How to hire an assistant merchandise buyer

How to hire an assistant merchandise buyer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step assistant merchandise buyer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an assistant merchandise buyer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant merchandise buyer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an assistant merchandise buyer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the assistant merchandise buyer you need to hire. Certain assistant merchandise buyer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect assistant merchandise buyer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of assistant merchandise buyers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Assistant Merchandise Buyer	Description	Hourly rate
   Assistant Merchandise Buyer	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.	$19-31
   Buyer	A buyer's duties include product sourcing and comparing resources for the best product range that would suit the specific needs of the business. Buyers must have excellent communication and negotiation skills to evaluate items that most likely benefit the customer and improve the sales of daily operations with cost-efficient products... Show more	$17-36
   Retail Buyer	A retail buyer keeps accurate stock records so that they can purchase only necessary items for resale. They work within a specific budget and solve all the issues that arise with the supplier or merchandise... Show more	$18-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Apparel
   • Kids
   • Purchase Orders
   • Math
   • Historical Data
   • Promotional Strategies
   • Sample Management
   • Market Trends
   • Product Development
   • POS
   • Product Knowledge
   • Gross Margin
   • E-Commerce
   • PLM

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage open-to-buy to ensure continual flow of merchandise to stores and warehouses with careful attention to advertise events and promotions.
   • Partner with site merchandiser to execute sales and POS events.
   • Work closely with the logistics department and internal warehouse to coordinate just in time deliveries and maintain daily inventory reconciliation.
   • Verify store numbers, vendor files, UPCS, descriptions and size information against AS400 information.

   More assistant merchandise buyer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the assistant merchandise buyer job description is a good way to get more applicants. An assistant merchandise buyer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an assistant merchandise buyer in West Virginia may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level assistant merchandise buyer. Additionally, an assistant merchandise buyer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average assistant merchandise buyer salary

   $52,001yearly

   $25.00 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level assistant merchandise buyer salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average assistant merchandise buyer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$54,248	$26
   2	New York	$53,965	$26
   3	Texas	$43,342	$21
   4	Florida	$40,587	$20

   Average assistant merchandise buyer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Gap Inc.	$62,143	$29.88
   2	Lucky Brand	$59,917	$28.81
   3	Sysco	$53,398	$25.67	10
   4	RANDA Solutions	$52,622	$25.30	4
   5	HPM	$48,147	$23.15	1
   6	Newegg	$45,755	$22.00	2
   7	The Walt Disney Company	$45,577	$21.91	11
   8	PVH	$45,307	$21.78	1
   9	HPM Building Supply	$45,288	$21.77	1
   10	ModCloth	$44,759	$21.52
   11	Aeropostale	$36,756	$17.67	1

4. Writing an assistant merchandise buyer job description

   An assistant merchandise buyer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an assistant merchandise buyer job description:

   Assistant merchandise buyer job description example

   Miyake-HPM Building Supply based in Wailuku, Hawaii is seeking to hire a full-time Assistant Buyer/Retail Merchandiser to join our Maui team! This position will be based in Wailuku with required travel to our Kihei, Lahaina and Makawao locations. The Assistant Buyer/Retail Merchandiser position will save the day by being responsible for branch replenishment, item maintenance, and maintaining merchandising standards. This individual ensures strong financial performance of assigned categories and that HPM's products are presented in our stores in ways that are attractive to customers and maximize sales and profitability for our company. We work with people who live and breathe building materials, so we need someone that is ready to be the hero they need!
   QUALIFICATIONS
   
   * Minimum three-years' retail experience with hands-on involvement with product merchandising, marketing, purchasing preferred.
   * Moderate to advanced computer skills, including ability to effectively use Microsoft Excel with ability to create reports and analyze results.
   * High School diploma required; Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, communication, or related discipline preferred.
   * Valid driver's license required and access to a personal vehicle for regular on-island travel between Miyake-HPM's Maui locations.
   
   Are you a bird or a plane? No? Good, because that's not what we need! Do you have Excel skills and great problem-solving abilities? If so, you may be perfect for this position!
   
   Our Assistant Buyer enjoys competitive compensation and generous benefits. Our benefits include medical, dental, vision, drug, life/ADD, long-term disability, AFLAC voluntary insurances, medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, an employee stock ownership plan, and more! The typical schedule for this position is Monday-Friday with an occasional need for travel to branches. If this sounds like the opportunity for you, apply today!
   
   ABOUT HPM HAWAII
   
   For over a century, HPM has been providing residents with high quality materials, innovative technology, well-equipped facilities and superior customer service. Founded in Hilo by former sugar mill employees, HPM is also located on O'ahu, Maui and Kaua'i.
   
   HPM offers more than 2,200 product lines including professional-grade lumber, trusses, tools, pre-engineered wall panels, custom metal roofing and pre-hung doors. For those considering building or remodeling their own homes, we offer consultation, partnership and building materials that bring these important projects to life.
   
   HPM provides a family atmosphere where each of its 500-plus employees are valued and their ideas heard. As one of the largest 100% employee-owned companies in the state, our team members share as the company grows and prospers. As a team, we are dedicated to enhancing homes, improving lives, and transforming communities and we do this by living our core values of Heart, Character, and Growth. Training and development opportunities are offered to those seeking to grow and better themselves. Join HPM and become an owner!
   
   ARE YOU READY TO JOIN OUR TEAM?
   
   If you feel that you would be right for this Assistant Buyer position, fill out our initial 3-minute, mobile-friendly application. We look forward to meeting you!

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5. Post your job

   To find the right assistant merchandise buyer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with assistant merchandise buyers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit assistant merchandise buyers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your assistant merchandise buyer job on Zippia to find and recruit assistant merchandise buyer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit assistant merchandise buyers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant merchandise buyer

   Once you've decided on a perfect assistant merchandise buyer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new assistant merchandise buyer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an assistant merchandise buyer?