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How to hire a retail buyer

Retail buyer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring retail buyers in the United States:

  • There are a total of 32,049 retail buyers in the US, and there are currently 74,254 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a retail buyer is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per retail buyer on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Des Peres, MO, has the highest demand for retail buyers, with 4 job openings.

How to hire a retail buyer, step by step

To hire a retail buyer, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a retail buyer:

Here's a step-by-step retail buyer hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a retail buyer job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new retail buyer
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a retail buyer do?

A retail buyer keeps accurate stock records so that they can purchase only necessary items for resale. They work within a specific budget and solve all the issues that arise with the supplier or merchandise. Besides determining contract terms and conditions, retail buyers also modify purchase orders as per the demand, availability, and season. Moreover, retail buyers choose the perfect merchandise to purchase by reviewing the catalogs. Furthermore, they locate, select, and procure merchandise for resale.

Learn more about the specifics of what a retail buyer does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the retail buyer you need to hire. Certain retail buyer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A retail buyer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, retail buyers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of retail buyers.

    Type of Retail BuyerDescriptionHourly rate
    Retail BuyerBuyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.$18-34
    Merchandise PlannerA merchandise planner is responsible for monitoring the adequacy of stock inventories and requesting purchase orders by researching current market trends to meet customer demands. Merchandise planners assist with marketing campaigns and promotional offers of the business, selling goods and services to the customers based on their needs and budget requirements... Show more$22-49
    Store Manager And BuyerA store manager is responsible for selecting and purchasing goods. They provide information on products, including prices and promotions... Show more$20-52
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Gross Margin
    • Vendor Relations
    • Customer Service
    • Retail Management
    • Retail Store
    • Market Trends
    • Inventory Management
    • Trade Shows
    • POS
    • Product Development
    • Store Locations
    • Product Line
    • Retail Sales
    • Inventory Control
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage the open-to-buy (OTB) process by monitoring stock levels
    • Lead team of content support/merchandisers to achieve and consistently hit KPI goals.
    • Manage set up of new items as well as integration into POS system.
    • Manage open-to-buy to ensure continual flow of merchandise to stores and warehouses with careful attention to advertise events and promotions.
    • Key member of development team that implement JDA MMS software.
    • Maintain inventory and displays for jewelry and bath/body products.
    More retail buyer duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the retail buyer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A retail buyer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for a retail buyer in West Virginia may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level retail buyer. Additionally, a retail buyer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average retail buyer salary

    $52,720yearly

    $25.35 hourly rate

    Entry-level retail buyer salary
    $38,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 14, 2026

    Average retail buyer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New Jersey$61,664$30
    2New York$59,369$29
    3Ohio$58,447$28
    4District of Columbia$57,337$28
    5Michigan$55,575$27
    6Kansas$53,839$26
    7Minnesota$51,872$25
    8Missouri$51,568$25
    9South Carolina$49,811$24
    10Nevada$49,670$24
    11Florida$48,950$24
    12Washington$48,843$23
    13California$47,869$23
    14Arizona$46,551$22
    15Texas$43,966$21
    16Colorado$41,652$20

    Average retail buyer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1VF$81,445$39.161
    2Levi Strauss & Co.$70,331$33.8114
    3Williams Sonoma$69,856$33.5832
    4PVH$68,575$32.971
    5Bendix$61,726$29.68
    6Steel Dynamics$53,321$25.643
    7*n/a*$52,397$25.193
    8BabyList$52,376$25.18
    9PEM Holding Co Inc$52,215$25.10
    10JLL$51,223$24.634
    11ActionLink$51,019$24.53
    12First Option Recruiting$48,514$23.32
    13Skyline$47,408$22.794
    14Mutual Trading Co.$47,387$22.78
    15Mitsuwa Marketplace$47,149$22.67
    16Schupan & Sons, Inc.$46,595$22.40
    17Management Recruiters International(MRI)$45,854$22.053
    18Pebble Beach Resorts$43,569$20.95
    19Visionworks$43,443$20.891
    20Kid to Kid$42,915$20.6352
  4. Writing a retail buyer job description

    A retail buyer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a retail buyer job description:

    Retail buyer job description example

    EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: Retail grocery store or grocery wholesale experience preferred. Degree not required, but equivalent work experience in retail preferred; minimum of 2 years related experience in the preferred fields of grocery retail or wholesale; or equivalent combination of education and experience, with minimum 2 years in management.

    LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

    MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

    REASONING ABILITY: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

    CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: Valid Driver’s License

    PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

    While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

    WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

    Adequate heating, cooling, lighting and ventilation. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. While performing the job duties, the employee is occasionally exposed to extreme cold in the coolers or freezer. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to occasionally loud. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.

    This position's basic purpose is to use all available resources to assist the Meat Department in continuous growth and financial success.

    Benefits:

    • Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance
    • Health Savings Account
    • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
    • Paid Vacation, Holiday, and Sick Time
    • 401(k) with 4% match along with 3 other contributions
    • Tuition Reimbursement
    • Basic & Supplemental Life and AD&D
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
    • Wellness Program
    • Yearly Holiday Bonus
    Company DescriptionAssociated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) is the nation's largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving over 1,100 member companies and over 3,100 locations throughout 28 states from 8 full-line wholesale divisions. The consolidated sales for AWG are approximately $10.6 billion. In addition to its cooperative wholesale operations, the company also operates subsidiary companies which provide certain real estate and supermarket development services, print and digital marketing services, health and beauty care, general merchandise, pharmaceutical products, specialty foods, and natural and organic products.
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find retail buyers for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your retail buyer job on Zippia to find and recruit retail buyer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit retail buyers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new retail buyer

    Once you've decided on a perfect retail buyer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    To prepare for the new retail buyer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a retail buyer?

Before you start to hire retail buyers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire retail buyers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for retail buyers is $52,720 in the US. However, the cost of retail buyer hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a retail buyer for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $18 and $34 an hour.

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