When you go to a store, you might not realize how much work goes into getting products onto the shelves. Someone has to buy the products first from the suppliers who make the products or import them from elsewhere. This type of work as a wholesale and retail buyer might be right for you.

People buy many different types of products, including clothes, toys, pictures, books, and anything else that they need. Usually, they go to a retail store to buy what they want for themselves and their families. However, some people buy for large groups like hospital patients or students at a school or university. Then they go to wholesale sellers where they can buy large amounts at once. After that, retail and wholesale buyers make the products available for customers.

Working as a retail or wholesale buyer involves constant research. People in this field need to know about current and past trends in buying and selling, as well as understand how to determine the quality of the goods and what a fair price would be. Being able to use computers is important for being able to keep track of a store’s inventory and contracts with suppliers.

Bringing in goods for sale can be a complicated process. Retail or wholesale buyers need strong connections with suppliers and salespeople. Often, they might have a few main people that they work with, but they should always be ready to work with new people when a salesperson moves away or leaves the job for another reason. The job involves connecting the work of suppliers with the people who need the product.

During the pandemic, people needed medical masks to help protect them from COVID-19. Hospitals needed thousands of these masks for doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff to use. Wholesale suppliers helped to ensure new masks kept coming from the factories to the hospitals. However, many ordinary people needed masks, as well. Retail buyers needed to make connections with the factories that made the masks so that people could buy the masks they needed.

Working as a retail or wholesale buyer is not normally physically difficult, but it can involve long hours and might sometimes require some travel. Much of the work can be done over the phone or e-mail, but wholesale or retail buyers should also be willing to go see products to make sure that they are good quality. When two or more types of a certain product are available, they might need to consult experts to decide which one to choose.

Educational requirements for the job of wholesale or retail buyer depend on the organization. Some require just a high school diploma with courses such as mathematics and English, but others might want buyers to have a degree in a field such as economics or accounting. Experience is always helpful, and people can often benefit from studies in areas related to their work, such as medicine or education. Salaries begin at about $34,000 and can rise to $51,000 per year. Jobs are likely to be easier to find in large cities than in small communities, but people can find work in this field almost anywhere.

The job of wholesale or retail buyer can be a good choice for people who are organized and able to work with others. If that describes you, it could be your ideal job.

Bibliography

Jobs Radar. “Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products.” https://www.jobsradar.com/careers/job_information/wholesale-retail-buyers-except-farm-products#

Payscale Canada. “Wholesale and Retail Buyer (Except Farm Products).” https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Wholesale_and_Retail_Buyer%2C_(except_Farm_Products)/Salary.

Owl Guru. “How To Become a Wholesale and Retail Buyer.” https://www.owlguru.com/career/wholesale-and-retail-buyers-except-farm-products/requirements/#

My Major. “Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Product Career.” https://www.mymajors.com/career/wholesale-and-retail-buyers-except-farm-products/