Who is a buyer and what does he do?

With the development of society, science and technology, more and more new professions are appearing in the labor market; buyer is one of them. Today in our article we will talk about who the buyer is and what he does, as well as discuss the pros and cons of the profession.

Bayer - This is a specialist who is engaged in the selection and procurement of goods depending on market demand. Such a specialist can be involved in various fields of human life, but most often he specializes in the fashion industry. A person holding the position of a buyer must have creativity and enterprise, he must be active and proactive.

Generally speaking, given a profession in the Russian Federation arose relatively recently, in the 1990s. Accordingly, today it is not widely known, and therefore professional, qualified and experienced workers are in great demand among employers. During the exercise of his professional functions, the buyer required to attend various shows and exhibitionsto stay abreast of the latest trends. In addition, the specialist usually deals with foreign partners, so he should speak foreign languages, as well as business negotiation skills.

Professional buyers can work with goods of any price category: From budget to luxury. However, most often such specialists are engaged in the purchase of premium products, which are available only to a small number of buyers.

Despite the fact that the profession of a buyer may seem interesting and exciting (especially for fashion lovers), it is characterized not only by positive but also by negative aspects. That is why you shouldn’t blindly chase trends - it’s better to evaluate in advance all the pros and cons of such professional activities, so as not to regret your choice later.

First of all, we list the advantages.

• Creativity and creativity. Buyer position is suitable for young people (both boys and girls) who are interested and versed in fashion. At the same time, in the course of the implementation of their work functions, they will often have to apply their creative abilities and creative thinking.
• High level of demand. Due to the fact that the profession is quite new, it is difficult to find a truly qualified specialist. If you prove yourself as an active, proactive and competent employee, you will receive a large number of profitable job offers.
• High salary. As mentioned above, the vast majority of buyers work with premium goods, which means they have wealthy customers. Thanks to this, a specialist can count on a high material reward for his work, which will help maintain a qualitatively high standard of living.
• Self development opportunity. In order to remain relevant for customers, the buyer must follow the latest and latest trends, constantly improve their intellectual level and self-develop. Accordingly, working in this position, you not only earn a living, but also improve as a person.
• The ability to travel. In the course of fulfilling his professional duties, the buyer travels constantly. Thus, you have the opportunity to visit the most incredible places and see the world. At the same time, despite the many advantages, studying the career path of a buyer, you should familiarize yourself with the existing disadvantages of the profession.
• Strict requirements. Not every young man who is interested in fashion can become a Bayer. Employers and customers put forward quite serious and stringent requirements in relation to the taste, education, appearance and behavior of the buyer. Only if your character successfully combines all the necessary traits, you can count on getting the desired position.
• High level of responsibility. Buyer work is associated with major financial risks. The thing is that, in carrying out his professional duties, a specialist can only rely on himself: on his knowledge, abilities, skills and intuition. However, in the event that a Buyer makes a wrong decision, he may suffer serious losses, as well as discredit his professional reputation.
• Lack of work schedule. If you are looking for a job with a clear and simple schedule (for example, from 9 to 5), then the profession of a buyer will not suit you. Specialist working day irregular. So, he has to attend shows and presentations in the evening, to sacrifice holidays and weekends. Such a schedule is not suitable for people who have a family and small children.
• The need for financial investment. As mentioned above, a buyer receives a high material reward for his work. However, most of the specialist’s salary goes to the purchase of branded items, spa treatments, the purchase of high-quality makeup products, visits to beauty salons, etc.

In the course of performing their professional duties Bayer performs a number of tasks and performs a wide variety of functions. Moreover, depending on a specific project, employer or customer, the need to perform certain functions may disappear. However, the professional may have some other tasks. One way or another, but the buyer must be professionally flexible and adapt to the wishes and requirements of the employer.

If we give a general list of buyer's responsibilities, we can note that it includes such tasks:

• market research and segmentation;
• forecasting relative future demand;
• assortment planning;
• communication with colleagues, partners, customers, manufacturers and dealers;
• purchase of goods;
• product quality assessment;
• search for new sources and manufacturers;
• price adjustment;
• the product of economic calculations, etc.

As we have already seen, Buyer is a rather difficult profession. In order for a specialist to fully fulfill his duties, he must meet a number of requirements. Moreover, these requirements relate not only to professional skills, knowledge and skills, but also to the personality characteristics of a specialist.

Bayer is a person who is different:

• Creativity
• creative thinking;
• politeness;
• developed aesthetic taste;
• good memory;
• sociability;
• attentiveness;
• responsibility;
• politeness;
• tolerance;
• tact, etc.

Thus, it is not enough to be a competent professional - you must also have a suitable character.

Despite the fact that the character of a specialist and his personality traits are important, they should come to the forefront professional knowledge and skills, namely:

• the ability to properly analyze and segment the market;
• know in theory and be able to put into practice various marketing strategies and techniques;
• understand the importance of diverse economic indicators;
• navigate the fashion and beauty industry;
• know the basics of materials science;
• be able to analyze customer demand for certain goods and more. other

To date in Russian higher education institutions do not teach such a profession as buyer. That is why most often those young people who seek to work in this area learn on designers. At the same time, it is recommended to study at the most prestigious universities in the country located in large cities or the capital. In addition, it is worth learning independently. For advanced training and additional competencies It is recommended to attend various workshops, conferences and seminars. The knowledge gained at such educational events will help you in your future work.

Buyers are more involved in trade, they work with branded clothing stores, as well as with individual customers. Thus, a professional can carry out his work as an employee or as an individual entrepreneur. In addition, buyers work closely with buyers, logisticians and other related professionals.

Without experience, becoming a buyer is quite difficult. Therefore, at first, young professionals It is recommended to get an assistant at an experienced buyer. Thus, you will earn a living while gaining the necessary skills.In addition, there are cases when buyers begin their work as a seller. Gradually moving up the career ladder (senior seller, administrator of a fashion store, etc.) and gaining the trust of the employer, you can apply for the position of buyer.