RiCo uses the prepetual method for inventory and records purchases at gross. In 20X4, it has total merchandise purchases of $324,000. It returns $19,000 of the merchandise for full credit and receives $7,000 in allowances from its vendors for defective merchandise and takes cash discounts of $1,000. The net cost of RiCo's 20X4 merchandise purchases is ...

a. $297,000

b. $305,000

c. $324,000

d. $298,000