Trader Joe’s buyers scoured the globe for interesting new products. They tried not to follow trends. Instead, they tried to identify new products that customers had not experienced previously. They avoided trade shows which featured products that every other retailer could see. Because the company stocked limited varieties of each product, the merchants purchased very large quantities of each SKU at low prices. Buyers purchase goods directly from manufacturers, rather than working through distributors or wholesalers. Trader Joe’s did not charge suppliers to slot their products on the retailer’s shelves, unlike many rivals. Moreover, the company paid its suppliers promptly, rather than trying to stretch out its accounts payable for as many days as possible.38