Wholesale and retail buyers: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more
Wholesale and retail buyers purchase goods for resale to consumers. Examples of these goods are clothing and electronics. Purchasing specialists who buy finished goods for resale are commonly known as buyers or merchandise managers.
- Education Required
- Purchasing managers usually have at least a bachelors degree and some work experience in procurement.
- Training Required
- Buyers and purchasing agents typically get on-the-job training for a few months. During this time, they learn how to perform their basic duties, including monitoring inventory levels and negotiating with suppliers.
- Job Outlook
-
The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: -3% (Decline)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.) - Advancement
- An experienced purchasing agent or buyer may become an assistant purchasing manager before advancing to purchasing manager, supply manager, or director of materials management.
- Licenses/Certifications
- There are several certifications available for buyers and purchasing agents. Although some employers may require certification, many do not.
- Median pay: How much do Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents make?
- $64,850 Annual Salary
- $31.18 per hour
Careers for Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents
- Buyers
- Cattle buyers
- Contract administrators
- Contract specialists
- Contracting managers
- Cotton brokers
- Directors of strategic sourcing
- Equipment, supplies, and tools purchasing agents
- Fruit buyers
- Gold buyers
- Grain buyers
- Hog buyers
- Livestock buyers
- Merchandise buyers
- Oyster buyers
- Procurement managers
- Purchasing agents
- Purchasing agents and buyers of farm products
- Purchasing agents, cotton, grain, livestock, other farm products
- Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products
- Purchasing directors
- Purchasing managers
- Radio time buyers
- Retail buyers
- Sourcing managers
- Tie buyers
- Tobacco buyers
- Wholesale buyers