6 buyer templates by category, with the one thing generic templates miss: whether the role is exempt or non-exempt, and why a full buyer and an assistant buyer are classified differently. Download as DOCX.
Retail buyer is one of the trickiest retail roles to write a job description for, not because the duties are obscure but because the title spans two very different jobs with different pay and, crucially, different overtime rules. A full buyer who selects assortments and commits the company to vendor contracts is one thing; an assistant buyer who executes those orders under direction is another. The generic templates online treat them as one and skip the distinction entirely, which is exactly where they leave employers exposed.
At FirstHR, we build for small businesses without HR departments, so this page is written to get that distinction right. The six templates below, a standard retail buyer plus assistant buyer, fashion, grocery, home goods, and a small-business version, are ready to use, each with a classification note built in.
Retail buyer and merchandise buyer describe the same role, and the related buyer and category manager templates cover the adjacent titles.
A retail buyer selects, sources, and purchases the products a store sells: choosing assortments, negotiating with vendors, and owning the open-to-buy budget. The classification splits by level: a full buyer with authority to bind the company is generally exempt (29 CFR 541.203(f)), while an assistant buyer is typically non-exempt and owed overtime. The closest BLS group reports a median near $75,650, though retail-buyer-specific figures run lower. Six templates, downloadable as DOCX.
What a Retail Buyer Does
A retail buyer decides what a store sells. The job is built on decisions: analyzing sales and trends, selecting assortments, sourcing and negotiating with vendors, owning the open-to-buy budget, placing purchase orders, and reading sell-through to plan reorders and markdowns. A full buyer commits the company financially on significant purchases, which is both the heart of the role and the fact that drives its overtime classification.
Because the Bureau of Labor Statistics folded the detailed retail-buyer code into a broader group after 2018, the closest occupation is buyers and purchasing agents (SOC 13-1020), with the more senior purchasing manager tier tracked separately. The role is distinct from a merchandiser, who focuses on how products sell once bought, and from an assistant buyer, who supports the buying decisions without making the final commitments.
Retail Buyer Duties and Responsibilities
Retail buyer duties cluster into four areas: assortment and selection, vendor and negotiation, budget and margin, and analysis and planning. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match your category and the level you are hiring.
Assortment and selection
Select product assortments by category
Forecast trends and plan seasonal buys
Decide what to carry, drop, and reorder
Vendor and negotiation
Source and evaluate vendors
Negotiate price, terms, and delivery
Build and manage vendor relationships
Budget and margin
Own the open-to-buy (OTB) budget
Manage margin, markdowns, and pricing
Commit the company on purchases within authority
Analysis and planning
Analyze sell-through, turns, and inventory
Monitor competitors and category trends
Plan promotions and reorders from the data
The weighting shifts by category and level: a fashion buyer leans into trend and markets, a grocery buyer into deal negotiation and margin, an assistant buyer into execution and analysis under direction. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by category and, just as importantly, by level. The core structure is the same across all six, but each emphasizes the duties that fit a specific kind of buyer, and the assistant buyer version is set up as non-exempt while the others carry a classification note. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
Retail Buyer (Standard)
Any retail category
The core decision-making role: select assortments, negotiate with vendors, own the open-to-buy budget, with the exempt-or-non-exempt classification note built in.
Assistant Buyer (Non-Exempt)
Entry path into buying
The support role and the one with the clearest small-business fit: executes orders and analysis under direction, non-exempt and overtime-eligible, on the path to buyer.
Fashion / Apparel Buyer
Boutiques and apparel
Trend-and-assortment focus: forecasting, market and showroom buying, brand negotiation, and markdown strategy for apparel and accessories.
Grocery / Food Buyer
Grocery and specialty food
Cost-and-category focus: deal negotiation, promotional allowances, margin and shrink management, and perishable dating across many SKUs.
Home Goods / Hardlines Buyer
Furniture, housewares, hardware
Assortment-and-supply-chain focus: domestic and import sourcing, long lead times, OTB budgets, and inventory planning across hardlines categories.
Small-Business Buyer
First dedicated buyer
For a growing specialty retailer taking buying off the owner's plate: own product selection, vendors, and inventory, scoped honestly with a classification note.
