Buying stock
What should a jewellery shop record when buying scrap gold or jewellery?
Record what you have checked, what you have paid and what will happen to each item next. Keep your purchase decision separate from assumptions about a future resale or scrap settlement.
A customer brings a small collection of unwanted jewellery. The items vary in material, condition and possible use. Some may suit resale after work; others may follow your scrap route. A total written on an envelope leaves too many questions once the pieces have been separated.
Record the basis of the purchase
Describe the items clearly and retain the measured information you used in the decision. Follow your shop's normal checking process for material and carat. A value selected in software records your assessment; it does not perform an assay or establish authenticity.
Use to keep the item details, customer and payment together. Check that weights and amounts have been entered in the intended units. Where the purchase contains different materials or groups, keep the lines understandable rather than hiding the differences in one description.
- Identify the customer and describe what was received.
- Record checked weight, carat and relevant observations.
- Make the agreed price and payment clear.
- Keep supporting information and the completed agreement together.
For example, a damaged piece may still have a possible resale route, but that decision needs an inspection and a realistic allowance for work. Do not describe an unconfirmed future selling price as though it were already a completed result.
See it in Stockbox
The scrap purchases recording enters weight, carat, price, customer and payment details. It demonstrates both publishing an item to hidden stock and progressing a scrap sale, with its price entered later where needed.
Choose the next route deliberately
The shown in the guide is useful to understand: recording a piece as in stock does not necessarily mean it should be offered publicly. Complete inspection, preparation and listing checks before making a resale item available to customers.
If the item is going through your scrap route, keep its purchase and later sale identifiable. Record the actual settlement when it is known and reconcile it against the relevant items. An estimate used when buying is not a replacement for the final transaction.
Keep physical groups and records aligned while moving items between the counter, storage and the next stage. A clear reference matters especially when several purchases look similar after they have been bagged or grouped.
Before closing the purchase
- Check measurements and amounts against your working notes.
- Confirm customer and payment information.
- Record whether the item awaits preparation or follows the scrap route.
- Attach references and assign responsibility for the next step.
Good scrap records let you explain the buying decision and follow what happened afterwards. They help the team distinguish an item awaiting judgement from one ready for sale, without relying on the person who originally handled it being present.
