Retail Stocktakers
Independent shop floor and stockroom counts for independent and multi-site retailers, valued at retail or cost.
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Our Services
Business Transfer Stocktakers
Impartial stock counts and valuations when a business changes hands, carried out fairly for both buyer and seller.
When a shop, pub or convenience store is sold, the stock on the shelves is usually paid for separately from the business itself. That figure is often settled on completion day, with little time to argue over it, so both sides need a count they can trust. We provide independent stocktakers who count the stock at the agreed handover point and value it on a basis both parties have approved in advance.
We act for buyers, sellers, or both jointly, and work alongside the solicitors, accountants and business transfer agents involved in the sale. Our job is to produce a clear, traceable record of what was physically on the premises at handover, not to take sides or to value the business as a whole.
What's included
- Acting impartially for both vendor and purchaser
- Valuation basis, margins and exclusions agreed before counting starts
- Stock counted by department, with cost and retail values reported
- Attendance planned around completion dates and solicitors
- Damaged, out-of-date and disputed items listed separately
- Fixtures, fittings and equipment listed on request
Why buyer and seller both benefit
A seller counting their own stock has every reason to round up; a buyer has every reason to round down. An independent stocktaker removes that tension. Both parties see the same count, made by someone with no interest in the result, and any disagreement is dealt with on the spot rather than weeks later through solicitors.
A properly recorded count also protects both sides after completion. If a question comes up about what was handed over, there is a dated, itemised report to refer back to instead of two different memories of the day.
Businesses we count at handover
Most of the businesses we count on a change of ownership are independent, owner-run premises where stock is a meaningful part of the price. Typical examples include:
- Convenience stores, mini-markets and corner shops
- Off licences and specialist drinks retailers
- Pubs, bars and licensed restaurants
- Newsagents, confectioners and tobacconists
- Shops with a Post Office counter attached
- Forecourt shops on a change of operator
- Independent retailers, from hardware to gifts and clothing
- Pharmacy retail areas and franchise outlets
What is counted and what is left out
Agreeing the scope in writing before the day is one of the simplest ways to avoid a dispute. Anything that is not clearly in or out tends to become an argument at the till.
Normally included
Saleable stock on the shop floor, in the stockroom, in chillers and freezers, behind the counter and in any cellar or outbuilding that forms part of the sale. Consumables such as carrier bags or packaging can be included where the parties agree.
Normally excluded
Goodwill, property, cash, debtors and creditors, and goods that do not belong to the seller, such as sale-or-return or supplier-owned display stock. Lottery, PayPoint and similar terminal-based services are usually dealt with under the provider’s own handover arrangements. On a Post Office transfer, Post Office stock and cash are normally handled through Post Office’s own procedures, and we count the retail side of the business.
Fixtures and equipment
We do not value fixtures, fittings or equipment as a valuer would, but we can list them on request so both parties have a record of what was on the premises at handover.
Agreeing how stock will be valued
There is no single valuation method that suits every sale, so the basis needs to be agreed by both parties, ideally in the heads of terms or confirmed in writing before we arrive. We apply the method we are given; we do not choose it for you. The common options are:
- Cost prices taken from a product file supplied by the seller and accepted by the buyer
- Cost prices checked against recent supplier invoices
- Retail selling prices, converted to cost using agreed margins by department
- A combination, for example cost prices for tobacco and spirits and margins for everything else
Retail prices, margins and VAT
In many small shops the most reliable figure available is the price on the shelf. In that case we count at retail and convert to cost afterwards. To illustrate: stock with a retail value of £1,200 including VAT at 20% is £1,000 before VAT; at an agreed margin of 25%, its cost value would be £750.
Margins vary widely between departments, and some goods are zero-rated or exempt for VAT, so we record stock by department and apply the agreed margin and VAT treatment to each. Neither the margins nor the VAT treatment are ours to decide. Common practice differs between transactions, and the parties’ accountant or solicitor should confirm what applies to their sale before the count.
Damaged, out-of-date and slow-moving stock
A buyer will not want to pay full price for stock they cannot sell. We identify problem items during the count and list them separately, so the parties can decide how to treat them rather than having them buried in the total.
- Out-of-date or short-dated food and drink
- Damaged, opened or incomplete packs
- Discontinued or slow-moving lines
- Promotional, free or sample stock
- Stock held on sale-or-return or belonging to a supplier
Pubs, bars and licensed premises
Licensed premises bring their own complications. Bar and cellar stock is counted separately, and opened bottles of spirits, wine and other drinks are measured or estimated using a method agreed in advance. Full and part-used kegs and casks are recorded, and the treatment of returnable containers and gas cylinders, which often belong to the supplier, is agreed beforehand.
For off licences, high-value lines such as spirits, champagne and tobacco are normally counted individually and checked again before the count is closed.
