Explore a possible path

Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products

Buy merchandise or commodities, other than farm products, for resale to consumers at the wholesale or retail level, including both durable and nondurable goods. Analyze past buying trends, sales records, price, and quality of merchandise to determine value and yield. Select, order, and authorize payment for merchandise according to contractual agreements. May conduct meetings with sales personnel and introduce new products. May negotiate contracts. Includes assistant wholesale and retail buyers of nonfarm products.

How does this connect to your interests? →

A look at the work

  • Negotiate prices, discount terms, or transportation arrangements with suppliers.
  • Inspect merchandise or products to determine quality, value, or yield.
  • Recommend mark-up rates, mark-down rates, or merchandise selling prices.
  • Obtain information about customer needs or preferences by conferring with sales or purchasing personnel.
  • Buy merchandise or commodities for resale to wholesale or retail consumers.
  • Collaborate with vendors to obtain or develop desired products.
  • Authorize payment of invoices or return of merchandise.
  • Consult with store or merchandise managers about budgets or goods to be purchased.

A selection of source-listed tasks; duties vary by role and employer.

Interests involved in this work

These source scores describe occupational work activities. They are separate from your personal test results.

Hands-on

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

3.4 / 7

Investigative

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

1.9 / 7

Creative

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

1.6 / 7

Helping people

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

2.5 / 7

Enterprising

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

5.2 / 7

Organizing

2026-02 · Machine Learning/Expert

5.2 / 7

Skills to explore

Source-reported importance on a 1–5 scale. Try a course, project or conversation to learn what these skills involve.

Negotiation

Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

2026-08

4.0 / 5

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

2026-08

4.0 / 5

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

2026-08

3.9 / 5

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

2026-08

3.9 / 5

Persuasion

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

2026-08

3.9 / 5

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

2026-08

3.6 / 5

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

2026-08

3.4 / 5

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

2026-08

3.4 / 5

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

2026-08

3.4 / 5

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

2026-08

3.3 / 5

Plan a small next step

Talk to someone doing this work, look for a supervised activity, and explore the subjects that interest you. Admission, licensing and current program requirements should be confirmed with the relevant institutions.

Source preparation category: Job Zone 3 of 5 · 2026-08. This category describes typical preparation, not your eligibility.

Related study fields

Source crosswalk connections are research leads, not required qualifications.

Wine Steward/Sommelier →

Apparel and Textile Marketing Management →

Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General →

Merchandising and Buying Operations →

General Merchandising, Sales, and Related Marketing Operations, Other →

Fashion Merchandising →

Apparel and Accessories Marketing Operations →

Explore all related study fields →

Source & methodology

O*NET-SOC code 13-1022.00 · Database 31.0 · Retrieved Oct 14, 2026. Dates on individual observations describe their source periods.

How interest exploration matching works →

Data: O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Used under CC BY 4.0. StudyIndex normalizes the presentation and adds exploration features; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions.