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The differences between retail buyers and assistant buyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a retail buyer, becoming an assistant buyer takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, a retail buyer has an average salary of $52,720, which is higher than the $49,586 average annual salary of an assistant buyer.
The top three skills for a retail buyer include gross margin, vendor relations and customer service. The most important skills for an assistant buyer are purchase orders, vendor relations, and customer service.
| Retail Buyer | Assistant Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,720 | $49,586 |
| Hourly rate | $25.35 | $23.84 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 74,254 | 15,090 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
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.
An assistant buyer participates and assists in the procurement procedures in a retail company. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around selecting products according to company guidelines, handling and organizing purchase orders, and monitoring the budget. An assistant buyer may also have administrative support tasks such as responding to calls and correspondence, preparing paperwork and progress reports, arranging schedules, keeping records of invoices and inventory, and staying updated with trends. Furthermore, an assistant buyer must reach out to new suppliers and engage with vendors to maintain and establish a positive business relationship.
Retail buyers and assistant buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Retail Buyer | Assistant Buyer | |
| Average salary | $52,720 | $49,586 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $72,000 | Between $36,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Edison, NJ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | VF | Fashion Nova |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a retail buyer and an assistant buyer in terms of educational background:
| Retail Buyer | Assistant Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Akron | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities |
Here are the differences between retail buyers' and assistant buyers' demographics:
| Retail Buyer | Assistant Buyer | |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% | Male, 23.5% Female, 76.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 5.8% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 6.6% White, 75.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 15% |