That’s not all, though. Retail buyer jobs involve buying goods like electronics and clothes, which are then resold to customers.
Lest you think this is just a “fun” job, though, you should know that purchasing jobs are very important to the retail process as a whole. It’s very true, for example, that so-called "wholesale" stores buy in bulk and then sell directly to the customer instead of having an intermediary, but someone still needs to choose those goods and buy them in bulk for that business to begin with.
Other jobs in purchasing might be a little more mundane in terms of the goods bought, but they are just as important. In addition, if you have an eye for a good deal, you might just be able to use your talents to a company’s benefit. For example, you might purchase raw materials like cash crops (tobacco, cotton, sugar, etc.), which are then processed further or resold.
Things to Consider with Jobs in Purchasing
Just as when you shop for yourself, there are certain things you’re going to have to keep in mind when you find goods for your particular company when you have a purchasing manager job or when you’re a purchasing agent. You look for quality, price, reliability, and technical support for both the products you buy and for the sources you buy those products from. Not only do you want to get the best deal for your company, but you also want to make sure that the person or entity you purchase the supplies or products from is reliable and provides high-quality products.
You also have to keep your eye on several things. For example, you keep track of current stock, figure out where foreign and domestic suppliers are going to come from, and keep up with changes in supply and demand for the products you’re working with. Because of this, you’ll need to have a good knowledge of the products you supply; this includes technical knowledge of how the products work.
As a purchasing agent, you’re going to likely focus on a particular commodity or group of commodities, such as raw products like cotton, steel, lumber, oil, etc. You keep track of price trends and market conditions, as well as keeping an eye on futures markets.
With purchasing managers jobs, by contrast, your purchase duties are likely to be more complex and sometimes more critical. Oftentimes, you’ll be in a supervisory capacity overseeing a group of purchasing agents that focus on particular goods or services. You may not be called a “purchasing manager” for a smaller company, even though you do those duties along with those of a purchasing agent. Usually, though, you’re considered a purchasing manager if your duties include a wider range of tasks than those of purchasing agents. For example, you may be looking for new suppliers and technologies, and you may actually create and oversee particular systems that let individuals within companies buy supplies themselves without having to go through an intermediary, which increases the efficiency and therefore lowers costs for each purchase.
Working for the Government
Sometimes, purchasing specialists also work for the government or may work for manufacturing firms directly. In those cases, you often find suppliers for disparate parts or raw materials which are then used to create a final product. In some cases, if you work as a purchasing manager, you will negotiate and supervise supply contracts.
You may also publicize your need for materials or services and then accept bids and offers via the Internet or other means of advertisement, such as classified ads. If you work for the government, you must follow specific regulations in your work so that there are no conflicts of interest or other ethical issues.
If you as a purchasing agent or purchasing manager buy finished goods and then resell them, you’re often going to be working for retail or wholesale businesses. In such a case, you may function as a sort of “middleman” between wholesale buyers and the retail businesses that sell the goods, or sometimes sell directly to consumers themselves.
Buyer jobs, whether fashion buyer jobs, retail buyer jobs, or another type of purchasing job, always incorporate what a particular company is going to be able to sell. Therefore, you have to keep your finger on the pulse of consumer desires. This means you have to stay up on the latest technologies and trends, because if you do not, sales would necessarily suffer and this would harm the company you work for. You would also keep track of sales volumes and inventory “traffic” via computer software that’s hooked up to store cash registers. You also keep track of what competitors are doing and what the economy is doing on a larger scale; this helps to predict consumer-buying patterns. In general, you also work closely with vendors to get the necessary inventory and sometimes to develop it.
Background and Education
Most businesses prefer that buyers in any capacity have college degrees with an emphasis in business and are very familiar with the particular products they want to buy and sell. Buyers also need to be very familiar with retailing and wholesaling practices, and need to be able to keep up with trends. Therefore, in many cases, continuing education and certification are also a requirement.
At times, college graduates are hired as assistant buyers, but retail firms will also promote
qualified employees from within to assistant buyer positions.
Salary and Outlook
Because these types of positions fluctuate with the economy, the current outlook for such work is poor. As of 2006, though, the average salary for buyers in every capacity was about $80,000 a year.
Conclusion
If you enjoy shopping and getting “deals,” you might consider getting involved with jobs in purchasing. However, be aware that this is not just about shopping “for fun,” as you might do for yourself. In such jobs, you’d be responsible for keeping track of trends in the industry and getting the best deals for the companies you work for. These types of jobs require lots of training, including a college education with an emphasis in business. In addition, you will need to be very good at money management in general, since buyers also must keep the bottom line in sight at all times. Although job outlook is currently poor because of the economy, in general, a buyer position is a pretty secure, challenging, and exciting job to have.
