A credit approval and authorization system includes a credit request device, such as a terminal, located in a sales location, such as a store. The credit request device is operable to receive customer-related information, including a credit request, and to communicate the customer-related information to a credit analysis module. If the credit request is approved by the credit analysis module, the credit analysis module generates a conditional offer and the credit request device directs the customer to a point of sale system, such as a cash register, within the sales location, for manual verification of the customer's identity by an employee of the merchant. If the conditional offer is accepted and the identity of the customer is verified at the point of sale system, an activation module operates to establish a credit account. The system also includes an authorization module operable to determine whether to authorize use of the credit account to make a purchase.