Chapter 5
Accounting Principles, 7
th
 Edition 
Weygandt  Kieso  Kimmel 
After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 
1 identify the differences between a service      
enterprise and a merchandising company 
2 explain the entries for purchases under a  
perpetual inventory system 
3 explain the entries for sales revenues under a  
perpetual inventory system 
4 explain the steps in the accounting cycle for a    
merchandising company 
ACCOUNTING FOR MERCHANDISING 
OPERATIONS 
5 distinguish between a multiple-step and a 
single-step income statement 
6 explain the computation and importance of 
gross profit 
7 determine the cost of goods sold under a 
periodic system 
CHAPTER 5                      
ACCOUNTING FOR MERCHANDISING  
OPERATIONS 
After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 
MERCHANDISING COMPANY 
  A merchandising company buys and 
sells goods to earn a profit. 
  1) Wholesalers sell to retailers 
  2) Retailers sell to consumers 
 
Primary source of revenue is Sales 
 Expenses for a merchandiser are divided into 
two categories: 
   1  Cost of goods sold  
 The total cost of merchandise sold during the period 
  2  Operating expenses  
 Expenses incurred in the process of earning sales revenue 
(Examples: sales salaries and insurance expense) 
 
 Gross profit is equal to Sales Revenue less Cost of 
Goods Sold 
MEASURING NET INCOME 
INCOME MEASUREMENT PROCESS 
FOR A MERCHANDISING COMPANY 
OPERATING CYCLES FOR A SERVICE 
COMPANY AND A MERCHANDISING 
COMPANY 
INVENTORY SYSTEMS 
Merchandising entities may use either:  
1) Perpetual Inventory 
  Detailed records of the cost of each item are 
   maintained, and the cost of each item sold is 
  determined from records when the sale  
  occurs. 
2) Periodic Inventory 
  Cost of goods sold is determined only at the 
  end of  an accounting period. 
PERPETUAL VS. PERIODIC 
COST OF GOODS SOLD 
 To determine the cost of goods sold  
 under a periodic inventory system: 
1) Determine the cost of goods on hand at  
    the beginning of the accounting period, 
2) Add to it the cost of goods purchased,   
    and 
3) Subtract the cost of goods on hand at   
     the end of the accounting period. 
 Merchandise is purchased for resale to customers, 
the account 
 Merchandise Inventory is debited for the cost 
of goods. 
 Like sales, purchases may be made for cash or on 
account (credit). 
 The purchase is normally recorded by the 
purchaser when the goods  are received from the 
seller. 
 Each credit purchase should be supported by a 
purchase invoice. 
PURCHASES OF MERCHANDISE 
STUDY OBJECTIVE 2 
PURCHASES OF MERCHANDISE 
 
SALES INVOICE 
PURCHASES OF MERCHANDISE 
For purchases on account, 
Merchandise Inventory is debited 
and Accounts Payable is credited. 
 
GENERAL JOURNAL 
 
  Date  Account Titles and Explanation  Dr.  Cr.   
     May  4  Merchandise Inventory       
         Accounts Payable       
              (To record goods purchased on       
              account, terms 2/10, n/30, from       
              Sellers Electronix)       
 
         
 
3,800 
              3,800 
 A purchaser may be dissatisfied with merchandise 
received because the goods: 
    1) are damaged or defective, 
    2) are of inferior quality, or 
    3) are not in accord with the purchasers         
       specifications. 
 The purchaser initiates the request for a reduction of 
the balance due through the issuance of a debit 
memorandum (purchasers debit decreases A/P!). 
 The debit memorandum is a document issued by a 
buyer to inform a seller that the sellers account has 
been debited because of unsatisfactory merchandise. 
PURCHASE RETURNS AND 
ALLOWANCES 
PURCHASE RETURNS AND 
ALLOWANCES 
For purchases returns and allowances, 
Accounts Payable is debited and 
Merchandise Inventory is credited. 
 
GENERAL JOURNAL 
 
  Date  Account Titles and Explanation  Dr.  Cr.   
     May  8  Accounts Payable       
         Merchandise Inventory       
              (To record return of inoperable       
              goods received from Sellers        
              Electronix, DM No. 126)       
 
         
 
300 
  300 
A sales agreement should indicate whether the seller or the buyer is 
to pay the cost of transporting the goods to the buyers place of 
business. 
 
