Skills & Competencies for Merchandise Buyer

Merchandise Buyer job profile

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JOB SUMMARY for Merchandise Buyer

Selects merchandise for order, places order, and stays involved in inventory distribution.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES for Merchandise Buyer

Reviews success of previous orders to determine extent to which inventory should be replenished. Researches new trends or advances in product lines to make appropriate buying decisions.

Merchandise Buyer SALARY RANGE

BASE 50%
$104,795
TOTAL 50%
$113,503
Job Level
P03
Job Code
SM15000257
Education/Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Reports To
Supervisor or Manager

Merchandise Buyer Skills and Competencies List

Proficiency Levels and Behavioural Indicators
Salary.com identifies five increasing levels of proficiency for each skill/competency. Some jobs require only a relatively low level of proficiency in each skill/competency, while other jobs will require a more advanced level of proficiency in the same skill/competency. These levels rate the degree of proficiency (skill level, expertise) we expect the incumbent to perform in the given skill/competency for the given job. Note that we intentionally do not associate timeframes or years of experience in performing the skill/competency because that can be misleading. Proficiency levels identify what the incumbent knows and can do rather than how long they have been doing it. Also, note that the proficiency levels are cumulative, e.g., a level 4 proficiency implies the ability to perform all the behaviors at the lower levels.
Check each Merchandise Buyer skill and competencie below to view definitions.
INDUSTRY COMPETENCIES JOB FAMILY COMPETENCIES CORE COMPETENCIES
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9 hard skills or competencies (industry competencies) for Merchandise Buyer

1 Industry Competency – Retail Industry
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Applying comprehensive knowledge of retail principles, inventory management, pricing strategies, and consumer behavior to effectively manage and operate retail businesses.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains how omnichannel retail provides consistent and convenient shopping experience for customers.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Follows the established merchandising guidelines when organizing product displays and storage.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Conducts regular retail audits to optimize operations, improve performance, and uphold standards.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Guides and mentors the staff in visual merchandising best practices to maintain consistent and high-quality displays.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Develops and implements new retail business models to enhance the customer experience and foster brand loyalty.
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2 Industry Competency – Merchandising
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Strategically planning, executing, and managing product merchandising, pricing, and promotions to increase customer engagement and maximize revenue.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the standards and procedures for creating visually appealing product displays.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Contributes to merchandise stocking and restocking planning, following standard rules and procedures.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Makes necessary adjustments to product pricing and merchandising to maintain profit margins.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Guides and trains retail teams on merchandising techniques and visual presentation strategies.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Designs and executes merchandise allocation strategies across a wide variety of retail organization types.
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3 Merchandise Buyer - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandise Buyer
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandise Buyer
Proficiency Level - 5

5 general skills or competencies (Job family competencies) for Merchandise Buyer

1 Job Family Competencies – Service Delivery
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Creating and implementing innovative strategic plans and solutions to address customer concerns and needs and meet service delivery expectations.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the importance of service delivery in meeting customer expectations and business goals.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Assists in creating action plans to streamline the service delivery process.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Defines key metrics in measuring service delivery process.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Directs the implementation of service standards to ensure quality-focused delivery of services.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Designs end-to-end customer-driven solutions to deliver high quality services and customer satisfaction.
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2 Job Family Competencies – Cost Control
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Managing and analyzing financial data in determining and reducing business expenses to increase revenue and profitability.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the importance of cost control in minimizing the expenses of the organization.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Carries out the change management processes for cost control of assigned projects.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Maintains adequate cost controls in financial initiatives to support the organization's profitability.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Directs cost control using appropriate accounting cost techniques to maximize revenue.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Develops cost control procedures to ensure maximum financial coverage.
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3 Merchandise Buyer - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandise Buyer
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandise Buyer
Proficiency Level - 5

10 soft skills or competencies (core competencies) for Merchandise Buyer

1 Core Competencies – Scheduling
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Ability to plan and organize activities, tasks, and resources to achieve business goals and objectives within timeframe and budget.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Compiles a list of tools used to effectively schedule activities, such as Google Calendar and Canva.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Identifies and resolves scheduling conflicts between employees to ensure a smooth workflow.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Makes adjustments and recommendations for optimizing scheduling to maximize service and quality.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Coordinates with cross-functional teams to align work schedules with project activities.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Builds integrated database tracking tools for staffing shrinkage patterns to optimize staffing scheduling forecasts.
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2 Core Competencies – Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Knowledge of and ability to apply a set of quantifiable measurements to determine how effectively an individual, team or organization is achieving a business objective.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Contrasts KPI with other performance management tools, such as Balanced Score Card (BSC) and Objectives and Key Results (OKR).
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Compiles and updates KPI data to show impact on productivity.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Communicates KPI-related initiatives such as what, why, and how to ensure transparency.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Consults on using KPI for business review and forecasting.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Champions the adoption of KPI-based management to promote high-performance culture.
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3 Merchandise Buyer - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandise Buyer
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandise Buyer
Proficiency Level - 5

Summary of Merchandise Buyer skills and competencies

There are 9 hard skills for Merchandise Buyer, Retail Industry, Merchandising, Merchandise Quality and Compliance, etc.
5 general skills for Merchandise Buyer, Service Delivery, Cost Control, Reverse Logistics, etc.
10 soft skills for Merchandise Buyer, Scheduling, Key Performance Indicators (KPI), Financial Acumen, etc.
While the list totals 24 distinct skills, it's important to note that not all are required to be mastered to the same degree. Some skills may only need a basic understanding, whereas others demand a higher level of expertise.
For instance, as a Merchandise Buyer, he or she needs to be skilled in Scheduling, be skilled in Key Performance Indicators (KPI), and be proficient in Financial Acumen.

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