Match the Template to the Role
A general buying role in any category: Retail Buyer (Standard). An entry-level or first buying hire: Assistant Buyer, the non-exempt version. A boutique or apparel buyer: Fashion / Apparel. A grocery or specialty-food buyer: Grocery / Food. A furniture, housewares, or hardware buyer: Home Goods / Hardlines. A growing shop taking buying off the owner's plate: Small-Business Buyer. The level you choose drives the FLSA classification, so decide that first.
6 Retail Buyer Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a classification note, compensation, and how to apply, with an EEO statement, and the category, authority, and pay carried as fill-in fields. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Standard, assistant, fashion, grocery, home goods, and small-business buyer. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Retail Buyer (Standard)
The core decision-making role: select assortments, negotiate with vendors, own the open-to-buy budget, with the exempt-or-non-exempt classification note built in.
Retail Buyer Job Description (Standard)
RETAIL BUYER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Merchandising Director / Owner)
Employment type: Full-time, W-2 employee
FLSA status: [Exempt or non-exempt; see the classification note below]
Compensation: $_____ [+ bonus]
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences about your business, the categories you carry, and the
team this buyer will work with.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Retail Buyer to select, source, and purchase the
products we sell. You will analyze sales and trends, choose assortments,
negotiate with vendors, manage the open-to-buy budget, and own the buying
decisions for your categories. This is a decision-making role that directly
shapes what we sell and how profitably we sell it.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Select product assortments based on sales data, trends, and margin
•Source and evaluate vendors; negotiate price, terms, and delivery
•Own the open-to-buy (OTB) budget for your categories
•Place and manage purchase orders and reorders
•Analyze sell-through, markdowns, and inventory turns
•Plan seasonal and promotional buys with merchandising
•Build and maintain vendor relationships
•Monitor competitors, pricing, and category performance
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[3-5+] years in retail buying, merchandising, or category management
•Strong analytical skills with sales, margin, and inventory data
•Negotiation skills and vendor-management experience
•Comfortable owning a budget and making purchasing decisions
•Knowledge of [your category / market: ________________]
FLSA CLASSIFICATION NOTE (read before posting)
A full buyer with authority to bind the company on significant purchases
generally qualifies as EXEMPT (administrative) under 29 CFR 541.203(f) when
paid on a salary basis at or above the federal threshold. An assistant or
junior buyer who executes purchase orders under direction, without binding
authority, is typically NON-EXEMPT and owed overtime. Classify by the real
authority and duties, not the title. This is general information, not legal
advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ [+ bonus / benefits]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: Assistant Buyer (Non-Exempt)
The support role and the clearest small-business fit: executes orders and analysis under direction, non-exempt and overtime-eligible, on the path to buyer.
Assortment-and-supply-chain focus: domestic and import sourcing, long lead times, open-to-buy budgets, and inventory planning across hardlines categories.
Home Goods / Hardlines Buyer Job Description
HOME GOODS / HARDLINES BUYER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Merchandising Director / Owner]
Employment type: Full-time, W-2 employee
FLSA status: [Exempt or non-exempt; see the classification note]
Compensation: $_____ [+ bonus]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Buyer for our [home goods / furniture /
housewares / hardware] categories. You will select assortments, source and
negotiate with vendors and importers, manage the buying budget, and plan
inventory so the right products are in stock at the right margin.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Select assortments across [home / hardlines categories: __________]
•Source domestic and import vendors; negotiate cost and terms
•Manage the open-to-buy budget and inventory plan
•Place and manage purchase orders, including long-lead imports
•Analyze sell-through, turns, and markdowns by category
•Plan seasonal, promotional, and new-product buys
•Manage vendor relationships and product development
•Track trends, competitors, and category performance
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[3-5+] years in home goods, hardlines, or category buying
•Negotiation and vendor or import management experience
•Comfortable with margin, OTB, and inventory analysis
•Knowledge of [your category and supply chain: ____________]
•Organized across long lead times and many SKUs
FLSA CLASSIFICATION NOTE (read before posting)
A full hardlines buyer with binding purchasing authority generally
qualifies as EXEMPT (administrative). An assistant buyer supporting the
function is typically NON-EXEMPT. Classify by the real authority and duties.
