bulk-buying


bulk-buying

the purchase of raw materials, components and finished products in large quantities, thereby enabling a BUYER to take advantage of DISCOUNTS off suppliers’ LIST PRICES. A supplier may offer a price discount to encourage the placement of large orders as a means of obtaining extra sales in order to exploit fully the ECONOMIES OF SCALE in production and distribution. In many cases, however, the initiative lies with buyers, with powerful retailing and wholesaling groups exacting favourable price concessions from suppliers by playing one supplier off against another. See CHAIN STORE, OLIGOPSONY, MONOPSONY.