What do buyers major in

To be an effective buyer, you need a solid business foundation. What you sell is less important than how you manage the purchasing of goods, negotiate with vendors, price the product, handle materials and understand supply and demands of the market. The actual product is almost secondary, and some people become disillusioned when they do not end up in the world of glamorous high fashion.

Fields of study that retailers look for include marketing, mathematics, economics and business, according to the U. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Several careers have similarities to buying. Find jobs. Company reviews. Find salaries. Upload your resume. Sign in. What does a buyer do? Selecting and ordering products and authorizing payments based on contractual agreements with suppliers or manufacturers Assisting supply chain managers with maintaining proper inventory levels for regularly used supplies Working with inventory management to ensure all deliveries are fulfilled and reporting any missing or back-ordered items Communicating with the field management team to ensure all field purchase orders are correct Developing an accurate and efficient monitoring system for open purchase orders and delivering weekly reports to management with documentation of closed purchase orders.

Average salary. Common salary in the U. Buyer requirements. Certified Supply Chain Professional. Analytical skills. Decision-making skills. Communication skills. Math skills. Negotiating skills. Buyer work environment.

Manufacturing Wholesale trade Government Retail. Some buyers, like those who work for retail companies, select products for stores to sell. Others buy materials used in manufacturing or equipment and goods used in the work of agriculture or other industries. Purchasing is an essential part of business operations for industries like manufacturing, wholesale trade and retail trade.

An undergraduate degree in business is valuable for aspiring buyers because it equips them with a thorough understanding of the business operations into which purchasing fits.

A business degree program often covers coursework in management, marketing, finance, accounting, economics, business strategy and business law. A general business degree is an option for prospective buyers, as are Bachelor of Business Administration BBA degrees with concentrations in management, finance or supply chain management. To better understand the financial side of work in a purchasing capacity, students can opt to study finance, the field concerned with managing money and assets.

Undergraduate degrees in finance usually require core studies in business, so students can still develop a broad foundation of business knowledge reminiscent of what they would expect from a BBA.

However, this program is more specialized, with more major coursework in finance. But the glitter and glitz cloud the hard work and keen intellect required to make it in this competitive field. Professional buyers examine goods and work within reasonable budgets to make competitive bids for products to resell. Those comfortable with negotiating reported a higher-than-average satisfaction with their job.

The decisions a buyer makes-color, size, quantity and price-are some of the most important in determining whether a company makes a profit in a given year. The power to influence sales, beat competition, and earn high profits through your own action gives many buyers satisfaction in a high-pressure position. Consumer taste is fickle. Buyers work long and sometimes unusual hours, traveling to fashion shows, industry conferences, seminars, and trade shows.

Professional buyers work with retail sales people to get feedback on how choices they have made responded to the market. A significant number of respondents mentioned the support the other members of the field provided. While many times buyers will come into conflict over purchases and sales, the profession is so grueling that many find themselves sympathetic with one another in spite of that conflict.

Paying Your Dues Almost any major can prepare you to become a buyer; it depends on what you want to buy. A book buyer might have been an English major; someone who buys hospital supplies might have majored in biology.