purchaser

A purchaser is a person or organization that acquires goods or services to meet identified needs. In everyday language, a purchaser is the buyer in a transaction; in business and public-sector contexts, the term commonly refers to someone within an organization whose duties include sourcing and acquiring inputs.

Roles and responsibilities typically include defining requirements, researching markets, evaluating suppliers, negotiating terms, and issuing purchase orders or contracts. Purchasers also manage delivery and receipt, coordinate invoicing and payment, and monitor supplier performance for quality, reliability, and compliance with policies and regulations.

Purchasing often follows a formal cycle that may involve need recognition, specification, supplier search, requests for proposals or quotes, bid evaluation, contract or PO issuance, receipt of goods or services, and payment. Modern organizations frequently use e-procurement and enterprise resource planning systems to automate workflows, catalogs, approvals, and supplier records.

Types of purchasers can vary by context. End-user or tactical purchasers focus on obtaining specific items quickly, while strategic or category purchasers manage supplier relationships, risk, and total cost of ownership across groups or product families. In consumer contexts, a purchaser simply refers to the person who buys goods for personal use.

Legal and ethical considerations are important for purchasers. They must follow procurement policies and applicable laws, uphold competition and transparency, avoid conflicts of interest, and pursue ethical sourcing and, where relevant, supplier diversity and sustainability goals. The term purchaser is sometimes used interchangeably with buyer; procurement is the broader function that includes strategy, supplier management, and governance in addition to purchasing.