Classification at costs, merchandising sector Home Entertainment Center (HEC) operates a large store in San Francisco. The store has both a video section and a music (compact disks and tapes) section. HEC reports revenues for the video section separately from the music section.

Classify each of the following cost items as:

a. Direct or indirect (D or I) costs with respect to the total number of videos sold.

b. Variable or fixed (V or F) costs with respect to how the total costs of the video section change as the total number of videos sold changes. (If in doubt, select on the basis of whether the total costs will change substantially if there is a large change in the total number of videos sold.)

You will have two answers (D or I; V or F) for each of the following items:

Cost item D or I V or F

A. Annual retainer paid to a video distributor

B. Electricity costs of HEC store (single bill covers entire store)

C. Costs of videos purchased for sale to customers

D. Subscription to Video Trends magazine

E. Leasing of computer software used for financial budgeting at HEC store

F. Cost of popcorn provided free to all customers of HEC

G. Earthquake insurance policy for HEC store

H. Freight-in costs of videos purchased by HEC