Contractor buyer vs order entry representative

The differences between contractor buyers and order entry representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a contractor buyer and an order entry representative. Additionally, a contractor buyer has an average salary of $40,785, which is higher than the $34,443 average annual salary of an order entry representative.

The top three skills for a contractor buyer include customer service, purchase orders and data entry. The most important skills for an order entry representative are order entry, data entry, and customer service.

Contractor buyer vs order entry representative overview

	Contractor Buyer	Order Entry Representative
Yearly salary	$40,785	$34,443
Hourly rate	$19.61	$16.56
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	22,985	123,220
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a contractor buyer do?

A contractor buyer is responsible for acquiring materials and resources for construction and manufacturing processes that meet the quality standards and budget limitations. Contractor buyers negotiate offers with trusted suppliers and vendors for cost-effective materials based on design specifications and requirements. They also monitor the accurate distribution and delivery schedules to maintain the consistency of project plans and finish the task within the required deadlines. A contractor buyer must have excellent knowledge of the construction industry to identify the reliability of resources and handle the costings efficiently.

What does an order entry representative do?

An order entry representative is responsible for the accurate capture of customer orders by analyzing order information and status to fill a final order entry for processing. You will be receiving and processing order information for merchandise through phone calls, emails, or walk-ins and using the information to record shipping dates and locations, tabulate prices and invoice information, and updating customer order accounts. Order entry representatives work within the order processing team to ensure timely customer service.

Contractor buyer vs order entry representative salary

Contractor buyers and order entry representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Contractor Buyer	Order Entry Representative
Average salary	$40,785	$34,443
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $50,000	Between $28,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Cambridge, MA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Johnson Controls	Simpson Manufacturing Co
Best paying industry	Technology	Construction

Differences between contractor buyer and order entry representative education

There are a few differences between a contractor buyer and an order entry representative in terms of educational background:

	Contractor Buyer	Order Entry Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Contractor buyer vs order entry representative demographics

Here are the differences between contractor buyers' and order entry representatives' demographics:

	Contractor Buyer	Order Entry Representative
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%	Male, 26.4% Female, 73.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 5.9% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 5.9% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between contractor buyer and order entry representative duties and responsibilities

Contractor buyer example responsibilities.

Manage OEM IBM customer account from quote to cash.
Manage returned inventory (RMA's), and provide internal reporting as needed.
Facilitate and manage the logistics of large, multifamily cooperative purchases.
Manage escalations and expedites process in support of shorten interval requests.
Work with BAAN, an ERP system, to check MRP and place purchase orders and production orders.
Preside over inventory cycle counts and ISO audits.

Order entry representative example responsibilities.

Manage Facebook and patient communication programs.
Create and maintain records of sales and assets in Microsoft GP, CRM, Salesforce and the SolidWorks VRC.
Key numeric and alphabetic characters into the AS400 system.
Contribute extensive UAT for new regional ERP launch and enhancements.
Handle high call volume during the transition of an ERP system.
Resolve outstanding issues with sales and finance to expedite cohesive bookings.

Contractor buyer vs order entry representative skills

Common contractor buyer skills

Customer Service, 18%
Purchase Orders, 16%
Data Entry, 7%
Logistics, 4%
Customer Orders, 4%
ERP, 4%

Common order entry representative skills

Order Entry, 15%
Data Entry, 14%
Customer Service, 12%
Order Processing, 8%
Customer Satisfaction, 7%
Inbound Calls, 6%

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Contractor Buyer vs Order Entry Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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