Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Business & Financial
• O*NET-SOC code: 13-1022
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• 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 requirements, or other factors, such as environmental soundness.
• Recommend mark-up rates, mark-down rates, or merchandise selling prices.
• Obtain information about customer needs or preferences by conferring with sales or purchasing personnel.
• Authorize payment of invoices or return of merchandise.
• Monitor and analyze sales records, trends, or economic conditions to anticipate consumer buying patterns, company sales, and needed inventory.
• Collaborate with vendors to obtain or develop desired products.
• Inspect merchandise or products to determine quality, value, or yield.
• Conduct sales meetings to introduce new merchandise.
• Consult with store or merchandise managers about budgets or goods to be purchased.
• Provide clerks with information to print on price tags, such as price, mark-ups or mark-downs, manufacturer number, season code, or style number.

Tools and technology

Eclipse IDE, Facebook, Intuit QuickBooks, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products
• Procurement Clerks
• Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products
• Purchasing Managers
• Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
• Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
• Sales Managers
• Brokerage Clerks

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.