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What is a wholesaler and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

A wholesaler is a business or individual who buys goods in bulk from suppliers and sells them to retailers. They generally serve as the middleman of the business transaction. While the most common form of wholesale is between suppliers and retailers, there has also been an increasing number of wholesalers selling to other wholesalers. A wholesaler can also sell products to make goods, buy them from one vendor, and sell them to another manufacturer.

Wholesalers make money by supplying these items to customers for more than they have charged and at a lower price than the retailer would get directly from the producer. The most important advantage of buying from a wholesaler is that it reduces the cost of doing business. Through purchasing bulk products, you will take advantage of cheaper costs, which usually means either making more profits per commodity, lowering your prices, and undercutting your rivals, or a mix of both.

Education criteria vary with the organization or company. A Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Engineering, Applied Sciences, or an industry-related area can be helpful in beginning a wholesale purchasing career. Some companies may favor candidates who have completed a graduation certificate or a degree program.

ScoreWholesalerUS Average
Salary
4.7

Avg. Salary $59,529

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.2

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 6.33%

Black or African American 8.12%

Hispanic or Latino 15.05%

Unknown 4.03%

White 66.06%

Gender

female 24.36%

male 75.64%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress level
9.2

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Wholesaler career paths

Key steps to become a wholesaler

  1. Explore wholesaler education requirements

    Most common wholesaler degrees

    Bachelor's

    79.6 %

    Associate

    9.4 %

    Master's

    5.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific wholesaler skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Business Plan17.60%
    Annuities8.35%
    Territory Sales6.34%
    Excellent Presentation5.99%
    Sales Process4.50%
  3. Complete relevant wholesaler training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New wholesalers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a wholesaler based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real wholesaler resumes.
  4. Research wholesaler duties and responsibilities

    • Team with external wholesaler to develop sales and servicing strategy in order to manage assign sales region effectively.
    • Work closely with bank management to help market annuities through the retail branches.
    • Prepare and schedule meetings, seminars and conference calls with brokers to increase awareness, understanding and usage of MassMutual annuities.
    • Recognize by management for confidence and develop knowledge of the healthcare industry with uncanny ability to expertly penetrate large accounts.
  5. Prepare your wholesaler resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your wholesaler resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a wholesaler resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable wholesaler resume templates

    Build a professional wholesaler resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your wholesaler resume.
    Wholesaler Resume
    Wholesaler Resume
    Wholesaler Resume
    Wholesaler Resume
    Wholesaler Resume
    Wholesaler Resume
    Wholesaler Resume
    Wholesaler Resume
    Wholesaler Resume
  6. Apply for wholesaler jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a wholesaler job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first wholesaler job

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Average wholesaler salary

The average wholesaler salary in the United States is $59,529 per year or $29 per hour. Wholesaler salaries range between $41,000 and $84,000 per year.

Average wholesaler salary
$59,529 Yearly
$28.62 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.