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Produce buyer vs buyer

The differences between produce buyers and buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes More than 10 years to become both a produce buyer and a buyer. Additionally, a produce buyer has an average salary of $55,778, which is higher than the $54,049 average annual salary of a buyer.

The top three skills for a produce buyer include purchase orders, logistics and inventory control. The most important skills for a buyer are purchase orders, customer service, and logistics.

Produce buyer vs buyer overview

Produce BuyerBuyer
Yearly salary$55,778$54,049
Hourly rate$26.82$25.99
Growth rate--
Number of jobs17,66423,589
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4747
Years of experience--

What does a produce buyer do?

Being a produce buyer requires commercial awareness, confidence, the ability to be a team player, interpersonal, math, and IT skills, as well as the ability to cope with high pressure. This position will demand negotiation and collaboration with produce suppliers in promoting, pricing, and advertising products. You will also be the primary contact between stores and suppliers, and also be responsible for maintaining supply quality through determining the best sources of produce.

What does a buyer do?

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.

Produce buyer vs buyer salary

Produce buyers and buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Produce BuyerBuyer
Average salary$55,778$54,049
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $77,000Between $37,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City-Englewood, NJ
Highest paying state-New Jersey
Best paying company-NVIDIA
Best paying industry-Automotive

Differences between produce buyer and buyer education

There are a few differences between a produce buyer and a buyer in terms of educational background:

Produce BuyerBuyer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 69%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - BakersfieldCalifornia State University - Bakersfield

Produce buyer vs buyer demographics

Here are the differences between produce buyers' and buyers' demographics:

Produce BuyerBuyer
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 77.3% Female, 22.7%Male, 43.9% Female, 56.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 6.6% White, 75.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%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%
LGBT Percentage15%15%

Differences between produce buyer and buyer duties and responsibilities

Produce buyer example responsibilities.

  • Analyze and manage goals for increasing sales, profit margins, turns, fill rate and manage logistics.
  • Manage open-to-buy to ensure continual flow of merchandise to stores and warehouses with careful attention to advertise events and promotions.
  • Coordinate with transportation department to ensure efficiency in logistics of transporting employees and products using company vehicles.
  • Manage open-to-buy to ensure continual flow of merchandise to stores and warehouses with careful attention to advertise events and promotions.
  • Track all incoming requests for quote (RFQ) from customers, sales managers, and outside sales representatives.
  • Review purchase requisitions and engineering specifications to determine which suppliers to RFQ.
    • Show more

Buyer example responsibilities.

  • Achieve QA initiatives by increasing transparency and communication with multiple departments and suppliers to achieve daily/weekly/monthly production requirements and expedites.
  • Manage all incoming RMA equipment, processing and directing to correct locations and departments.
  • Create, analyze and manage recaps pertaining to inventory, trends, OTB, and markdowns.
  • Manage KanBan spreadsheets to optimize inventory levels and supplier performance.
  • Manage business relationship with Japanese OEM of wide-format printer engines.
  • Manage MRB and IQA escalations to facilitate defective material resolutions.
    • Show more

Produce buyer vs buyer skills

Common produce buyer skills
  • Purchase Orders, 12%
  • Logistics, 11%
  • Inventory Control, 10%
  • Quality Standards, 10%
  • Manage Inventory, 8%
  • Product Knowledge, 8%
Common buyer skills
  • Purchase Orders, 22%
  • Customer Service, 11%
  • Logistics, 5%
  • Supplier Performance, 4%
  • MRP, 4%
  • Commodities, 3%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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