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The differences between retail buyers and procurement 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 a procurement buyer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a procurement buyer has an average salary of $61,874, which is higher than the $52,720 average annual salary of a retail buyer.
The top three skills for a retail buyer include gross margin, vendor relations and customer service. The most important skills for a procurement buyer are purchase orders, supplier performance, and logistics.
| Retail Buyer | Procurement Buyer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,720 | $61,874 |
| Hourly rate | $25.35 | $29.75 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 74,254 | 16,674 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 44 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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.
Procurement Buyers oversee the requisition of goods and services for the company. They receive purchase requisitions from employees or departments and contact possible vendors that can supply the items. They compare the price quotations of these vendors and choose the most cost-efficient option. Upon choosing, procurement buyers notify the vendor and proceed with the request. Procurement buyers are responsible for the receipt of goods from the suppliers. They check the deliveries and ensure that all orders are complete and in good condition. They also handle the receipts and consolidate these for processing of payment.
Retail buyers and procurement buyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Retail Buyer | Procurement Buyer | |
| Average salary | $52,720 | $61,874 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $72,000 | Between $43,000 And $87,000 |
| Highest paying City | Edison, NJ | Stockton, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | VF | Invesco |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Energy |
There are a few differences between a retail buyer and a procurement buyer in terms of educational background:
| Retail Buyer | Procurement Buyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Akron | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between retail buyers' and procurement buyers' demographics:
| Retail Buyer | Procurement Buyer | |
| Average age | 44 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% | Male, 45.6% Female, 54.4% |
| 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, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 7.8% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 7% |