Wholesale and Retail Buyers
Buy merchandise or commodities, other than farm products, for resale to consumers at the wholesale or retail level, including both durable and nondurable goods.
About the profession
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. May negotiate contracts. Includes assistant wholesale and retail buyers of nonfarm products.
How to Get Started
Take a personality test to see if Wholesale and Retail Buyers fits your profile
Career Match Test →Explore the Career Path section to see progression from junior to senior
Jump to Career Path →Start learning — check the Learning Path for free courses
Jump to Learning Path →Personality Fit
Based on the Wholesale and Retail Buyers role, here are the RIASEC personality types that tend to thrive in this career. While these alignments are common, individual success depends on motivation, skill development, and finding the right work environment.
Enterprising
Leading, persuading, business
Social
Helping, teaching, working with people
Conventional
Organizing, detail-oriented, structured
Not sure if these types match you? Take the full RIASEC assessment (12-15 min) to discover your personality profile and see how it aligns with hundreds of careers.
Career Path
Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Junior Wholesale and Retail Buyer → Practitioner Wholesale and Retail Buyer → Senior Practitioner Wholesale and Retail Buyer → Lead Wholesale and Retail Buyer
Where are you on this career path?
Click a level below to set your current position
Salary Growth
4
Levels
138K
Top Salary
8+
Years
Learning Path
Skills you need to develop and courses to get there
🚀
Set your current level first
Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.
Go to Career PathCareer levels
Timeline: 0-2 | Entry Level Base: $45,348 - $68,574/year With equity/bonuses: $49,883 - $82,289 Top markets (SF/NYC): $52,150 - $82,289 Execute core tasks using Negotiation under…
Skills used in this career
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Day in Life
Junior vs Senior, daily schedule breakdown
9am, Authorize payment of invoices or return of merchandise. 10am, Inspect merchandise or products to determine quality, value, or yield.
Income Dynamics
Conservative and aggressive scenarios for 10–15 years
Year 1: Entry level $31,744 - $61,717 Year 2-3: Junior level $68,574 - $87,209 Year 4-6: Mid level $87,209 - $94,553 Year 7-10: Senior level $94,553 - $120,776 Year 10+:…
Is this for me?
15 questions, answer honestly
You find the craft of a Wholesale and Retail Buyer genuinely interesting, not just a paycheck You enjoy working with Negotiation and Active Listening You communicate clearly with…
💰 Salary Range
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Related Reading
Related Holland / RIASEC Types