Planning a Purchase
Establish the purpose, quantity and limits of an order before requesting prices.
Keep the relevant records together and mark information that still needs confirmation. The following guides explain different parts of this stage, with examples and worksheets you can use for an individual purchase.
- 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.