For a growing specialty retailer taking buying off the owner's plate: own product selection, vendors, and inventory, scoped honestly with a classification note.
FLSA status: [Confirm by duties; a true buyer with binding authority is often exempt]
Compensation: $_____ [+ bonus]
ABOUT US
We are a [growing specialty retailer] hiring our first dedicated buyer to
take product selection off the owner's plate. This is a build-it-as-you-go,
wear-many-hats role: you will own buying, vendor relationships, and
inventory, and shape what we carry as we grow.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
•Own product selection and buying across our categories
•Find, vet, and negotiate with vendors and marketplaces
[Faire / trade shows / direct: _____]
•Manage the buying budget and inventory levels
•Place and track purchase orders end to end
•Analyze what sells, what does not, and adjust the buy
•Plan seasonal and promotional assortments
•Work with the owner on pricing, margin, and direction
•Bring structure to buying as the business grows
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
•[2-4+] years in buying, merchandising, or retail with buying exposure
•Practical, analytical, and comfortable owning decisions
•Negotiation skills and a nose for product and margin
•Organized across vendors, orders, and inventory
•Ready to grow the buying function with the company
FLSA CLASSIFICATION NOTE (read before posting)
If this person genuinely owns buying and can bind the company on
significant purchases, the role is generally EXEMPT (administrative) when
salaried at or above the federal threshold. If the role is mostly executing
the owner's decisions, it may be NON-EXEMPT. Classify by the real authority
and duties, and confirm with an advisor when close. This is general
information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ [+ bonus / benefits]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Exempt vs Non-Exempt: The Buyer Classification Split
This is the part the generic templates skip, and the single most important thing to get right for this role: a full buyer and an assistant buyer are classified differently under the FLSA, and the line is real purchasing authority. Here is how to think about it.
A full buyer is usually exempt; an assistant buyer is usually not
This is the distinction that defines the role for pay purposes, and the one every generic template ignores. A full buyer who selects assortments, negotiates contracts, owns an open-to-buy budget, and can commit the company on significant purchases generally qualifies for the administrative exemption: federal regulation 29 CFR 541.203(f) states plainly that purchasing agents with authority to bind the company on significant purchases generally meet the duties test, even when they must consult management on the largest commitments. Paid on a salary basis at or above the federal threshold, that buyer is exempt and not owed overtime. An assistant or junior buyer who executes purchase orders under direction, pulls reports, and maintains data without binding authority does not exercise that discretion, and is typically non-exempt and owed overtime. The line is real authority, not the word buyer in the title. This is general information, not legal advice.
Salary basis and threshold still have to be met for the exemption
The administrative exemption is not automatic just because the duties fit. The employee must also be paid on a salary basis at or above the federal threshold of $684 per week, currently equivalent to $35,568 a year, and the salary cannot be docked in ways that break the salary basis. A buyer who genuinely binds the company on significant purchases but is paid hourly, or below the threshold, is not exempt regardless of duties. The cleanest approach is to decide the classification deliberately: a senior, decision-making buyer salaried above the threshold is exempt; an assistant or hourly buyer is non-exempt and gets overtime. Do not assume the title settles it, and revisit the classification if the role or pay changes. This is general information, not legal advice.
Pay-transparency laws may require a salary range in the posting
Because the job description usually becomes the public job posting, pay-transparency rules can apply directly, and they now reach small employers. A growing number of states and cities require employers to include a good-faith pay range in postings, with thresholds that vary widely: some apply to employers with as few as four or five employees, others at fifteen, twenty-five, or thirty or more, and remote postings often trigger the strictest applicable state's rule. For a buyer role, which spans a wide pay band from assistant to senior, posting an honest range matters even more, since candidates self-select by level. Check the current rule in your state and city before you publish, and post a range where it applies. This is general information, not legal advice.