 FOB Shipping Point 
  1) Goods placed free on board the carrier                           
  by seller 
  2) Buyer pays freight costs 
 
 FOB Destination            
  1) Goods placed free on board at                                   
  buyers business 
  2) Seller pays freight costs 
FREE ON BOARD 
 Merchandise Inventory is debited if 
buyer pays freight. 
 Freight-out (or Delivery Expense) is 
debited if seller pays freight. 
ACCOUNTING FOR FREIGHT 
COSTS 
ACCOUNTING FOR FREIGHT 
COSTS 
When the purchaser directly incurs the freight costs, the account 
Merchandise Inventory is debited and Cash is credited. 
GENERAL JOURNAL
Date Account Titles and Explanation Dr. Cr.
May  6 Merchandise Inventory
     Cash
          (To record payment of freight,
          terms FOB shipping point)
150 
  150 
ACCOUNTING FOR FREIGHT 
COSTS 
Freight costs incurred by the seller on outgoing 
merchandise are debited to Freight-out (or 
Delivery Expense) and Cash is credited. 
GENERAL JOURNAL
Date Account Titles and Explanation Dr. Cr.
May  4 Freight-out (Delivery Expense)
     Cash
          (To record payment of freight on
          goods sold FOB destination)
150 
  150 
PURCHASE DISCOUNTS 
 Credit terms may permit the buyer to claim 
a cash discount for the prompt payment of 
a balance due. 
 The buyer calls this discount a          
purchase discount. 
 Like a sales discount, a                     
purchase discount is based on                   
the invoice cost less returns                      
and allowances, if any. 
PURCHASE DISCOUNTS 
If payment is made within the discount period, Accounts 
Payable is debited, Cash is credited, and Merchandise 
inventory is credited for the discount taken. 
GENERAL JOURNAL
Date Account Titles and Explanation Dr. Cr.
   May 14 Accounts Payable
     Cash
     Merchandise Inventory
          (To record payment within
          discount period)
3,500 
  3,430 
       70 
If payment is made after the discount 
period, Accounts Payable is debited and 
Cash is credited for the full amount. 
GENERAL JOURNAL
Date Account Titles and Explanation Debit Credit
June   3 Accounts Payable
     Cash
          (To record payment with no
          discount taken)
3,500 
  3,500 
SAVINGS OBTAINED BY TAKING 
PURCHASE DISCOUNT 
  Discount of 2% on $3,500  $   70.00   
  Interest received on $3,500 (for 20 days at 10%)     ( 19.44)   
  Savings by taking the discount  $   50.56   
       
 
 A buyer should usually take all available discounts. 
If Beyer Video takes the discount, it pays $70 less in cash. 
If it forgoes the discount and invests the $3,500 for 20 days 
at 10% interest, it will earn only $19.44 in interest. 
The savings obtained by taking the discount is calculated as 
follows: 
 Revenues  (Revenue recognition 
principle) 
 Earned when the goods are transferred 
from seller to buyer 
 
 All sales should be supported by a document 
such as a cash register tape or sales                                     
invoice. 
SALES TRANSACTIONS 
 STUDY OBJECTIVE 3 
RECORDING CASH SALES 
 For cash sales, Cash is debited and Sales is credited. 
 For the cost of goods sold for cash, Cost of Goods    
  Sold is debited and Merchandise Inventory is credited. 
GENERAL JOURNAL
Date Account Titles and Explanation Dr. Cr.
May  4 Cash
     Sales
          (To record daily cash sales)
            4 Cost of Goods Sold
     Merchandise Inventory
          (To record cost of merchandise
          sold for cash)
2,200 
  2,200 
 
1,400 
  1,400 
RECORDING CREDIT SALES 
 For credit sales, Accounts Receivable is debited and Sales is credited. 
 For the cost of goods sold on account, Cost of Goods Sold is debited 
  and Merchandise Inventory is credited. 
 
GENERAL JOURNAL 
 
  Date  Account Titles and Explanation  Dr.  Cr.   
  May  4  Accounts Receivable       
         Sales       
              (To record credit sales to Beyer       
              Video per invoice #731)       
           
              4  Cost of Goods Sold       
         Merchandise Inventory       
              (To record cost of merchandise       
              sold on invoice #731 to Beyer       
              Video)       
 
         
 
3,800 
  3,800 
 
 
2,400 
  2,400 
 Sales Returns  
  Customers dissatisfied with merchandise 
and are allowed to return the goods to the 
seller for credit or a refund. 
 Sales Allowances  
 Result when customers are dissatisfied and 
the seller allows a deduction from the 
selling price. 
SALES RETURNS AND 
ALLOWANCES 
 Credit memorandum  
 the seller prepares a form to inform the 
customer that a credit has been made to the 
customers account receivable 
 Sales Returns and Allowances  
 Contra revenue account to the Sales 
account 
 The normal balance of Sales Returns 
and Allowances is a debit 
SALES RETURNS AND 
ALLOWANCES 
RECORDING SALES RETURNS 
AND ALLOWANCES 
The sellers entry to record a credit memorandum involves a debit to the 
Sales Returns and Allowances account and a credit to Accounts 
Receivable.  The entry to record the cost of the returned goods involves 
a debit to Merchandise Inventory and a credit to Cost Goods Sold. 
 
