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Glossary · Selling to retail

Purchase order

A buyer's document ordering specific products, quantities and terms from a supplier.

Why it matters for a product launch

The purchase order sets what you ship and when, so read its terms, not only the quantities.

General definition for education only, not legal, tax or customs advice.

Related terms

  • EDI: Computer-to-computer exchange of standard business documents, such as purchase orders, invoices and advance ship notices. ANSI X12 is the common standard in North America.
  • ASN: An electronic notice listing what is in a shipment, sent to the buyer before it arrives, usually by EDI.
  • Vendor setup: The process a retailer uses to register a new supplier in its systems so it can place orders and pay invoices.

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Find and negotiate with the right suppliers, then manage the move from prototype to full-scale production, with quality control and timeline management.

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