Home Depot Revising Purchasing System

Home Depot Inc. is revising how it selects and buys merchandise to get better prices on certain items and to improve efficiency.

The company said its store-support center in Atlanta will be responsible for buying many of the items sold in Home Depot stores based on input and advice from the company’s eight North American divisional offices.

Centralization will make purchasing simpler for vendors while letting divisional offices concentrate on the merchandise assortment and special items for each store, the company said.

As many as 150 employees affected by the changes are being offered other jobs, Home Depot said.

Home Depot shares fell 10 cents to $49.55 on the NYSE.