Enhance Your Operation 2: Purchasing & Order Raw Product (or Supply Management)

This continues our series on improving the operations of your business
Purchasing materials, supplies, and goods impact the profit of your company. Raw goods constitute a major portion of the overhead of manufacturing companies. Decreasing the cost of goods and materials could significantly increase your profit margin. In addition, small office supplies that slip through your fingers can increase your overhead. Identifying bulk discounts saves money. Today, we will discuss tips and suggestions to better control your purchasing and raw product orders.
Sources Where You Can Find Tips about Purchasing
Several web sites offer suggestions about purchasing supplies, raw materials, or goods. Here are a few you may want to try:

• Business.com offers tips about Purchasing Resources for Office Supplies 
  • “Taking full-advantage of the Web sites of major office stores can: save time, save money, and save your sanity.”
    
  • “Cut web time to a minimum with one-click ordering and even personal sites…with pre-set shopping categories”
    
  • “Ask about discount programs if your company has more than 20 employees…talk to your stores small-business re about volume discounts and special small business ordering.”
    
  • Buy store brands: “office stores will happily sell you their own brand of their highest volume (and highest margin) products, sometimes at  substantial savings.”
    
  • “Go to the warehouse-shopping route. Office stores will often cut you a deal for buying in bulk.”
    
  • “Get personalized office products and services”
• Keith Taylor shares a slide show 10 Ways To Improve Your Purchasing Department
  
• Bastian Solutions provides Tips for Purchasing Material Handling Equipment Online
  
• Next Level Purchasing describes Service vs. Manufacturing Industry Purchasing
  
• The Institute for Supply Management shares articles about supply chain issues
  
• Gartner Group shares an article on the role of procurement risk management
  
• Supply Management gives information about large corporate purchasing practices
  
• WiseGeek also gives good advice titled What are Procurement Best Practices

Managing the purchasing, procurement, and risk management of your business contributes directly to your profits. Make the investment to study these sites.Join me Saturday when we explore how to use the best equipment