The following article discusses the career path of Purchasing Buyer. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Purchasing Buyers.
Job Duties
Purchasing buyers can work in a variety of different fields. Common businesses in which they can be found include car dealerships, grocery stores, and retail stores. The work of a purchasing buyer is both physically and mentally challenging. They have to have an in-depth understanding of the business, and they also have to understand the market in order to purchase the right products. The job is physical because purchasing buyers often have to collect the items they have purchased. That said, most of their work is done indoors, unless they work in car dealerships or related organizations, where the showroom is outdoors. They also work with sellers and public relations professionals from other companies.
Other job duties of a purchasing buyer are:
- To find new suppliers, choose the merchandise, and negotiate rates and bills of sale
- To inspect any deliveries, ensuring these are free of errors, have been handled properly, and are of high quality
- To make sure orders are delivered within budget and on time
- To resolve any issues with shopping and billing
- To communicate with suppliers and provide them with information
Where We Work
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 520,400 purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals were:
Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products: 309,400
Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products: 123,300
Purchasing managers: 73,900
Buyers and purchasing agents, farm products: 13,700
The largest employers of purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents were as follows:
- Manufacturing: 23%
- Wholesale trade: 15%
- Management of companies and enterprises: 10%
- Retail trade: 9%
- Federal government: 8%
How to Become
Generally, a purchasing buyer holds a bachelor’s degree in business management or administration. Some have other majors, in areas such as fashion or other industry-specific fields.
Education Requirements
A purchasing buyer usually has at least a bachelor’s degree, as well as significant experience in procurement. The size and type of organization they work for will strongly dictate the type of education that is expected. Usually, however, it is one in supply chain management, finance, or business. Industry-specific education, such as agriculture or fashion, may also be accepted.
Typically, a purchasing buyer will also receive extensive on the job training. This is where the will learn how to negotiate with suppliers and how to monitor inventory levels. They may also choose to become certified, something that may be required by their employer. Possible certifications include:
- CPP (Certified Purchasing Professional), offered by the American Purchasing Society
- CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional), offered by the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS)
- SPSM (Senior Professional in Supply Management), offered by the Next Level Purchasing Association
- CPPB (Certified Professional Public Buyer), offered by UPPCC (Universal Public Procurement Certification Council)
- CPPO, offered by the UPPCC
All certifications are valid for limited amounts of time, meaning that purchasing buyers must renew them. They can train for their certification and obtain continuous education credits for renewal through organizations such as NASPO (National Association of State Procurement Officials) and NIGP (National Institute of Government Purchasing), to name but a few.
Traits & Qualities
The most effective purchasing buyers have the following traits to some degree or other:
- Strong analytical skills
- Excellent decision making skills
- Great mathematical skills
- Strong negotiating skills
Minimum Education
Bachelor’s Degree
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- Most Reported
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$14,000
$125,000
The following section lists Purchasing Buyer salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, Michigan had the largest quoted salary of $69,845 while DC had the smallest quoted salary of $24,422.
According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Purchasing Buyer. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.
| Employer Name | Location | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| The Peters Company Buyer | Georgia | $173,241 |
| Macy’s Buyer | New York | $136,391 |
| ATB Reality TV Buyer | Arizona | $135,680 |
| Just Retail Services, Inc. Buyer | New York | $122,976 |
| Bustos Real Estate Buyer | Utah | $112,117 |
| GE Oil & Gas Buyer | Texas | $109,384 |
| Chantel Ray Real Estate Buyer | Virginia | $106,304 |
| Burlington Stores Buyer | New Jersey | $105,648 |
| The Gus Anthony Team Buyer | Virginia | $100,000 |
| BLUE HERON REALTY Buyer | Virginia | $100,000 |
| The Lewis Group Buyer | North Dakota | $100,000 |
| Uline Buyer | Wisconsin | $100,000 |
| The Homes By Lorie Team Buyer | Georgia | $100,000 |
| Keller Williams-The Lander Team Buyer | Arizona | $100,000 |
| Agri-associates Buyer | Iowa | $100,000 |
| The DeVito Team of Keller Williams Realty Landmark Buyer | New York | $100,000 |
| AUTO1.COM USA Buyer | Texas | $100,000 |
| The Workman Team at Kenner Equity Buyer | Utah | $100,000 |
| Susan Hansen Realty Group Buyer | Utah | $100,000 |
Learn More
| Career Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Operations Analyst | $60,651 |
| Advertising Manager | $59,245 |
| Logistics Analyst | $58,389 |
| Information Specialist | $56,877 |
| Food Service Director | $55,529 |
| Human Resources Generalist | $54,497 |
| Marketing Specialist | $52,815 |
| Logistics Supervisor | $52,796 |
| Accountant | $52,461 |
| Program Specialist | $51,759 |
