What does a Purchasing Agent do?

An Associate Buyer maintains and keeps records of the inventory and disburses the different materials as required by the departments or personnel. The Associate Buyer reports to the Buyer or Senior Buyer.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, purchasing agent responsibilities require skills like "corrective action," "r," "on-time delivery," and "production schedules." Meanwhile a typical associate buyer has skills in areas such as "math," "market trends," "strong analytical," and "kids." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

The job of senior buyers, or also known as purchasing agents, is to meet the material needs of an organization. They are responsible for finding suppliers, arranging the distribution to several retail outlets, and supervising other purchasing agents. They also look for new product streams and establish procurement strategies. Senior buyers typically begin their careers as assistant buyers or junior purchasing agents. Most employers usually prefer those with college degrees in marketing, business, and economics.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, purchasing agent responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "corrective action," "product quality," "vendor relations," and "place orders." Meanwhile, a senior buyer has duties that require skills in areas such as "supply chain," "commodities," "continuous improvement," and "product development." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

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.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a purchasing agent is likely to be skilled in "corrective action," "office equipment," "bid proposals," and "unacceptable goods," while a typical buyer is skilled in "commodities," "procurement process," "market trends," and "product development."

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.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between purchasing agents and planner/buyers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a purchasing agent might have more use for skills like "product quality," "vendor relations," "place orders," and "office equipment." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of planner/buyers require skills like "supply chain," "lean manufacturing," "strong analytical," and "commodities. "