I run a retail shop, and the way I’ve always done it is to treat purchases of anything I intend to sell as “general purchases”, and the corresponding sales as “general sales”.
The “stock” code is only for year end adjustments. When you do a year end stock take you journal your YE stock in hand value from credit “closing stock” to debit “stock”, and also any value you already had on “stock” at the end of the previous year from credit “stock” to debit “opening stock”. These adjustments mean that your P&L shows the correct cost of sales for the year (what you started with plus what you bought minus what you have left) and your stock in hand shows on the balance sheet for your year end date.