Classification is duties-based and worth documenting
Because the buyer role splits cleanly between exempt and non-exempt depending on real authority, it is worth writing down which one you are hiring and why. Document the buyer's actual purchasing authority: what they can commit the company to without approval, what requires sign-off, and whether they own a budget. That record supports the classification if it is ever questioned, and it doubles as a clear scope for the new hire. The most common mistake is calling an order-processing support role a buyer and classifying it as exempt to avoid overtime, when the person has no real binding authority. If in doubt, treat the role as non-exempt and pay overtime, or confirm the exempt classification with an employment advisor. This is general information, not legal advice.
Authority Decides: Full Buyer Exempt, Assistant Non-Exempt
Federal regulation 29 CFR 541.203(f) states that purchasing agents with authority to bind the company on significant purchases generally meet the administrative exemption's duties test. A full buyer salaried at or above the federal threshold of $684/week is therefore typically exempt; an assistant buyer executing orders under direction, without binding authority, is typically non-exempt and owed overtime. See DOL Fact Sheet 17C.
For the underlying rules, the exempt versus non-exempt guide and the Fair Labor Standards Act overview explain the administrative-exemption test in plain terms. The practical rule: classify the buyer by real authority and pay basis, document it, and when a role sits near the line, treat it as non-exempt or confirm with an advisor.
Skills and Requirements
Buyer roles run on analytical skill, negotiation, and category knowledge, scaled to the level. The strong versions ask for evidence of decisions and results, not just years served.
Requirement
Full buyer
Assistant buyer
Experience
3 to 5+ years buying or merchandising
1 to 2+ years retail or support
Core skill
Assortment, negotiation, and OTB ownership
Order execution, data, and tracking
Authority
Binds the company on significant purchases
Executes under a buyer's direction
Analysis
Owns margin, turns, and markdown decisions
Pulls and prepares the reports
Classification
Generally exempt (salaried)
Non-exempt (overtime-eligible)
Keep every requirement job-related and neutral, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Retail Buyer Pay
Buyer pay spans a wide band by level, category, and employer size, which is one more reason to post a range. Anchor to the closest federal group, then adjust for level.
Closest BLS Group Median $75,650; Retail-Specific Runs Lower
There is no standalone federal figure for retail buyers; the closest group, buyers and purchasing agents, had a median annual wage of $75,650 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under $46,460 and the highest 10 percent over $127,520. A Census survey figure specific to wholesale and retail buyers puts the mean closer to $56,600. Assistant buyers commonly fall in the $40,000s, mid-level buyers in the $50,000s to $60,000s.
The honest read is that the broad-group median overstates a typical retail buyer, while assistant buyers sit well below it. The more senior purchasing manager tier is a separate, higher-paid occupation entirely. Set your range using current market data for your category, level, and region, post a range where your state requires one, and remember the classification follows the role: an exempt buyer is salaried, while a non-exempt assistant buyer is paid hourly or salaried-non-exempt with overtime.
Does a Small Business Need a Retail Buyer?
This is the question generic templates never ask, and the most useful one for a smaller retailer. A dedicated buyer is largely a mid-to-large-retailer role; a small shop usually has the owner do the buying, and its first buying hire is typically an assistant. Here is the honest guidance, and the merchandiser role is the close cousin to consider alongside it.
In most small businesses the owner is the buyer, so the first buying hire is usually an assistant
The honest starting point: a dedicated retail buyer is a role that concentrates at mid-to-large retailers, warehouse clubs, and wholesalers, where buying volume and complexity justify a full-time decision-maker. At a 5-to-50-employee specialty shop or boutique, the owner almost always does the buying, often through wholesale marketplaces and trade shows, because product selection is the heart of the business and hard to hand off. When a small retailer does make its first buying hire, it is usually an assistant buyer to take the execution work, order processing, tracking, data, off the owner's plate, while the owner keeps the final calls. That assistant buyer is non-exempt and the best small-business fit on this page. A truly delegated, decision-making buyer comes later, as the business grows past the size where one person can carry both selling and buying.
The exempt-versus-non-exempt call is the easiest expensive mistake to make here
Because the title buyer spans everything from an hourly assistant to a salaried decision-maker, this is the role where misclassification is most tempting and most costly. The rule that matters is authority: a buyer who can bind the company on significant purchases is generally exempt under federal regulation, while an assistant who executes orders under direction is non-exempt and owed overtime. The expensive mistake is calling a support role a buyer and treating it as salaried-exempt to skip overtime, when the person has no real purchasing authority. For a small business making its first buying hire, the safe default is to recognize that the early role is usually an assistant buyer, classify it as non-exempt, and pay overtime, reserving the exempt classification for a genuine decision-making buyer with a documented budget and binding authority.
