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What is a merchandise buyer and how to become one
Avg. Salary $49,264
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 19%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.78%
Asian 6.69%
Black or African American 3.94%
Hispanic or Latino 8.69%
Unknown 3.13%
White 76.77%
Genderfemale 62.76%
male 37.24%
Age - 49American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 49Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Merchandise buyer career paths
Key steps to become a merchandise buyer
Explore merchandise buyer education requirements
Start to develop specific merchandise buyer skills
Skills Percentages Vendor Relations 13.74% Purchase Orders 10.84% Customer Service 10.09% Apparel 5.96% Trade Shows 5.02% Complete relevant merchandise buyer training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New merchandise buyers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a merchandise buyer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real merchandise buyer resumes.Research merchandise buyer duties and responsibilities
- Prepare the merchandise assortment plan for the company, manage the OTB and purchase the merchandise.
- Manage open-to-buy to ensure continual flow of merchandise to stores and warehouses with careful attention to advertise events and promotions.
- Perform allocations pulls in JDA program on inbound shipments and back-stock merchandise from distribution centers.
- Assist in implementing the POS system and develop pricing policies.
Prepare your merchandise buyer resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your merchandise buyer resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a merchandise buyer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable merchandise buyer resume templates
Build a professional merchandise buyer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your merchandise buyer resume.
Apply for merchandise buyer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a merchandise buyer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first merchandise buyer job
Are you a merchandise buyer?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average merchandise buyer salary
The average merchandise buyer salary in the United States is $49,264 per year or $24 per hour. Merchandise buyer salaries range between $37,000 and $64,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do merchandise buyers rate their job?
Merchandise buyer reviews
To be involved in negotiations
I like all in this job, because I have the choise to be in relation with a lot of persons and know what they are doing against purchasing also what the use to buy and under what coondition
When you demand change
Negotiating with suppliers, influencing others, solving problems, making a positive difference to the company's bottom line.
Constant stress, lack of respect from other departments, lack of resources, poor advancement opportunities.
Updated January 8, 2025
