Retail Buyers

What do they do?

Retail buyers purchase goods for resale in retail stores. They attend fashion and trade shows, visit showrooms, or talk with sales workers to select items that will satisfy their stores' customers. A buyer for a small store may purchase its complete stock of goods. Those who work for larger businesses usually handle one or a few related lines of goods. Buyers must be able to judge the resale value of goods and make a purchase decision quickly. They also arrange for goods to be shipped and approve payments for orders that the store receives.

Work Activities

Choose and order goods for resale.
Gather and analyze information concerning costs, prices, sales, and profits.
Determine quantities to be purchased and price of purchases.
Arrange transportation of purchases.
Negotiate contracts and authorize payments.
Set prices and introduce new merchandise to staff members.

Skills & Abilities

Knowledge of purchasing and merchandising, contract laws and market-research analysis.
Knowledge of products purchased and current consumer market trends.
Skills in communication and negotiation.
Skills in planning and decision making.
Skills in using computers.

Be able to learn principles of merchandising and purchasing.
Have good verbal and numerical abilities.
Be able to work with a variety of details.
Be able to perform a variety of tasks in a short period of time and to move often from one task to another using a variety of skills.
Be able to make decisions based on data and experience.
Have ability to work well with people and influence them.

Work settings

Environment: Work indoors in offices, showrooms, and stores; travel is usually required.
Hours: Work 40 hours a week; seldom work a set number of hours; may work long hours during rush periods.
Employers: Hospitals, educational institutions, wholesale and retail trade companies, grocery and department stores, machinery, equipment and supply firms, industrial firms and government agencies.

Employment and wages

By 2000, it's estimated that 894 wholesale and retail buyers will be employed in Nebraska. Growth and/or turnover create approximately 24 annual job openings. It's estimated that 178,000 wholesale and retail buyers will be employed in the U.S. by 2005.

Projected growth
Nebraska - Little change or more slowly than average, 8%
National - Decline, -2%
Nebraska annual beginning wage: $17,000 to $25,000
Nebraska annual experienced wage: $25,000 to $42,000
National annual average wage: $17,600 to $40,000

Training

Most employers from large companies prefer applicants with bachelors degrees in fashion merchandising, marketing, or business administration.
Some employers hire people with high school diplomas and sales work experience and provide on-the-job training programs.
Others prefer people with two or more years of college training in marketing or merchandising.

Helpful high school subjects

High school subjects that may help prepare individuals for this occupation include English, literature, composition, speech, algebra I and II, geometry, biology, chemistry, physics, economics, marketing, geography, foreign language, accounting, business and consumer law, and computer applications.

Bibliography

Nebraska Career Information System: Occupations (1996-97 ed.), pp. 44-45.
Complete Guide for Occupational Exploration (1993 ed.), pp. 388-391.
Dictionary of Occupational Titles (4th ed. Revised, 1991), p. 105.
Occupational Outlook Handbook (1996-97 ed.), p. 69.

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