{"schemaVersion":"1.0","exportedAt":"2026-05-15T12:39:41.374Z","occupation":{"soc":"13-1022.00","title":"Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products","group":"Business & Financial Operations","sector":"55","jobZone":3,"jobZoneInferred":false},"framework":{"version":"v.26.05","description":"","contextCovered":"This framework covers wholesale and retail buying practice across supplier negotiation, merchandise selection, inventory planning, pricing strategy, and vendor relationship management within commercial buying offices operating in Job Zone 3 environments.","levels":{"emerging":{"label":"Emerging","statements":["Merchandise orders and purchase documentation — prepare and submit under direct supervisor guidance within a structured retail or wholesale buying office.","Supplier catalogs and product specifications — review and compare to identify items meeting basic quality and quantity requirements in a supervised buying environment.","Sales records and inventory reports — retrieve and organize to support a senior buyer's analysis of consumer purchasing trends in a retail setting.","Customer preference data — gather by conferring with sales floor personnel under direction to inform entry-level product selection tasks.","Vendor invoices and return paperwork — process and route for authorization following established departmental procedures in a wholesale or retail operation.","Point-of-sale and ERP software — navigate to enter purchase orders and track basic inventory levels under close supervision in a buying department.","Mark-up and mark-down calculations — perform using standard formulas with oversight to support pricing recommendations on assigned product categories.","Negotiation support materials such as price lists and discount schedules — compile and organize ahead of supplier meetings as directed by a lead buyer.","Email and calendar software — use to schedule vendor appointments and document routine buyer-supplier communications in a commercial purchasing office.","Product quality standards and environmental soundness criteria — apply at a foundational level when assisting in the selection of merchandise for resale."]},"developing":{"label":"Developing","statements":["Merchandise consistent with quality, quantity, and specification requirements — examine, select, and order with limited oversight across assigned product categories in a retail or wholesale buying role.","Supplier negotiations on price, discount terms, and delivery arrangements — conduct independently for routine purchases using established vendor relationships and pricing benchmarks.","Sales trends and economic indicators — monitor and analyze on a recurring basis to anticipate consumer buying patterns and adjust planned inventory levels accordingly.","Mark-up and mark-down rate recommendations — develop and present to management using current sales data and competitive market comparisons for a defined merchandise segment.","Customer needs and preferences — assess through regular dialogue with sales and purchasing personnel and translate findings into actionable product assortment adjustments.","Invoice authorization and merchandise returns — evaluate and approve within assigned spending authority thresholds following company policy in a fast-paced buying office.","ERP and CRM platforms — use routinely to manage purchase orders, track vendor performance, and maintain accurate product and supplier records across multiple categories.","Vendor relationships for product development — collaborate with suppliers to refine specifications or source new items that align with category strategy and customer demand.","Accounting and financial resource data — apply when evaluating open-to-buy budgets and reconciling purchase commitments against departmental spending plans.","Market and competitive intelligence — gather through active reading of trade publications and supplier communications to inform routine category buying decisions."]},"proficient":{"label":"Proficient","statements":["Full merchandise buying cycle from selection through delivery and authorization — manage autonomously across multiple product categories in a complex retail or wholesale environment.","Supplier negotiations involving pricing, volume discounts, transportation terms, and contract conditions — lead independently, leveraging market knowledge to secure favorable outcomes for the organization.","Consumer buying pattern forecasts — develop by synthesizing sales records, macroeconomic trends, and seasonal data to drive inventory planning across an entire merchandise division.","Mark-up, mark-down, and promotional pricing strategies — formulate and recommend based on comprehensive margin analysis, competitive benchmarking, and sell-through performance data.","Non-routine vendor disputes, quality failures, or supply disruptions — resolve by applying complex problem-solving and deductive reasoning to maintain continuity of supply and financial targets.","Cross-functional relationships with sales, marketing, and logistics teams — coordinate to align product assortment, inventory positioning, and in-store or online execution with business goals.","Risk management and financial analysis tools — apply to evaluate supplier financial stability, forecast inventory risk, and protect open-to-buy budgets against market volatility.","Vendor co-development projects — drive from concept through commercialization, negotiating exclusivity terms and quality benchmarks to deliver differentiated merchandise for the retail channel.","Environmental and ethical sourcing standards — assess and enforce rigorously when evaluating and qualifying new suppliers within a compliance-driven buying framework.","Buying performance metrics including gross margin, inventory turnover, and sell-through rates — analyze and act upon to continuously improve category profitability and operational efficiency."]},"advanced":{"label":"Advanced","statements":["Organization-wide merchandise strategy and category portfolio — define and direct to align buying operations with long-term business objectives across all retail or wholesale channels.","Negotiation frameworks and supplier partnership models — design and institutionalize at the organizational level to maximize leverage, reduce cost, and build strategic vendor ecosystems.","Enterprise buying systems and technology roadmaps including ERP, POS, and analytics platforms — evaluate, select, and champion to modernize purchasing operations and data-driven decision making.","Emerging market trends, economic shifts, and consumer behavior changes — synthesize at an executive level to set forward-looking assortment and investment strategies for the entire buying organization.","Buying team talent pipelines — build and develop by coaching buyers across all levels, establishing mentorship programs, and defining competency standards for the department.","Financial resource allocation across buying departments — govern through open-to-buy budget oversight, capital investment decisions, and P&L accountability for merchandise categories at scale.","Cross-enterprise collaboration with senior leadership in finance, marketing, supply chain, and digital commerce — lead to integrate buying strategy into cohesive go-to-market and growth plans.","Organizational policies for invoice authorization, return management, and vendor compliance — author and enforce to ensure financial integrity and regulatory alignment across all purchasing activity.","Strategic vendor and co-manufacturing partnerships — negotiate and steward at the executive tier, including multi-year agreements, exclusivity arrangements, and joint business planning initiatives.","Industry benchmarking and best-practice adoption programs — spearhead to position the buying organization as a competitive leader in merchandise innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence."]}}},"sources":{"onet":"v30.2 (CC BY 4.0)","crosswalk":"https://skillscrosswalk.com","generator":"LER.me"},"attribution":"© EBSCOed"}