Purchasing;

 

In an age of instant communications and fast-moving markets, it isn't easy for retailers and wholesalers to keep up with customers. By the time you get the products they want, they've often moved on to something else. Granted, you can try to stay ahead of them by closely monitoring the trends in your business. But that takes time and money -- especially if you're located far from industry centers.

Such was the challenge facing Buster Simon, owner of a women's apparel store in Stillwater, Okla. His solution: hire a representative in New York City to keep him abreast of the latest fashions and hottest designers. Simon says he spends much less on the agent's fee than he used to spend on buying trips to the Big Apple. And the arrangement has given him an important competitive advantage. "I'm often the only one in my part of the country carrying certain lines," he says. "I don't think I could do it on my own."