O*NET-SOC 13-1022.00 · US REFERENCE
Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products
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.
Skill importance below is an O*NET US occupational rating, not a global or individual benchmark. No score here is a job-loss probability or a prediction.
Examples of work in this occupation
- Negotiate prices, discount terms, or transportation arrangements with suppliers.
- Inspect merchandise or products to determine quality, value, or yield.
O*NET task statements describe US work; do not perform regulated or hazardous tasks without appropriate training and authorization.
Skills to examine first
Critical Thinking
US occupation importance: 4.00/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Compare two approaches to a fictional task and document one counterargument for each.
Active Listening
US occupation importance: 3.88/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Ask a peer to explain a fictional work problem; paraphrase it and check what you missed.
Speaking
US occupation importance: 3.88/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Explain a safe example of your work in two minutes, then ask which point was unclear.
Reading Comprehension
US occupation importance: 3.62/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Summarise a public, role-relevant document in five points; verify each point against the source.
Active Learning
US occupation importance: 3.38/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Try one new method on a safe example and record what worked, failed and should change.
Monitoring
US occupation importance: 3.38/5 · rating last updated 2026-08-01
Define three observable quality checks for a fictional workflow and review the outcome.
These prompts are RolePaths practice suggestions, not O*NET instructions, training or certification.
Related work to compare
O*NET marks these occupations as related. That is a comparison starting point, not a guaranteed career transition. Check local licensing and entry requirements.
Your next seven days
- Choose one skill above and a fictional or non-confidential work example.
- Practise for 20 minutes on three days; keep one small output.
- Ask a qualified peer for feedback against clear criteria.
- Reassess the same career and record what changed.
Source and limits
Occupation definition, task examples, skill importance and related-occupation links come from the US O*NET 31.0 Database. RolePaths selected the top six skills by importance and authored the practice prompts. Career fit, local salaries, automation timing and licensing have not been verified.