We receive vendor allowances for various programs,
primarily volume incentives and reimbursements for specific
costs such as markdowns, margin protection, advertising
and sales incentives. Vendor allowances provided as a
reimbursement of specific, incremental and identifiable
costs incurred to promote a vendor’s products are included
as an expense reduction when the cost is incurred. All other
vendor allowances, including vendor allowances received in
excess of our cost to promote a vendor’s product, are
initially deferred and recorded as a reduction of
merchandise inventories.