Whoever you hire touches vendor contracts and spend, so onboarding is where the controls live
A buyer or assistant buyer commits company money, handles vendor relationships, and sees cost and margin data, which makes a clean onboarding and clear authority limits part of doing the job safely. After the hire, the people side is straightforward: a signed offer with the correct FLSA classification and pay, Form I-9 and tax forms, a written statement of purchasing authority and approval limits, vendor and systems access, and confidentiality terms covering cost and margin data. FirstHR fits this for a growing retailer: e-signature for the offer and confidentiality agreements, document management for signed forms and the authority statement, training modules for the buying process and systems with documented sign-offs, and task workflows for the first-week setup. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a purchasing, inventory, or merchandising system, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding, and for this role one thing matters more than usual: the buyer commits company money and handles vendor relationships, so the correct classification, documented purchasing authority, and confidentiality terms are part of getting started.
Send the offer
Confirm the role, pay, and the correct FLSA classification (exempt buyer or non-exempt assistant) in writing. An offer letter template makes this fast.
Document buying authority
Write down what the buyer can commit the company to without approval and what needs sign-off. This sets scope and supports the classification.
Provision systems and vendors
Scope access to purchasing, inventory, and reporting systems, plus vendor portals, and document who approved it.
Sign agreements and store records
Confidentiality covering cost and margin data, plus signed forms and the authority statement, kept organized.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, confidentiality agreements, systems-access setup, and the onboarding workflow in one place so a growing retailer can run the full process from one system, with the FLSA classification and purchasing authority recorded from day one. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a purchasing, inventory, or merchandising tool, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A retail buyer selects, sources, and purchases what a store sells: assortments, vendor negotiation, and open-to-buy budget ownership; retail buyer and merchandise buyer are the same role.
The classification splits by level: a full buyer with authority to bind the company is generally exempt under 29 CFR 541.203(f); an assistant buyer is non-exempt and owed overtime.
Use the template that matches both category and level: standard, assistant, fashion, grocery, home goods, or small-business buyer.
Owning the open-to-buy budget is the clearest sign of a genuine, exempt buyer versus a support role; document the purchasing authority either way.
The closest BLS group reports a median of $75,650, but retail-buyer-specific figures run lower, around $56,600 mean, and assistant buyers commonly sit in the $40,000s.
Most small businesses have the owner do the buying; the first buying hire is usually a non-exempt assistant buyer, which is the clearest small-business fit on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a retail buyer do?
A retail buyer selects, sources, and purchases the products a store sells. The core of the job is decision-making: analyzing sales data and trends, choosing assortments, sourcing and negotiating with vendors, managing the open-to-buy budget, placing purchase orders, and analyzing sell-through to plan reorders and markdowns. A full buyer owns the buying decisions for their categories and can commit the company financially on significant purchases. The work splits by category, a fashion buyer forecasts trends and attends markets, a grocery buyer negotiates deals and manages perishable margin, a home goods buyer manages import lead times, but the decision-making core is the same. An assistant buyer, by contrast, supports these decisions by executing purchase orders, tracking shipments, and pulling reports under a buyer's direction, without making the final commitments. Retail buyer and merchandise buyer describe the same role.
Is a retail buyer exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
It depends on the level, and this is the most important classification question for the role. A full retail buyer who selects assortments, negotiates contracts, owns an open-to-buy budget, and has authority to bind the company on significant purchases generally qualifies for the administrative exemption and is exempt from overtime, when paid on a salary basis at or above the federal threshold. Federal regulation 29 CFR 541.203(f) states that purchasing agents with authority to bind the company on significant purchases generally meet the duties test, even if they consult management on the largest commitments. An assistant or junior buyer who executes orders under direction, without binding authority, does not exercise that discretion and is typically non-exempt and owed overtime. The line is real purchasing authority, not the word buyer in the title. Classify by the actual duties and pay basis. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a buyer and an assistant buyer?
