Purchasing Reference
The purchasing reference follows an order from the first inquiry through receiving and review. Select the stage you are working on, or browse the complete list below.
- Planning a Purchase
Establish the purpose, quantity and limits of an order before requesting prices.
- Reviewing Products and Suppliers
Keep a clear record of the product being considered and the information still required.
- Comparing Quotations
Compare like quantities, complete pack contents and the costs included in each proposal.
- Order Preparation
Prepare an order record that makes product, assortment and delivery requirements clear.
- Receiving and Stock Records
Check arriving merchandise against the agreed order and record differences promptly.
- Retail Presentation and Reordering
Use shelf space and store records to decide what to display, retain and reorder.
All Purchasing Guides
36 entries
- Preparing a First Bulk Order
A first order should answer a specific retail question: which item, for which customers, in what quantity and by what date?
- Choosing a Trial Order Quantity
A trial quantity should be small enough to review but large enough to produce useful observations in the intended display.
- Assortment Width and Depth
Width is the number of different choices offered; depth is the quantity held of each choice.
- Preparing a Seasonal Order Calendar
A seasonal calendar works backward from the date goods need to be on the sales floor, not merely the date of the event.
- Reviewing Online Interest for a Physical Store
An online product's visibility is a reason to investigate it, not a forecast of sales at a particular store.
- Replacement Stock or an Additional Range
Replacing an existing line and introducing a new one are different purchasing decisions.
- Keeping a Product Listing Record
A listing can change after an inquiry is sent.
- Preparing a Supplier Contact Record
A clear contact record helps the buyer connect a quotation with the organization and person who issued it.
- Reviewing a Product Sample
A sample review should follow a written list of questions about the product being considered.
- Recording Usable Product Dimensions
Outside dimensions, internal dimensions and packaged dimensions answer different questions.
- Checking Retail Pack Contents
A retail pack should be described as a complete saleable unit, including its accessories, inserts and instructions.
- Keeping Product Claims with Their Supporting Information
Descriptions about materials, intended use, origin or performance should be tied to information about the exact product being purchased.
- Unit Price, Pack Price and Case Price
Prices can be quoted for one loose item, one retail pack or a case containing several packs.
- Understanding Minimum Order Quantities
A minimum may apply to a product, a variant, a case or the total order.
- Comparing Two Purchase Quotations
A fair comparison uses the same product specification, saleable quantity and delivery requirements for both proposals.
- Recording Additional Purchase Charges
A purchasing estimate should identify charges beyond the goods themselves, along with whether each amount is confirmed or only estimated.
- Quotation Dates and Validity
A quotation is a record of an offer made under stated conditions at a particular time.
- Estimating Landed Cost per Saleable Unit
For an internal purchasing estimate, divide the goods cost and the order-specific costs you have chosen to include by the number of saleable units.
- Writing a Purchase Brief
A purchase brief brings the main requirements into one document so the inquiry does not depend on details scattered across messages.
- Recording Variants and Colors
Each size, color or design that must be supplied in a particular quantity should have its own entry in the order record.
- Giving Clear Substitution Instructions
A substitution can change dimensions, packaging, materials or the retail assortment even when the replacement seems broadly similar.
- Preparing Delivery Address Details
A delivery record should identify the actual receiving location and any arrangements the parties have agreed for the shipment.
- Reviewing an Order Confirmation
An order confirmation should be compared with the accepted quotation and any later agreed changes before the buyer relies on it.
- Keeping an Order Change Log
An order change log records what changed, when it changed and who confirmed it.
- Preparing the Store for a Delivery
Receiving is easier when staff know what is expected, where it will be checked and where the goods will go afterward.
- Carton Counts and Unit Counts
The number of cartons received does not establish the number of saleable units inside them.
- Recording Damaged or Incomplete Goods
A useful receiving record describes the observed condition, affected quantity and order reference without guessing at the cause.
- Labeling Back Stock
Back-stock labels should allow another staff member to identify the product, variant and quantity without opening several cartons.
- Preparing a Stock Count Routine
A stock count is more useful when the counting unit and the treatment of open packs are agreed in advance.
- Keeping Purchase and Receiving Records Together
A purchase file should let staff trace the original requirement through quotation, confirmation and receipt.
- Planning a Small Merchandise Display
A useful display plan starts with the product's packed dimensions and the amount of space shoppers need to see and handle it.
- Writing Clear Shelf Tickets
Shelf tickets should answer the questions needed to identify the product and understand the price.
- Planning Related Product Displays
Related products can be displayed together when the connection helps customers understand their use.
- Reviewing Sell-Through for a Trial
Sell-through compares units sold during a defined review period with a clearly stated quantity available for that review.
- Preparing a Reorder Review
A reorder review should consider the remaining stock, recent sales conditions and the current purchasing terms together.
- Reviewing End-of-Season Merchandise
End-of-season stock needs a documented decision about continued display, storage, transfer or a planned price change.
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