GENERAL JOURNAL 
 
  Date  Account Titles and Explanation  Dr.  Cr.   
  May  8  Sales Returns and Allowances       
         Accounts Receivable       
              (To record return of inoperable       
              goods delivered to Beyer Video,       
              per credit memorandum)       
           
              8  Merchandise Inventory       
         Cost of Goods Sold       
              (To record cost of goods returned       
              per credit memorandum)       
 
         
 
300 
  300 
 
 
 
140 
  140 
 Sales discount 
 Offer of a cash discount to a customer for the 
prompt payment of a balance due 
 Is a contra revenue account with a normal debit 
balance 
 Example:  Credit sale has the terms 3/10, n/30, a 3% 
discount is allowed if payment is made within 10 
days.  After 10 days there is no discount, and the 
balance is due in 30 days. 
 
SALES DISCOUNTS 
  T  E  R  M  S  E  X  P  L  A  N  A  T  I  O  N   
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
 
CREDIT TERMS 
   Credit terms specify the amount and time    
  period for the cash discount 
 Indicates the length of time in which the purchaser is 
expected to pay the full invoice price 
                                                                                                    
2/10, n/30               A 2% discount may be taken if payment is made 
       within 10 days of the invoice date. 
 
1/10 EOM             A 1% discount is available if payment is made 
       by the 10
th
 of the next month.  
RECORDING  
SALES DISCOUNTS 
When cash discounts are taken by 
customers, the seller debits Sales Discounts. 
 
GENERAL JOURNAL 
 
  Date  Account Titles and Explanation  Dr.  Cr.   
  May 14  Cash       
    Sales Discounts       
         Accounts Receivable       
              (To record collection within 2/10,       
              n/30 discount period from Beyer       
              Video)       
           
 
3,430 
     70 
  3,500 
CLOSING ENTRIES 
STUDY OBJECTIVE 4 
 
 Adjusting entries are journalized from the adjustment      
  columns of the work sheet. 
 All accounts that affect the determination of net income are 
  closed to Income Summary. 
 Data for the preparation of closing entries may be obtained 
  from the income statement columns of the work sheet. 
 
GENERAL JOURNAL 
 
  Date  Account Titles and Explanation  Debit  Credit   
  2005  (1)       
     Dec. 31  Sales       
         Income Summary       
              (To close income statement        
              accounts with credit balances)       
           
 
480,000 
  480,000 
CLOSING ENTRIES 
Cost of Goods Sold is a new account that must be closed to 
Income Summary.  
 
GENERAL JOURNAL 
 
  Date  Account Titles and Explanation  Debit  Credit   
  2005  (2)       
     Dec. 31  Income Summary  140,000     
         Sales Returns and Allowances    12,000   
         Sales Discounts    8,000   
         Cost of goods sold    316,000   
         Store Salaries Expense    45,000   
         Rent Expense    19,000   
         Freight-out    7,000   
         Advertising Expense    16,000   
         Utilities Expense    17,000   
         Depreciation Expense    8,000   
         Insurance Expense    2,000   
              (To close income statement        
              accounts with debit balances)       
           
 
CLOSING ENTRIES 
 After the closing entries are posted, all temporary accounts 
  have zero balances 
 It addition, R. A. Lamb, Capital has a credit balance of     
  $98,000 ($83,000 + $30,000 - $15,000). 
 