The difference is authority and, with it, classification. A buyer makes the buying decisions: selecting assortments, negotiating with vendors, owning the open-to-buy budget, and committing the company on purchases. Because that involves discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance, a full buyer paid on a salary basis at or above the federal threshold is generally exempt from overtime. An assistant buyer supports those decisions: creating and tracking purchase orders, maintaining product and pricing data, pulling sales and inventory reports, and communicating with vendors, all under a buyer's direction and without binding authority. Because that work follows established procedures rather than exercising independent judgment, an assistant buyer is typically non-exempt and owed overtime. For a small business, the first buying hire is usually an assistant buyer, since the owner tends to keep the final buying decisions. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a retail buyer make?
Pay varies widely by level, category, and employer size. There is no standalone federal wage figure for retail buyers specifically; the closest Bureau of Labor Statistics occupation is the broad group of buyers and purchasing agents, which had a median annual wage of about $75,650 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under $46,460 and the highest 10 percent over $127,520. A Census survey figure specific to wholesale and retail buyers puts the mean closer to $56,600, lower than the broad-group median. In practice, pay tracks the level: assistant buyers commonly fall in the $40,000s, mid-level retail and grocery buyers in the $50,000s to $60,000s, and experienced or fashion buyers higher. Set your range using current market data for your category, level, and region, and post a range where your state requires one. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does a small business need a retail buyer?
Often not a full one, at least not at first. A dedicated retail buyer is a role that concentrates at mid-to-large retailers, warehouse clubs, and wholesalers, where buying volume justifies a full-time decision-maker. At a small specialty shop or boutique of 5 to 50 employees, the owner usually does the buying, because product selection is central to the business and hard to delegate, often sourcing through wholesale marketplaces and trade shows. When a small retailer does make its first buying hire, it is typically an assistant buyer to take the execution work off the owner's plate, while the owner keeps the final calls. A fully delegated, decision-making buyer comes later, as the business grows past the point where one person can carry both selling and buying. If you are a small retailer, the assistant buyer template here is usually the right fit. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a retail buyer and a merchandiser?
They are closely related and sometimes combined, but the emphasis differs. A retail buyer focuses on what to buy and from whom: selecting assortments, sourcing and negotiating with vendors, and managing the buying budget. A merchandiser focuses on how products sell once bought: planning inventory levels, allocating stock across stores, setting pricing and markdowns, and analyzing performance. In large retailers these are separate roles, often working as a buyer-and-planner pair. In smaller businesses one person frequently does both, which is why titles like buyer-merchandiser exist. The classification can differ too: a buyer with binding purchasing authority is generally exempt, while a more analytical or support-oriented merchandising role may be non-exempt depending on its actual duties. Decide which emphasis your role really needs before choosing a title. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is open-to-buy and why does it matter in a buyer job description?
Open-to-buy, often abbreviated OTB, is the budget a buyer has available to purchase inventory for a given period, calculated from planned sales, planned markdowns, and target inventory levels minus what is already on order. It is the financial discipline at the center of buying: it keeps a buyer from over-ordering and tying up cash in stock that will not sell, or under-ordering and missing sales. Owning the open-to-buy budget is one of the clearest signs that a role is a genuine buyer rather than a support role, because it involves committing company money based on independent analysis and judgment, which is exactly the authority that makes a full buyer exempt. A job description that names open-to-buy ownership signals both the seniority of the role and, indirectly, its likely exempt classification. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a retail buyer job description include?
A strong retail buyer job description names the category up front, whether general, fashion, grocery, or home goods, and the level, full buyer or assistant, since the two are classified and paid differently. Include a job summary that frames the decision-making scope, and group responsibilities into assortment and selection, vendor and negotiation, budget and margin, and analysis and planning. State the required buying or merchandising experience, name the systems, and be explicit about purchasing authority, since that authority drives the FLSA classification. The most valuable addition that generic templates skip is the classification note: a full buyer with binding authority is generally exempt, while an assistant buyer is non-exempt and owed overtime. Post a salary range where your state requires one, and close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
