Purchasing Methods
Purchasing Methods
Market Purchasing
The advantages of this method are: lower purchase prices, more margin on
finished products due to lower material cost and saving in purchase
expenses. This method suffers from some limitations: losses in case of
wrong judgment, fear of obsolescence, higher storing expenses due to
more purchases.
Speculative Purchasing
This method is used for the purchase of those goods which are regularly
required. These goods are needed in small quantity and chances of price
fluctuations are negligible. The needs for specific period are assessed and
purchases made accordingly. The requirements for such purchases may be
assessed on the basis of past experience, period for which supplies are
needed, carrying cost of inventory etc.
Contract Purchasing
Under this method the suppliers are supplied a probable time schedule for
material requirements so that they are in a position to arrange these in
time. An accurate production schedule is prepared for estimating future
material needs. The suppliers are informed of probable needs and orders
are sent accordingly. The schedule provided by the purchaser to the vendor
is not a contract. This is only a gentleman’s agreement for terms and
conditions of purchases. The main objectives of this method are: minimum
inventory, prompt service. low prices, quality goods etc.
Co-operative Purchasing:
Small industrial units may join to pool their requirements and then place
bulk orders with dealers. This will help them in availing rebates on large
quantity purchases, cash discounts and savings in transportation costs.
After receiving the materials these are divided among the member units.
Co-operative purchasing helps small units in availing the benefits of bulk
purchasing.
TYPICAL TYPES OF PURCHASES
Raw materials Items with a lack of processing by the supplier Chemicals, coal, lumber, copper, zinc,
into a newly formed product. Often these raw
materials are not of equal quality and are
purchased by “grade.”
Semi-finished products All items purchased from a supplier required to Components, subassemblies, assemblies,
and components support an organization’s final that are subsystems, and systems (seat assembly,
production. steering assembly, doors, and posts)
Finished products Products for internal use or products that require Furniture, computers, cars, and carts
no major processing before resale to the end
customer.
Maintenance, repair, and Items that do not go directly into an Spare parts, office and cleaning supplies
operating items (MRO) organization’s product but are required to run the
business.
Production support items Materials required for packaging and shipping. Tape, bags, inserts, and shrink-wrap
Services Services required to support the facility or the Customer support, temporary labor,
business. facilities, and legal
Capital equipment Assets intended to be used for more than one Machinery, computer systems, and
year. material-handling equipment
Transportation and third- A specialized type of service buying to manage Rail, truck, ocean, 3PL, and multimodal
party purchasing inbound and outbound material flows.
Sales /Mktg Support To Purchase various material or services which Foreign Tour / Pens/ Catalogue/ Gifts
Type of Purchase Description Examples