Accounting – Merchandising Transactions

This free online course looks at the way in which the buying and selling of goods is accounted for in the merchandising sector as opposed to the manufacturing sector. As the inventory is the focus of such businesses, managing the accounts and finance related to purchasing, trade and chain discount, transport costs and invoice terms is critical as they are the major contributors to the gross profit. Students will also learn about the differences between perpetual and periodic inventory processes, both from a physical and accounting perspective. The learner will be walked through the process of calculating the cost of paying for goods as per the invoice terms, using borrowed monies, versus the cost of paying for them on the invoice due date. The learner will see how to calculate the cost of goods sold and see an example of a classified income statement used to calculate the net profit for this sector. This free online accounting course will be of great interest to entrepreneurs and business professionals who would like to better understand the management of stock and related cash flow for the wholesale and retail sectors, and to any learner who is interested in accounting as a future career.

To qualify for your official ALISON Diploma, Certificate or PDF you must study and complete all modules and score 80% or more in each of the course assessments. A link to your Diploma certificate will then appear under the My Certificates heading of your My Account page.

Having studied this course learners will be able to: - Record journal entries for sales transactions involving merchandise; - Describe briefly cost of goods sold and the distinction between perpetual and periodic inventory procedures; - Record journal entries for purchase transactions involving merchandise; - Describe the freight terms and record transportation costs. Determine cost of goods sold; - Prepare a classified income statement; - Analyze and use the financial results—gross margin percentage; - Prepare a work sheet and closing entries for a merchandising company;