Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
Business and Financial Operations
A wholesaler or retailer needs a mix of goods that will sell; that mix is chosen from sales history, price, quality, and wider economic conditions, then ordered in the right quantity. Mark-up, mark-down, and selling prices are recommended from that same reading. Price, discounts, and shipping are negotiated with suppliers; invoices are authorized and unwanted goods sent back. Sales or purchasing staff are asked what customers want, and vendors may help develop a product that is missing. Suits people who like reading demand from numbers, negotiating terms, and choosing what the company will sell.
Typical education: Bachelor’s Degree (4-year)
What you might do
- Select merchandise for wholesale or retail resale
- Bargain with suppliers on price and shipping
- Match orders to quality and quantity requirements
- Study sales records to anticipate what will sell
- Recommend selling prices, markups, or markdowns
- Authorize invoice payments or merchandise returns
Skills that matter
- Negotiating prices and discount terms
- Selecting goods for wholesale or retail
- Tracking sales records and buying trends
- Hearing customer needs from sales staff
- Setting markups and selling prices
- Working with vendors on new products
AI & the future of this role
Trend analysis, demand forecasting, and supplier comparisons are areas where software could shoulder more of the workload. Assortment judgment, vendor negotiation, and reading shifting consumer taste remain harder to automate fully.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details