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How to Write a Wholesale Buyer Job Description Sample

A Wholesale Buyer, or a Wholesale Purchasing Officer, is responsible for an organization’s merchandising activities. Their duties include identifying goods to buy, determining purchase terms, and buying merchandise.

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What does a Wholesale Buyer do?

A Wholesale Buyer buys goods for a wholesale organization to resell and make a profit. Their job also involves restocking wholesale inventories. They work in various industries such as manufacturing, logistics, automobile, and food services and may be full-time, part-time, or contract employees.

Wholesale Buyers typically perform their duties and responsibilities in an office. However, they often travel to meet Suppliers at warehouses. While a Wholesale Buyer usually works standard nine-to-five hours, they sometimes work overtime. They collaborate with Suppliers, Logistics Managers, Sales Assistants and Truck Drivers. In your wholesale establishment, they may also assist a Senior Buyer.

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Wholesale Buyer Job Description Examples:

Wholesale Buyer duties and responsibilities

Wholesale Buyers must perform various duties and responsibilities to succeed in their role, including:

  • Reviewing the guidelines and protocols of a wholesale establishment
  • Determining the type and quantity of goods to buy for a wholesale establishment
  • Selecting goods that fit the budget and purchasing requirements of an organization
  • Meeting with suppliers and negotiating transportation arrangements, prices, discounts, and credit terms
  • Managing the distribution of goods to outlets
  • Maintaining the required stock levels of an organization
  • Establishing and maintaining contact with merchandise suppliers
  • Keeping records of all transactions and submitting them to the accounting department for auditing

Wholesale Buyer skills and qualifications

To perform their duties and succeed at their job, a Wholesale Buyer must have various skills and qualifications, such as:

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Negotiating skills to get the best goods for the correct prices
  • Problem-solving skills to solve stock and inventory issues
  • Analysis skills to identify the required goods to buy from market reports, sales promotion materials and product events
  • Organizational skills to monitor merchandise and purchase orders
  • Leadership skills to manage interns and other employees

Wholesale Buyer experience requirements

A Wholesale Buyer must have experience determining the right goods to buy, handling purchase orders, and buying merchandise. When going through an applicant’s resume, look for at least one year of experience in a similar role. Experience in a leadership position can prepare a candidate well for a Wholesale Buyer role.

To gain the necessary experience, a Wholesale Buyer can work internships or voluntary positions under a Senior Wholesale Buyer. Other experience requirements depend on your wholesale organization’s needs and industry.

Wholesale Buyer education and training requirements

When going through resumes, look for candidates with a high school diploma or GED. An ideal candidate may also have a college diploma or a university degree in business administration, economics, marketing, or related fields. Other education and training qualifications may be preferred depending on your industry requirements .

Wholesale Buyer salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Buyer in Canada is $71,710 per year. Salaries can vary depending on factors like location, employer and level of experience.

Job description samples for similar positions

If a Wholesale Buyer job description isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, other related job descriptions include:

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Wholesale Buyer job description FAQs

What is the difference between a Wholesale Buyer and a Retail Buyer?

Wholesale Buyers typically perform similar duties in different industries. However, you can include additional roles depending on your establishment’s needs. A car dealership may ask a Wholesale Buyer to evaluate cars after carrying out market research, for example.

Do Wholesale Buyers have different duties in different industries?

A good Wholesale Buyer must be business-savvy. They’re organized and know how to negotiate with suppliers or vendors. They must also have good interpersonal skills to handle different personalities in their work environment and must be comfortable working in a team. They must be able to make sound business decisions independently, and be comfortable performing repetitive tasks daily.

Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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