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Wholesale & Retail Buyers

What do they do?

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.

Education Required

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

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What Does This Job Pay?

Median Annual Salary: $71,950

Median Hourly Salary: $35

$43,680

$71,950

$121,680

One out of ten earn less than $43,680

The median salary is $71,950

One out of ten earn more than $121,680

Top Skills For This Job

Basic Skills
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Talking to others
Looking for ways to help people
Understanding people's reactions
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Reading work related information
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Talking to others
Social
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Talking to others
Looking for ways to help people
Understanding people's reactions
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Reading work related information
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Talking to others
Bringing people together to solve differences
Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior
Problem Solving
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Talking to others
Looking for ways to help people
Understanding people's reactions
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Reading work related information
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Reading work related information
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Talking to others
Bringing people together to solve differences
Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Will There Be Jobs?

New job opportunities are very likely in the future.

Typical Daily 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 requirements, or other factors, such as environmental soundness.