Career profile · 13-1022
Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
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.
What the work can involve
- Negotiate prices, discount terms, or transportation arrangements with suppliers.
- Inspect merchandise or products to determine quality, value, or yield.
- Recommend mark-up rates, mark-down rates, or merchandise selling prices.
- Obtain information about customer needs or preferences by conferring with sales or purchasing personnel.
- Buy merchandise or commodities for resale to wholesale or retail consumers.
- Collaborate with vendors to obtain or develop desired products.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Processing Information
- Working with Computers
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 87.0%08/2026 · sample 16 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 100.0%08/2026 · sample 16 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 100.0%08/2026 · sample 16 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Never | 62.9%08/2026 · sample 15 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 82.8%08/2026 · sample 16 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 92.5%08/2026 · sample 16 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks
- Business intelligence and data analysis software: Qlik Tech QlikView
- Calendar and scheduling software: Contact management software, Scheduling software
- Customer relationship management CRM software: Claritas ConsumerPoint
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access, Oracle Database
- Development environment software: Eclipse IDE
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint
- Electronic mail software: Email software, Microsoft Outlook
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Biztrak Business Solutions Biztrak, JDA Software Group Advanced Warehouse Replenishment by E3, JDA Software Group Assortment Planning by Arthur, Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Graphics software
- Human resources software: Applicant tracking software, Oracle Taleo
- Internet browser software: Microsoft Internet Explorer, Web browser software
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 51 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $74,030 | $35.59 | 8,960 |
| Alaska | $83,460 | $40.13 | 890 |
| Arizona | $75,340 | $36.22 | 10,870 |
| Arkansas | $75,870 | $36.48 | 4,510 |
| California | $82,720 | $39.77 | 48,010 |
| Colorado | $83,590 | $40.19 | 10,080 |
| Connecticut | $83,030 | $39.92 | 5,530 |
| Delaware | $82,920 | $39.86 | 1,400 |
| District of Columbia | $124,090 | $59.66 | 1,880 |
| Florida | $72,850 | $35.02 | 30,270 |
| Georgia | $74,530 | $35.83 | 15,710 |
| Hawaii | $74,240 | $35.69 | 1,720 |
| Idaho | $69,240 | $33.29 | 1,610 |
| Illinois | $78,470 | $37.73 | 19,660 |
| Indiana | $69,350 | $33.34 | 10,720 |
| Iowa | $70,360 | $33.83 | 4,570 |
| Kansas | $69,500 | $33.41 | 6,470 |
| Kentucky | $65,240 | $31.36 | 5,440 |
| Louisiana | $66,340 | $31.90 | 3,440 |
| Maine | $77,630 | $37.32 | 1,180 |
| Maryland | $90,900 | $43.70 | 8,900 |
| Massachusetts | $85,970 | $41.33 | 12,820 |
| Michigan | $75,900 | $36.49 | 16,680 |
| Minnesota | $80,370 | $38.64 | 10,960 |
| Mississippi | $71,850 | $34.54 | 2,240 |
| Missouri | $65,650 | $31.56 | 8,070 |
| Montana | $62,850 | $30.22 | 1,230 |
| Nebraska | $74,950 | $36.03 | 2,850 |
| Nevada | $72,990 | $35.09 | 2,310 |
| New Hampshire | $77,270 | $37.15 | 2,580 |
| New Jersey | $93,250 | $44.83 | 12,180 |
| New Mexico | $76,740 | $36.90 | 2,250 |
| New York | $79,460 | $38.20 | 31,240 |
| North Carolina | $75,880 | $36.48 | 14,290 |
| North Dakota | $76,400 | $36.73 | 880 |
| Ohio | $76,410 | $36.74 | 21,640 |
| Oklahoma | $71,850 | $34.54 | 4,750 |
| Oregon | $75,050 | $36.08 | 7,090 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,550 | $35.36 | 17,430 |
| Rhode Island | $86,240 | $41.46 | Not published |
| South Carolina | $75,550 | $36.32 | 6,150 |
| South Dakota | $73,990 | $35.57 | 1,180 |
| Tennessee | $65,430 | $31.46 | 11,420 |
| Texas | $76,050 | $36.56 | 44,030 |
| Utah | $74,540 | $35.84 | 4,090 |
| Vermont | $65,330 | $31.41 | 1,010 |
| Virginia | $89,210 | $42.89 | 22,120 |
| Washington | $85,130 | $40.93 | 15,400 |
| West Virginia | $75,670 | $36.38 | 1,130 |
| Wisconsin | $70,880 | $34.08 | 9,240 |
| Wyoming | $72,200 | $34.71 | 570 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 529 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 13-1022.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.