What You'll Do

  • Monitor and analyze sales records, trends, or economic conditions to anticipate consumer buying patterns, company sales, and needed inventory.
  • Authorize payment of invoices or return of merchandise.
  • Consult with store or merchandise managers about budgets or goods to be purchased.
  • Train or supervise sales or clerical staff.
  • Provide clerks with information to print on price tags, such as price, mark-ups or mark-downs, manufacturer number, season code, or style number.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Essential Skills

Negotiation 4.0/5
Active Listening 3.75/5
Speaking 3.75/5
Critical Thinking 3.75/5
Persuasion 3.75/5
Active Learning 3.38/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.38/5
Reading Comprehension 3.25/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.25/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.25/5
Management of Financial Resources 3.25/5
Mathematics 3.12/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.

Common styles

Cooperation, Adaptability/Flexibility, Dependability, Attention to Detail, Integrity

Want a personal read on fit. Take the free assessment and see your exact compatibility with this career and many related roles.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.0/5
Oral Expression 4.0/5
Written Comprehension 3.75/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.75/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.62/5
Speech Clarity 3.62/5
Mathematical Reasoning 3.5/5
Speech Recognition 3.5/5

Technologies & Tools

Accounting software Advanced Retail Management Systems Retail Pro Applicant tracking software Biztrak Business Solutions Biztrak CAM Commerce Solutions Retail STAR Point of Sale POS Claritas ConsumerPoint Contact management software Eclipse IDE Email software Enterprise resource planning ERP software Enterprise risk management software ERMS Facebook Graphics software Infor Supply Chain Management Intuit QuickBooks Inventory control systems JDA Software Group Advanced Warehouse Replenishment by E3 JDA Software Group Assortment Planning by Arthur Kliger-Weiss Infosystems LinkedIn

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Cooperation (High importance: 4.47/5)
  • Adaptability/Flexibility (High importance: 4.37/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.35/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.17/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.17/5)

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How to Become One

This career typically requires vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some specialized training or certification may also be required.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Acquisition Specialist Art Dealer Buyer Buying Professional Category Planner Commodity Buyer Contract Sourcing Specialist Contracts Specialist Exporter Fashion Buyer Fur Buyer Gold Buyer Grocery Buyer Internal Wholesaler Merchandise Buyer Merchandise for Resale Purchasing Agent Merchandise Planner Merchant Print Buyer Procurement Buyer Procurement Representative Procurement Specialist Purchaser Purchasing Agent Purchasing Buyer Purchasing Coordinator Purchasing Specialist Purveyor Resident Buyer Retail Buyer Sourcing Analyst Sourcing Specialist Strategic Sourcing Specialist Sustainability Purchasing Agent Technical Buyer Technical Sourcing Specialist Tie Buyer Trader Tradesman Wholesale and Retail Merchant Wholesale Buyer