Timing the count around completion
The count should reflect the stock that actually passes to the new owner. Most handover stocktakes take place after close of trading the evening before completion, or early on completion morning before the shop opens. We coordinate with both parties and their solicitors so the count fits the completion timetable.
If the business has to trade during or after the count, every movement needs to be recorded so it can be adjusted for:
- Sales made after the cut-off
- Deliveries arriving on the day
- Returns or collections by suppliers
- Stock written off or removed by the seller
When buyer and seller disagree
Disagreements on the day are normal and usually small: a case nobody can find a price for, a shelf of stock close to its date, or bottles one party says are not part of the sale. Where both sides are present, we recount the item in front of them and record it in the agreed way.
If the parties still cannot agree, the item is listed separately in the report with the quantity counted, so it can be settled afterwards between them or their advisers. We record the facts; we do not arbitrate between the parties.
Preparing for a handover stocktake
Good preparation shortens the count and leaves less room for dispute. We send a checklist when the date is booked; the main points are below.
- Completion date and handover time confirmed with both solicitors
- Valuation basis, margins and VAT treatment agreed in writing
- Product or cost price files supplied in advance, where available
- Excluded and third-party stock identified
- Damaged and out-of-date stock separated
- Stockrooms, cellars and outbuildings unlocked and accessible
- A representative for each party available on the day
Your stock valuation report
The report gives both parties, and their solicitors, a figure to complete on and a record to keep. What it includes and how quickly it is issued are confirmed when we quote; typically it covers:
- Stock value by department, at cost and at retail
- The valuation basis, margins and VAT treatment applied
- Damaged, out-of-date and excluded items listed separately
- Any disputed items and how they were recorded
- An itemised listing, where counting was done against a product file
- A signed acknowledgement that the count is complete, where required
What happens on the day
- 1
Scope and quote
We confirm the handover date, the areas to be counted, the valuation basis and who is instructing us. You receive a written quote before anything is booked.
- 2
Briefing on arrival
We walk the premises with the buyer and seller, or their representatives, and confirm the cut-off, the exclusions and how disputes will be recorded.
- 3
Counting by department
Stock is counted area by area and recorded by department, so the agreed margins and VAT treatment can be applied correctly.
- 4
Exceptions and rechecks
Damaged, out-of-date and disputed items are listed separately, and high-value lines are rechecked before the count is closed.
- 5
Agreement on the day
Both parties are shown the count and given the chance to raise queries before it is signed off as complete.
- 6
Valuation report
The valuation is issued to the instructing parties in the format and timescale agreed when we quoted.
Where we provide this service
We carry out business transfer stocktakers nationwide. It is among the most requested services in these areas:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays for a business transfer stocktake?
It varies between sales. The cost is often split equally between buyer and seller, as the count is carried out for both, but sometimes one party pays as part of the wider deal. The arrangement is agreed in advance and we invoice accordingly.
Can we instruct you jointly?
Yes, and it is common. We carry out one independent count and issue the same report to both parties. The valuation basis and any exclusions should be agreed by both sides before we arrive.
When should the stocktake take place?
Usually after close of trading on the evening before completion, or early on completion morning, so the figure reflects the stock actually passing to the new owner.
How long does a business transfer stocktake take?
A typical convenience store or off licence usually takes a few hours; larger premises or pubs with cellars take longer. We give you an expected duration when we quote.
How do you value stock if there are no cost prices?
We count at retail selling price and convert to cost using margins agreed by both parties for each department, after removing VAT where that has been agreed. We apply the margins we are given; we do not set them.
Is VAT included in the stock valuation?
That depends on the terms of the sale. We can report values before and after VAT and apply whatever treatment the parties agree, but whether VAT applies to the transfer is a matter for their accountant or solicitor to confirm.
What happens to out-of-date or damaged stock?
It is counted and listed separately. Whether it is included at full value, a reduced value or left out altogether is for the buyer and seller to agree, ideally before the count.
What if the buyer and seller disagree about an item?
We recount it in front of both parties. If they still disagree, it is listed separately in the report with the quantity counted, so they or their advisers can settle it afterwards.
Do you count Post Office stock on a transfer?
Post Office stock and cash are normally dealt with under Post Office’s own transfer procedures. We count and value the retail side of the business, which is usually what is being bought from the seller.
Do you value fixtures, fittings or the business itself?
No. We count and value stock only. We can list fixtures and equipment on request as a record of what was on the premises, but their value, and the value of the business, are for the parties and their agents to agree.
Other services
Year End Stocktakers
Independent year end stock counts and valuations, prepared for your accountant and annual accounts.
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Convenience Store Stocktakers
Independent counts for convenience stores, newsagents and forecourt shops, with high-value lines reported separately.
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Need a stocktake arranging?
Call us for a no obligation quote, or send through the details of your premises and we will come back to you the same working day.