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Retail buyer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical retail buyer skills. We ranked the top skills for retail buyers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 8.0% of retail buyer resumes contained gross margin as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a retail buyer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 retail buyer skills for your resume and career

1. Gross Margin

Here's how retail buyers use gross margin:

Assorted and merchandised retail stores and internet sites in order to maximize sales and gross margin contribution in assigned categories.
Maintained high profit center & gross margin throughout tenure of approximately $3 million per year retail gallery.

2. Vendor Relations

Here's how retail buyers use vendor relations:

Developed and executed strategies for merchandise assortments, vendor relations.
Negotiated supplier contracts and maintained positive vendor relations.

3. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how retail buyers use customer service:

Delivered over 900 international transactions including purchasing, packaging, shipping and customer service.
Provided customers with an incredible shopping experience by providing outstanding customer service.

4. Retail Management

Retail management helps retail establishments run smoothly and efficiently, all while providing optimal services to customers.

Here's how retail buyers use retail management:

Retail management and manager of chain-wide inventory project for 6 months.

5. Retail Store

Here's how retail buyers use retail store:

Assisted with pricing and financial management by preparing daily markdown proposals and managing initial sales events within retail stores
Restored a failing high-end retail clothing retail store to profitability.

6. Market Trends

Here's how retail buyers use market trends:

Incorporated market trends into product selection by identifying those that will positively impact the business.
Identified market trends and created a strategy for future purchasing in conjunction with other buyers.

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7. Inventory Management

Here's how retail buyers use inventory management:

Managed annual sales volume of 16MM-24MM incorporating product development and selection, strategic pricing, and inventory management.
Improved GMROI through diligent inventory management and vendor negotiation skills.

8. Trade Shows

Here's how retail buyers use trade shows:

Purchased retail goods and attended trade shows- returned to wholesale manufacturing
Fast paced business selling to public, traveled to trade shows as a buyer, inventory control over high dollar merchandise.

9. POS

POS is an abbreviation of "Point of Sale" which is the time and place where a customer completes a transaction. It can either be a physical shop that consists of POS terminals or a virtual shop. A POS system helps simplify the retail functions and track important sales data.

Here's how retail buyers use pos:

Coordinated and produced retail promotions for expanded POS and internet sales activity.
Coordinated reorders for all shops utilizing an integrated POS reporting system.

10. Product Development

Product development is the complete procedure of creating a product from concept until release of the final product. Product development has many stages after which a product is released into the market. Identifying the need, creating the opportunity, conceptualizing a product, and providing a solution, all are different stages of product development.

Here's how retail buyers use product development:

Shop markets for vendors that can augment the Product Development assortment with trend right quality product at competitive prices.
Worked with designers in product development; creating exclusive merchandise, negotiate price and delivery dates.

11. Store Locations

Here's how retail buyers use store locations:

Created merchandising vignettes in store locations to increase sales by making items more desirable.
Track sales trends for various store locations and Charity by Design events.

12. Product Line

Product line is a collection of similar or related products that may be under a single brand manufactured by the same company. It may include different varieties of a specific product of a brand which comes in different categories. In other cases, the product line may differ in some characteristics despite being from the same manufacturer.

Here's how retail buyers use product line:

Developed sales books, SKU level inventory/replenishment reflecting product lines, monthly promotions, and discontinued items.
Developed specialty product line for Inaugural Season and 50th Anniversary of the Minnesota Twins.

13. Retail Sales

Retail sales are the method to track consumer demand for finished goods by assessing the purchases of durable and non-durable products over a definite period. Data on retail sales is accumulated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of the Census.

Here's how retail buyers use retail sales:

Attained new vendors generating better margins to increase retail sales profitability by 15%.
Developed marketing strategies to grow business operations including growing and retail sales of several thousands of seasonal flowers.

14. Inventory Control

Here's how retail buyers use inventory control:

Gained vast knowledge in wholesale purchasing, inventory control over multiple locations, and maintaining a staff of 8 or more.
Performed all buyer functions of purchasing, reordering and inventory control.

15. OTB

Here's how retail buyers use otb:

Forecasted and managed budget of $20 Million Open to Buy (OTB).
Generated OTB, Wrote rough ad copy-worked on photo shoots-Created/ implemented/purchased/merchandised products for Christmas shop.

5 Retail Buyer resume examples

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What skills help Retail Buyers find jobs?

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List of retail buyer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a retail buyer resume and required skills for a retail buyer to have include:

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
OTB

Sales Reports
Financial Targets
Jewelry
Pricing Strategy
Retail Locations
Product Knowledge
Sales Plan
Trend Forecasting
Historical Data
Consumer Buying Patterns
Sales Floor
Product Selection
Gross Profit
Sales Trends
Product Placement

Promotional Strategies
Inventory Reports
Sales Associates
Product Mix
Retail Products
Promotional Events
Market Analysis
Merchandise Selection
Transportation Arrangements
Direct Reports
Sales Techniques
Gift Shop
Customer Demand
Word Processing Software

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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