GENERAL JOURNAL 
 
  Date  Account Titles and Explanation  Debit  Credit   
  2005  (3)       
     Dec. 31  Income Summary  30,000     
         R. A. Lamb, Capital    30,000   
              (To close net income to capital)       
           
    (4)       
              31  R. A. Lamb, Capital  15,000     
         R. A. Lamb, Drawing    15,000   
              (To close drawings to capital)       
           
 
Chapter5 
 
Under a perpetual inventory system, 
acquisition of merchandise for resale is 
debited to the  
 
a. purchases account 
b. supplies account 
c. merchandise inventory account 
d. cost of goods sold account 
Chapter5 
 
Under a perpetual inventory system, 
acquisition of merchandise for resale is 
debited to the  
 
a. purchases account 
b. supplies account 
c. merchandise inventory account 
d. cost of goods sold account 
 Includes sales revenue, cost of goods 
  sold, and gross profit sections 
 Additional nonoperating sections may 
  be added for: 
  1) revenues and expenses resulting        
    from secondary or auxiliary operations 
  2) gains and losses unrelated to        
    operations 
MULTIPLE-STEP INCOME 
STATEMENT 
STUDY OBJECTIVE 5 
 
Operating expenses may be subdivided    
  into: 
  a) Selling expenses 
  b) Administrative expenses 
Nonoperating sections are reported after 
income from operations and are classified as: 
  a) Other revenues and gains 
  b) Other expenses and losses 
 
MULTIPLE-STEP 
INCOME STATEMENT 
 
SELLERS ELECTRONIX 
 
 
Income Statement 
 
 
For the Year Ended December 31, 2005 
 
           
  Revenues         
     Net sales      $ 460,000   
     Interest revenue      3,000   
     Gain on sale of equipment      600   
        Total revenues      463,600   
  Expenses         
     Cost of goods sold  $ 316,000       
     Selling expenses  76,000       
     Administrative expenses  38,000       
     Interest expense  1,800       
     Casualty loss from vandalism  200       
        Total expenses      432,000   
  Net income      $   31,600   
           
 
SINGLE-STEP INCOME 
STATEMENT 
All data are classified under 
two categories:                        
1 Revenues     
2 Expenses 
Only one step is required in 
determining net income or net 
loss. 
Gross profit is determined as follows: 
 
Net sales            $ 460,000 
Cost of goods sold          316,000 
Gross profit           $ 144,000 
COMPUTATION OF GROSS 
PROFIT 
STUDY OBJECTIVE 6 
 
OPERATING EXPENSES IN 
COMPUTING NET INCOME 
Net income is determined as follows: 
 
Gross profit           $ 144,000 
Operating expenses          114,000 
Net income           $   30,000 
Chapter5 
 
Gross profit for a merchandiser is net sales 
minus 
 
a. operating expenses 
b. cost of goods sold 
c. sales discounts 
d. cost of goods available for sale 
 
Chapter5 
 
Gross profit for a merchandiser is net sales 
minus 
 
a. operating expenses 
b. cost of goods sold 
c. sales discounts 
d. cost of goods available for sale 
 
PERIODIC INVENTORY 
SYSTEMS 
Appendix 5A 
 Revenues from the sale of merchandise are 
recorded when sales are made in the same way as 
in a perpetual system 
 No attempt is made on the date of sale to record 
the cost of merchandise sold 
 Physical inventories are taken at end of period to 
determine: 
 The cost of merchandise on hand 
 The cost of the goods sold during the period 
Determining Cost of Goods Sold 
Periodic 
STUDY OBJECTIVE 7 
 
