Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products Go Back to List 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. Includes assistant wholesale and retail buyers of nonfarm products.

Technology used in this occupation:
	Web page creation and editing software

Tasks
	Monitor and analyze sales records, trends, or economic conditions to anticipate consumer buying patterns and determine what the company will sell and how much inventory is needed.
	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.

Skills
	Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
	Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Knowledge
	Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
	Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
	English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
	Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
	Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
	Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
	Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
	Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
	Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
	Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

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Education & Training   Education:   Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.   Related Experience:   Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

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	Some of the occupational information on this page is formulated from O*NETTM v17.0 data. O*NETTM is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.