What is the general rule regarding security interests and buyers in the ordinary course?

The general rule regarding security interests and buyers in the ordinary course of business emphasizes the protection afforded to buyers who purchase goods in a typical transaction without knowledge of any existing security interest. In this context, when a buyer purchases goods from a seller who is in the ordinary course of business and the seller has granted a security interest in those goods, the buyer is typically free from that security interest, meaning they can obtain the goods without being encumbered by that interest.

Thus, the correct answer indicates that a perfected security interest generally follows the collateral. This means that while the security interest exists and can be enforced against the collateral, it does not affect the rights of a buyer in the ordinary course who has purchased the goods from the seller. Buyers in this category can acquire title free from existing perfected security interests if they buy the goods without notice of that security interest, allowing them to purchase goods without the burden of pre-existing claims.

This principle helps facilitate fluid commerce by ensuring that parties in ordinary transactions can confidently engage without being overly concerned about security interests that might cloud a seller's title to goods being sold. Buyers in good faith and in the ordinary conduct of business typically have protections that allow them to take ownership without worrying about creditors' claims following the collateral.