Occupation · SOC 13-1022
Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
Buy merchandise or commodities, other than farm products, for resale to consumers at the wholesale or retail level, including both durable and nondurable goods. Analyze past buying trends, sales records, price, and quality of merchandise to determine value and yield. Select, order, and authorize payment for merchandise according to contractual agreements. May conduct meetings with sales personnel and introduce new products. May negotiate contracts. Includes assistant wholesale and retail buyers of nonfarm products.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
172 mapped
Core skills
NegotiationActive ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingPersuasionJudgment and Decision MakingActive LearningManagement of Financial Resources
Knowledge areas
Sales and MarketingCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageMathematicsAdministration and Management
Technology & tools
Accounting softwarePoint of sale POS softwareHuman resources softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP softwareCustomer relationship management CRM software
Representative tasks
Buy merchandise or commodities for resale to wholesale or retail consumers.Negotiate prices, discount terms, or transportation arrangements with suppliers.Examine, select, order, or purchase merchandise consistent with quality, quantity, specification req
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Merchandise orders and purchase documentation — prepare and submit under direct supervisor guidance within a structured retail or wholesale buying office.Supplier catalogs and product specifications — review and compare to identify items meeting basic quality and quantity requirements in a supervised buying environment.Sales records and inventory reports — retrieve and organize to support a senior buyer's analysis of consumer purchasing trends in a retail setting.Customer preference data — gather by conferring with sales floor personnel under direction to inform entry-level product selection tasks.Vendor invoices and return paperwork — process and route for authorization following established departmental procedures in a wholesale or retail operation.Point-of-sale and ERP software — navigate to enter purchase orders and track basic inventory levels under close supervision in a buying department.Mark-up and mark-down calculations — perform using standard formulas with oversight to support pricing recommendations on assigned product categories.Negotiation support materials such as price lists and discount schedules — compile and organize ahead of supplier meetings as directed by a lead buyer.Email and calendar software — use to schedule vendor appointments and document routine buyer-supplier communications in a commercial purchasing office.Product quality standards and environmental soundness criteria — apply at a foundational level when assisting in the selection of merchandise for resale.
developing
Merchandise consistent with quality, quantity, and specification requirements — examine, select, and order with limited oversight across assigned product categories in a retail or wholesale buying role.Supplier negotiations on price, discount terms, and delivery arrangements — conduct independently for routine purchases using established vendor relationships and pricing benchmarks.Sales trends and economic indicators — monitor and analyze on a recurring basis to anticipate consumer buying patterns and adjust planned inventory levels accordingly.Mark-up and mark-down rate recommendations — develop and present to management using current sales data and competitive market comparisons for a defined merchandise segment.Customer needs and preferences — assess through regular dialogue with sales and purchasing personnel and translate findings into actionable product assortment adjustments.Invoice authorization and merchandise returns — evaluate and approve within assigned spending authority thresholds following company policy in a fast-paced buying office.ERP and CRM platforms — use routinely to manage purchase orders, track vendor performance, and maintain accurate product and supplier records across multiple categories.Vendor relationships for product development — collaborate with suppliers to refine specifications or source new items that align with category strategy and customer demand.Accounting and financial resource data — apply when evaluating open-to-buy budgets and reconciling purchase commitments against departmental spending plans.Market and competitive intelligence — gather through active reading of trade publications and supplier communications to inform routine category buying decisions.
proficient
Full merchandise buying cycle from selection through delivery and authorization — manage autonomously across multiple product categories in a complex retail or wholesale environment.Supplier negotiations involving pricing, volume discounts, transportation terms, and contract conditions — lead independently, leveraging market knowledge to secure favorable outcomes for the organization.Consumer buying pattern forecasts — develop by synthesizing sales records, macroeconomic trends, and seasonal data to drive inventory planning across an entire merchandise division.Mark-up, mark-down, and promotional pricing strategies — formulate and recommend based on comprehensive margin analysis, competitive benchmarking, and sell-through performance data.Non-routine vendor disputes, quality failures, or supply disruptions — resolve by applying complex problem-solving and deductive reasoning to maintain continuity of supply and financial targets.Cross-functional relationships with sales, marketing, and logistics teams — coordinate to align product assortment, inventory positioning, and in-store or online execution with business goals.Risk management and financial analysis tools — apply to evaluate supplier financial stability, forecast inventory risk, and protect open-to-buy budgets against market volatility.Vendor co-development projects — drive from concept through commercialization, negotiating exclusivity terms and quality benchmarks to deliver differentiated merchandise for the retail channel.Environmental and ethical sourcing standards — assess and enforce rigorously when evaluating and qualifying new suppliers within a compliance-driven buying framework.Buying performance metrics including gross margin, inventory turnover, and sell-through rates — analyze and act upon to continuously improve category profitability and operational efficiency.
advanced
Organization-wide merchandise strategy and category portfolio — define and direct to align buying operations with long-term business objectives across all retail or wholesale channels.Negotiation frameworks and supplier partnership models — design and institutionalize at the organizational level to maximize leverage, reduce cost, and build strategic vendor ecosystems.Enterprise buying systems and technology roadmaps including ERP, POS, and analytics platforms — evaluate, select, and champion to modernize purchasing operations and data-driven decision making.Emerging market trends, economic shifts, and consumer behavior changes — synthesize at an executive level to set forward-looking assortment and investment strategies for the entire buying organization.Buying team talent pipelines — build and develop by coaching buyers across all levels, establishing mentorship programs, and defining competency standards for the department.Financial resource allocation across buying departments — govern through open-to-buy budget oversight, capital investment decisions, and P&L accountability for merchandise categories at scale.Cross-enterprise collaboration with senior leadership in finance, marketing, supply chain, and digital commerce — lead to integrate buying strategy into cohesive go-to-market and growth plans.Organizational policies for invoice authorization, return management, and vendor compliance — author and enforce to ensure financial integrity and regulatory alignment across all purchasing activity.Strategic vendor and co-manufacturing partnerships — negotiate and steward at the executive tier, including multi-year agreements, exclusivity arrangements, and joint business planning initiatives.Industry benchmarking and best-practice adoption programs — spearhead to position the buying organization as a competitive leader in merchandise innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence.
Also known as
44 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Print BuyerGold BuyerTechnical Sourcing SpecialistPurchasing AgentContract Sourcing SpecialistProcurement RepresentativeFur BuyerTradesmanAcquisition SpecialistBuyerSourcing SpecialistPlannerCategory PlannerPurchasing BuyerGrocery BuyerSustainability Purchasing AgentProcurement OfficerBuying ProfessionalWholesale and Retail MerchantPurchaserTechnical BuyerPurveyorStrategic Sourcing SpecialistRetail BuyerContracts SpecialistWholesale BuyerTraderSourcing AnalystExporterArt DealerMerchantMerchandise BuyerMerchandise PlannerPurchasing CoordinatorBuyer, AssistantCommodity BuyerMerchandise for Resale Purchasing AgentResident BuyerProcurement BuyerTie Buyer