Wholesale and Retail Buyers
(Except Farm Products)

AUTOMATION RISK
CALCULATED
59%
risk level
POLLING
44%
Based on 40 votes
LABOR DEMAND *
GROWTH
-7.0 %
by year 2032
WAGES
$67,620
or $32.51 per hour
Volume
464,880
as of 2022

Employment data isn't available specifically for this occupation from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so we are using the data from Buyers and Purchasing Agents.

SUMMARY
JOB SCORE
4.4/10

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Automation risk

59% (Moderate Risk)

Moderate Risk (41-60%): Occupations with a moderate risk of automation usually involve routine tasks but still require some human judgment and interaction.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Some very important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Negotiation

Some quite important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Persuasion

  • Social Perceptiveness

  • Originality

User poll

44% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted they are unsure if this occupation will be automated. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 59% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?






Growth

Very slow growth relative to other professions.

The number of 'Buyers and Purchasing Agents' job openings is expected to decline 7.0% by 2032

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2021 and 2031
Updated projections are due 09-2023.

Wages

High paid relative to other professions

In 2022, the median annual wage for 'Buyers and Purchasing Agents' was $67,620, or $32 per hour

'Buyers and Purchasing Agents' were paid 46.0% higher than the national median wage, which stood at $46,310

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Volume

Significantly greater range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2022 there were 464,880 people employed as 'Buyers and Purchasing Agents' within the United States.

This represents around 0.31% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 318 people are employed as 'Buyers and Purchasing Agents'.

Job description

Buy merchandise or commodities, other than farm products, for resale to consumers at the wholesale or retail level, including both durable and nondurable goods. Analyze past buying trends, sales records, price, and quality of merchandise to determine value and yield. Select, order, and authorize payment for merchandise according to contractual agreements. May conduct meetings with sales personnel and introduce new products. May negotiate contracts. Includes assistant wholesale and retail buyers of nonfarm products.

SOC Code: 13-1022.00

Resources

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Comments

Gregory Wolff (Uncertain) says
Buying is a science and an art. It would be difficult for AI to have that feeling of a good deal or relationship with suppliers. It could happen but I do not believe so in my lifetime.
Dec 23, 2019 at 01:49 PM

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