Retail and Wholesale Buyers

(NOC 6222)

in All Sales and Service

Retail and wholesale buyers buy merchandise for resale by retail or wholesale businesses and are usually responsible for the merchandising operations of retail or wholesale companies. This would include developing sales projections, plans for displaying the goods, and point-of-sale advertising. Retail and wholesale buyers who are supervisors and those who are assistants are included in this group. Retail and wholesale buyers may specialize in a merchandise line.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate Moderate growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 80 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate High rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Sales and Service

  • Estimate 10325 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 17495 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$14.50

Minimum

$25.00

Median

$36.06

Maximum

Annual Pay

$4,288

Minimum

$24,877

Median

$60,883

Maximum

Compared to: All Sales and Service

Hourly Pay

$12.95

Minimum

$15.00

Median

$25.60

Maximum

Annual Pay

$2,949

Minimum

$16,629

Median

$45,086

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Retail and wholesale buyers buy merchandise for resale by retail or wholesale businesses and are usually responsible for the merchandising operations of retail or wholesale companies. This would include developing sales projections, plans for displaying the goods, and point-of-sale advertising. Retail and wholesale buyers who are supervisors and those who are assistants are included in this group. Retail and wholesale buyers may specialize in a merchandise line.

Job duties

Retail and wholesale buyers:

  • Purchase merchandise for resale by retail or wholesale companies.
  • Review requirements of company and determine quantity and type of merchandise to purchase.
  • Study market reports, trade periodicals and sales promotion materials and visit trade shows, showrooms, factories, and product design events.
  • Select the merchandise that best fits the company's requirements.
  • Interview suppliers and negotiate prices, discounts, credit terms and transportation arrangements.
  • Oversee distribution of merchandise to outlets and maintain adequate stock levels.
  • Establish and maintain contact with suppliers.
  • May supervise the work of other retail buyers.

Sample job titles

  • assistant buyer
  • food buyer
  • livestock buyer
  • merchandiser
  • pharmaceuticals buyer
  • produce buyer
  • retail buyer
  • retail merchandiser
  • senior buyer - retail or wholesale
  • wholesale buyer

Skills

  • You need excellent communication and negotiation skills. The ability to analyze complex information accurately and quickly is necessary for decision-making. Computer skills would be a definite asset.

Job requirements

  • High school is required.
  • A university degree or college diploma in business, marketing or a related program is usually required.

Other considerations

  • Work experience in retail or wholesale business is usually required. Retail and wholesale buyers may specialize through experience or product-related training courses. Supervisors and senior buyers require experience in the job supervised or in a particular merchandise line. Progression to management positions in retail trade, sales, marketing or advertising is possible with additional training or experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

1,230

employed in 2016

66.3%

employed full-time

4.1%

self employed

45.5%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
54.5%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
45.5

median age

Compared to: All Sales and Service

102,605

employed in 2016

56.4%

employed full-time

5.8%

self employed

60.1%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
39.9%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
37

median age

Where will I likely work?

45.7%

Halifax

$27,340 median annual income
15.9%

Southern

$30,727 median annual income
14.3%

Cape Breton

$15,747 median annual income
12.7%

North Shore

$16,463 median annual income
11.4%

Annapolis Valley

$18,474 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

47.3%

Retail trade

20.4%

Wholesale trade

18.4%

Manufacturing

5.0%

Professional, scientific and technical services

2.5%

Transportation and warehousing

What is the age of Employment?

22.0%

55-64

22.0%

45-54

20.0%

35-44

17.0%

25-34

13.0%

15-24

7.0%

65+

Compared to: All Sales and Service

30.0%

15-24

17.2%

45-54

17.2%

25-34

16.1%

55-64

13.8%

35-44

Top levels of education

41.5%

High school

$23,532 median annual income
23.2%

College Diploma

$23,903 median annual income
13.4%

Less than high school

$24,563 median annual income
11.8%

Bachelor

$28,489 median annual income
6.5%

Trade Certification

$33,594 median annual income

Compared to: All Sales and Service

39.8%

High school

$15,705 median annual income
19.7%

Less than high school

$9,866 median annual income
19.5%

College Diploma

$20,644 median annual income
9.9%

Bachelor

$21,262 median annual income
8.0%

Trade Certification

$21,234 median annual income

Education & training

Business Administration and Management

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to plan, organize, direct, and control the functions and processes of a firm or organization. They include courses in management theory, human resources management and behaviour, accounting and other quantitative methods, purchasing and logistics, organization and production, marketing, and business decision-making.

Institutions providing this program

Maritime Business College

Lower Sackville, NS

Academy of Learning Career College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture

Truro, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Business/Commerce

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on the general study of business, including the processes of interchanging goods and services (buying, selling and producing), business organization, and accounting as used in profit-making and non-profit public and private institutions and agencies. They prepare students to apply business principles and techniques in various occupational settings.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

University of King's College

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Logistics and Materials Management

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to manage and coordinate all logistical functions in an enterprise, ranging from acquisitions to receiving and handling, through internal allocation of resources to operations units, to the handling and delivery of output. They include courses in acquisitions and purchasing, inventory control, storage and handling, just-in-time manufacturing, logistics planning, shipping and delivery management, transportation, quality control, resource estimation and allocation, and budgeting.

Institutions providing this program

Eastern College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Marketing/Marketing Management

College or University Program

These programs prepare students to undertake and manage the process of developing consumer audiences and moving products from producers to consumers. They include courses in buyer behaviour and dynamics, principles of marketing research, demand analysis, cost-volume and profit relationships, pricing theory, marketing campaign and strategic planning, market segments, advertising methods, sales operations and management, consumer relations, retailing, and applications to specific products and markets.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Retail Council of Canada
Dartmouth, NS

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.