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The differences between buyers and planner/buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a buyer, becoming a planner/buyer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a planner/buyer has an average salary of $54,261, which is higher than the $54,049 average annual salary of a buyer.
The top three skills for a buyer include purchase orders, customer service and logistics. The most important skills for a planner/buyer are supply chain, purchase orders, and customer service.
| Buyer | Planner/Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $54,049 | $54,261 |
| Hourly rate | $25.99 | $26.09 |
| Growth rate | - | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 23,589 | 33,452 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 47 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
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. They also conduct extensive research for market and price trends while considering the highest quality standards. Buyers should also possess strong analytical skills to create purchase orders and statistical analysis.
The role of buyers/planners is to ensure that office materials and equipment are well-supplied within their organization. They decide and purchase the materials needed for use or resale by their organization. They are responsible for evaluating prospective suppliers based on their cost, product quality, and delivery times. They are also the ones who negotiate contracts specifying the payment terms, price, and delivery schedules. Most employers prefer their buyer to have earned a bachelor's degree with a major in operations management or business management.
Buyers and planner/buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Buyer | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average salary | $54,049 | $54,261 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $76,000 | Between $37,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Englewood, NJ | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Edwards Lifesciences |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a buyer and a planner/buyer in terms of educational background:
| Buyer | Planner/Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between buyers' and planner/buyers' demographics:
| Buyer | Planner/Buyer | |
| Average age | 47 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.9% Female, 56.1% | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 6.7% White, 75.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 7% |