 Purchases  
 Merchandise purchased for resale to 
customers 
 May be made for cash or on account 
(credit) 
 Normally recorded by the purchaser when 
the goods are received from the seller 
 Credit purchase should be                        
supported by a purchase invoice 
RECORDING MERCHANDISE 
TRANSACTIONS UNDER A 
PERIODIC INVENTORY SYSTEM 
RECORDING PURCHASES 
OF MERCHANDISE 
To illustrate the recording of merchandise 
transactions under a periodic system, we will 
use the purchase/sale transactions between 
Seller and Buyer. For purchases on account, 
Purchases is debited and Accounts Payable is 
credited for merchandise ordered from Seller. 
Date Account Titles  Debit Credit
General Journal 
May 4         Purchases                                                           3,800 
                       Accounts Payable                                                         3,800 
 A sales return and allowance on the sellers books is 
recorded as a purchase return and allowance on the 
books of the purchaser. 
 Purchase Returns and Allowances  
 contra account to Purchases 
  Normal credit balance 
 Debit memorandum 
 Purchaser initiates the request for a reduction of the 
balance due through the issuance of a debit memorandum  
  A document issued by a buyer to inform a seller that the 
sellers account has been debited because of 
unsatisfactory merchandise 
PURCHASE RETURNS 
AND ALLOWANCES 
RECORDING PURCHASE 
RETURNS AND 
ALLOWANCES 
For purchases returns and allowances, Accounts 
Payable is debited and Purchase Returns and 
Allowances is credited. Because $300 of 
merchandise received from Seller is inoperable, 
Buyer returns the goods and issues a debit 
memo.  
Date Account Titles  Debit Credit
General Journal 
May 8      Accounts Payable                                               300 
                       Purchase Returns and Allowances                        300 
 Freight-in is debited if buyer pays 
freight 
 Freight-out (or Delivery Expense) is 
debited if seller pays freight 
ACCOUNTING FOR FREIGHT 
COSTS 
ACCOUNTING FOR FREIGHT 
COSTS 
When the purchaser directly incurs the freight 
costs, the account Freight-in (or Transportation-in) 
is debited and Cash is credited. In this example, 
Buyer pays Acme Freight Company $150 for 
freight charges on its purchase from Seller.  
Date Account Titles  Debit Credit
General Journal 
May 9      Freight-in                                                        150 
                        Cash                                                                     150 
PURCHASE DISCOUNTS 
 Credit terms may permit the buyer to claim 
a cash discount for the prompt payment of 
a balance due. 
 The buyer calls this discount a purchase 
discount. 
 Like a sales discount, a purchase discount 
is based on  the invoice cost less returns                      
and allowances, if any. 
PURCHASE DISCOUNTS 
If payment is made within the discount period, 
Accounts Payable is debited, Purchase 
Discounts is credited for the discount taken, 
and Cash is credited. On May 14 Buyer pays 
the balance due on account to Seller taking 
the 2% cash discount allowed by Seller for 
payment within 10 days.  
Date Account Titles  Debit Credit
General Journal 
May 14     Accounts Payable                                              3,500 
                        Purchase Discounts                                                     70 
                        Cash                                                                          3,430 
For credit sales, Accounts 
Receivable is debited and Sales is 
credited. In this illustration, the 
sale of $3,800 of merchandise to 
Buyer on May 4 is recorded by the 
Seller.  
RECORDING SALES OF 
MERCHANDISE 
Date Account Titles  Debit Credit
General Journal 
May 4        Accounts Receivable                                           3,800 
                       Sales                                                                                3,800 
RECORDING SALES RETURNS 
AND ALLOWANCES 
The sellers entry to record a credit memorandum 
involves a debit to the Sales Returns and Allowances 
account and a credit to Accounts Receivable. Based 
on the debit memo received from Buyer on May 8 for 
returned goods, Seller records the $300 sales returns 
above. 
Date Account Titles  Debit Credit
General Journal 
May 8 Sales Returns and Allowances                        300 
                     Accounts Receivable                                          300 
RECORDING  
SALES DISCOUNTS 
When cash discounts are taken by customers, the 
seller debits Sales Discounts. On May 15, Seller 
receives payment of $3,430 on account from 
Buyer. Seller honors the 2% discount and records 
the payment of Buyers accounts receivable. 
Date Account Titles  Debit Credit
General Journal 
May 15      Cash                                                                3,430 
                     Sales Discounts                                                           70 
                     Accounts Receivable                                              3,500 
WORK SHEET FOR A MERCHANDISING 
COMPANY 
USING A WORK SHEET 
Appendix 5B 
Trial Balance Columns 
1 Data from the trial balance are obtained from 
  the ledger balances of Sellers Electronix at 
  December 31 
2 The amount shown for Merchandise          
  Inventory, $40,500, is the year-end inventory  
  amount which results from the application of 
  a  perpetual inventory system 
USING A WORK SHEET 
Adjustments Columns 
1 A merchandising company usually has the    
  same types of adjustments as a service        
  company 
2 Work sheet adjustments b, c, and d are for   
  insurance, depreciation, and salaries 
Adjusted Trial Balance - The adjusted trial 
balance shows the balance of all accounts after 
adjustment at the end of the accounting period 
USING A WORK SHEET 
Income Statement Columns 
1 The accounts and balances that affect the    
  income statement are transferred from the   
  adjusted trial balance columns to the income  
  statement columns for Sellers Electronix at  
  December 31 
2 All of the amounts in the income statement   
  credit column should be totaled and compared 
  to the total of the amounts in the income      
  statement debit column 
USING A WORK SHEET 
Balance Sheet Columns 
1 The major difference between the balance    
  sheets of a service company and a            
  merchandising company is inventory 
2 For Sellers Electronix, the ending            
  Merchandise Inventory amount of $40,000 is  
  shown in the balance  sheet debit column 
3 The information to prepare the owners equity 
  statement is also found in these columns