't think a company created by a retailer in order to offer financing specifically and exclusively on that retailer's products really counts as a "different company" in any real sense.