Currents

1) Buying Programs Overview

Buying Programs are a powerful new suite of tools designed to help buyers source the specific battery inventory they need faster, more efficiently, and with more control. The Buying Program feature includes three interconnected components: Buying Programs, Open POs, and Watchlists. Here’s a quick overview of each:

Buying Programs

A Buying Program is created by a buyer to define the specific batteries they are actively looking to purchase. It acts as a central hub for expressing ongoing demand and can take one of two forms:

Open Purchase Orders (Open POs) — for direct, automatic fulfillment.
Watchlists — for passive inventory tracking.

Once a buyer sets up a Buying Program, sellers can interact with it in different ways depending on the format the buyer chooses.

Open Purchase Orders (Open POs)

Open POs are actionable, live purchase orders tied to a Buying Program that sellers can fulfill immediately. These are automatic purchase commitments, meaning:

Buyers specify battery types, quantities, and prices they’re willing to pay.
Sellers browse available Open POs in the Open PO tab and can fulfill them directly, without listing inventory on the marketplace or having it in their Unlisted Items.
Once a seller fills an Open PO, they are paid 10 days after the buyer receives the material.

Open POs are a premium tool and are only accessible to Insight Lookup subscribers.

Watchlists

A Watch List is a more passive way for buyers to track specific inventory. When buyers add battery SKUs to a Watch List as part of their Buying Program:

They’ll be notified when those items become available on the marketplace.
No purchase commitment is made until the buyer chooses to take action.

Watch Lists help buyers monitor supply trends, spot new listings, and make decisions in real time without requiring a direct purchase offer upfront.

2) How to Create a Buying Program (Buyer Guide)

Currents’ Buying Program feature allows buyers to efficiently source batteries by defining specific purchase needs through Open POs or Watch Lists. Below is a step-by-step walkthrough of how a buyer can set up a new Buying Program.

Step 1: Navigate to the Buying Programs Tab

From your dashboard, select the “Buying Programs” tab located in the main left-hand navigation.

Step 2: Select Your Program Type

Choose the type of buying program you want to create:

Purchase Order (Open PO): For automated purchasing sellers can directly fulfill.
Watchlist: For notifications when inventory becomes available (no automatic purchasing).

Step 3: Fill Out Program Basics

After selecting your program type, you’ll need to complete the basic setup for the Buying Program:

Auto-Generated PO Number: Currents will automatically assign a unique PO number to this program.
Reference ID (Optional): Input your internal PO number or tracking code used in your own accounting or ERP systems.
Program Title: Give your program a clear, searchable name.
Delivery Location: Select the location where fulfilled orders should be delivered.
Total Budget: Set the overall budget for this buying program (e.g. $50,000). This is the maximum value sellers can fulfill across all items in the PO.

Step 4: Add Items to Your Buying Program

Use the OmniSearch bar to search for and add the batteries you need:

You can search by:

Battery type (e.g. Toyota Prius Gen 2)
Year/Make/Model (e.g. 2008 Toyota Prius)

Once you’ve selected a battery type, you’ll be prompted to enter:

Auto-Associated Vehicle List: The platform will automatically list all vehicles compatible with that battery type.
Quantity Needed: Specify how many of this battery you’re looking to purchase.
Pricing Tiers: Define one or more pricing levels. For example:
- Acceptable condition: $X
- Tested condition: $Y

You can also (optionally) define:

Purchase Terms & Conditions: Add any requirements or restrictions (e.g., “No batteries with corrosion or prior remanufacturing”). This step is encouraged but not required.
Multiple Items: Add additional battery types to the same buying program. For example:
- Toyota Prius Gen 2
- Toyota Camry Gen 2

Step 5: Add a Payment Method

Before publishing the buying program, you’ll be asked to input your payment method:

Add Credit Card: Enter a valid credit card, securely stored via Stripe.
No Upfront Payment Required: You will not be charged immediately.
Why It Matters: This card enables Currents to process payment when sellers fulfill Open POs under this buying program.

Step 6: Review & Publish

In the final step:

Carefully review all details of your buying program.
Once everything looks good, click “Publish Buying Program.”

Your Buying Program is now live and visible to sellers in the Open PO tab on Currents’ platform.

3) How Sellers Fulfill an Open Purchase Order

Open Purchase Orders (Open POs) allow sellers to bypass traditional listings and directly fulfill buyer demand without waiting for a sale. Unlike listing items on the marketplace, Open POs allow sellers to go straight to the buyer with inventory creating a faster and more direct fulfillment experience.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Navigate to the Open PO Section

From the left-hand navigation, sellers should click into the “Open POs” tab.

Step 2: Browse Available Purchase Orders

In the seller Open PO dashboard:

You’ll see a list view of all active Open Purchase Orders.
Each listing includes:
- Battery type(s) requested
- Quantity desired
- Pricing tiers defined by the buyer

Click on any PO to see more detailed information about that specific order.

Step 3: Review PO Details

Once inside a specific PO:

You’ll see the buyer’s requested battery type, desired quantity, and associated pricing tiers (e.g., Acceptable vs. Tested).
Review the terms to ensure your inventory matches the buyer’s expectations.

When ready, click “Fulfill Purchase Order.”

Step 4: Enter Fulfillment Details

You’ll now be guided through submitting the batteries you want to sell into this PO:

Pickup Location: Input the address where the batteries will be collected.
Add Inventory to Fulfill PO:
- Select the battery type from your inventory (e.g., Toyota Prius Gen 2).
- Enter how many units of that battery you want to submit for this PO.

The platform will automatically display:

Subtotal value
Currents’ platform fee deduction
Estimated shipping & handling cost

Step 5: Generate the Purchase Order

Once everything looks good:

Click “Generate Purchase Order” to officially begin the fulfillment process.
This will create an order record nested under the buyer’s original PO.

You’re now in the fulfillment phase.

Step 6: Prepare for Fulfillment

After submitting, you’ll move into the post-submission steps:

Review Fulfillment Checklist: Ensure everything is compliant with buyer terms.
Download Shipping Placards: These are required for transit labeling.
Palletize Your Shipment: Securely prep the batteries for shipment.
Coordinate Logistics: Currents’ team will reach out to finalize transportation.

Inventory Notes

You do NOT need to list items on the marketplace or have them in your Unlisted Items to fulfill a PO.
However, if you’re fulfilling an Open PO using inventory that is already listed or previously uploaded:
- You’ll need to manually remove those batteries from your Unlisted Items or Marketplace Listings to prevent double-selling.

This feature is designed to reverse the typical marketplace model. Instead of waiting for buyers to find your listings, you fulfill real-time buyer demand immediately, enabling faster sales and smoother operations.

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Buying Programs, Open POs, & Watchlists

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