Wholesale & Retail Buyers
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.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Buy merchandise or commodities for resale to wholesale or retail consumers.
- Negotiate prices, discount terms, or transportation arrangements with suppliers.
- Consult with store or merchandise managers about budgets or goods to be purchased.
- 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.
- Provide clerks with information to print on price tags, such as price, mark-ups or mark-downs, manufacturer number, season code, or style number.
- 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.
- Train or supervise sales or clerical staff.
- Collaborate with vendors to obtain or develop desired products.
- Inspect merchandise or products to determine quality, value, or yield.
- Determine which products should be featured in advertising, the advertising medium to be used, or when the ads should be run.
- Monitor competitors' sales activities by following their advertisements in newspapers or other media.
- Conduct sales meetings to introduce new merchandise.
- Analyze environmental aspects of competing merchandise when making buying decisions.
- Compare transportation options to determine the most energy-efficient options.
- Develop strategies to advertise green products or merchandise to consumers.
- Identify opportunities to buy green commodities, such as alternative energy, water, or carbon-neutral products for resale to consumers.
- Monitor consumer preferences or environmental trends to determine the best way to introduce new green products.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
100%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
100%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
100%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
96%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
94%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
92%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
88%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
86%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
85%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
82%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
81%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
78%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
76%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
76%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
75%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
71%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
71%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
68%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
68%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
64%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
60%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
60%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
58%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
55%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
54%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
37%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
36%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
35%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
35%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
30%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
27%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
25%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
23%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
23%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
21%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
20%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
15%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
14%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
14%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
12%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
10%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
10%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
9%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
9%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
8%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
8%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
8%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
7%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
5%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
5%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
4%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
2%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
2%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
2%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
2%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
0%
Education
Bachelor's degree
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school diploma
Interests
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Work Styles
Work Values
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