What do buyers do

Find resumes. Help Center. Find Jobs. Post a Job. Buyer duties and responsibilities Buyers perform market research, product tests and evaluations and analyze competitors to determine what products are featured in stores, catalogs and online marketplaces. They often have the following responsibilities: Developing an effective and accurate system for monitoring purchase orders Delivering a weekly purchase order report to supervisors that indicates the invoice number for all closed orders Working within the management team to ensure that all deliveries satisfy the assigned orders and report any back ordered or missing products Assisting the Supply Chain Manager with maintaining inventory levels and materials on a regular basis Effectively communicating with the management team to ensure all orders are accurate.

More detailed information is available at our website: [website] We seek an experienced Buyer who is responsible for managing the procurement of branded and own brand products for online retail, natural, and FDM channels in both the US and abroad. Timely review order confirmations from vendors, update correct pricing in the system. Follow up on back orders and past due orders and communicate with end users the status of their orders and expected delivery dates.

Post a job in minutes and start receiving quality resumes as soon as today. No credit card required. Easy posting process. No contracts required. What does a Buyer do? Buyer experience requirements Experience requirements for a Buyer can vary from employer to employer. Job description samples for similar positions If the job description for the Buyer does not suit your needs, view this job description for a related profession: Receiving Clerk. Selecting and ordering products and authorizing payments based on contractual agreements with suppliers or manufacturers Assisting supply chain managers with maintaining proper inventory levels for regularly used supplies Working with inventory management to ensure all deliveries are fulfilled and reporting any missing or back-ordered items Communicating with the field management team to ensure all field purchase orders are correct Developing an accurate and efficient monitoring system for open purchase orders and delivering weekly reports to management with documentation of closed purchase orders.

Average salary. Common salary in the U. Buyer requirements. Certified Supply Chain Professional. Analytical skills. Decision-making skills. Communication skills. Math skills. Negotiating skills. Buyer work environment. Manufacturing Wholesale trade Government Retail. How to become a buyer. Pursue entry-level experience. Gain on-the-job training. Earn industry certifications.

Apply to buyer positions. Buyer job description example. Related careers. Since a buyer can enhance profits by effectively negotiating and sourcing the best goods at competitive prices. Buyers must understand their target market and be able to predict future trends so that they can purchase what the customer wants. How much you can earn as a buyer depends on your seniority in the role. Buyers are skilled negotiators and have a natural ability to build relationships.

They are great at recognising business needs and making decisions, as such there are a select group of skills needed to succeed in the profession.

Like many roles in the profession, you do not need any specific qualifications to become a buyer. Buying is an important and responsible role within a retailer as profitability can be affected by how successfully their work is undertaken.

The buyer can enhance profits by acquiring suitable goods at competitive prices through sensible planning and careful purchasing. With experience, you can progress into senior buying roles or into related areas of employment such as marketing , store management or merchandising. You can find out more about what life in buying is like by reading our overview of buying.

If you want to explore your options, you can also find overviews of eight other careers in retail in our retail job roles explained section. Retail buyers are employed by national, regional and online retailers such as department stores, fashion retailers and supermarkets. Buyers normally work within the head office of a company, so the majority of vacancies arise in London and other major cities.

You may also find positions in buying through your university's careers service, national newspapers and specialist publications such as Retail Week , The Grocer and Drapers for fashion buying vacancies , as well as their online equivalents. There are routes into a retail buying career for both university graduates and school leavers, although there are generally fewer opportunities available for school leavers.

Graduates will need a 2. A degree in fashion or textiles is normally necessary for entry into fashion buying. Any work experience will enhance your application, but there are specific placement years and summer internships with buying departments. Experience on a shop floor is very valuable too; you can find out the top ten skills you develop through a part-time retail job here.