Retail Buyers select and buy goods for resale in a retail establishment.

Skill Level

3

Specialisations

• Merchandise Planner

Unless you are exempt in very limited circumstances, you are required to have a positive Skills Assessment to apply for the visas listed above.

Skills Assessment authority for Retail Buyer is Vocational Education and Training Assess (VETASSESS). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

• Qualification assessed at AQF Diploma level WITH a highly relevant field of study AND at least one year of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the past five years;

OR

• Qualification assessed at AQF Diploma level WITH an additional qualification at AQF Certificate IV in a highly relevant field of study AND at least one year of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the past five years

OR

• Qualification assessed at AQF Diploma WITHOUT a highly relevant field of study AND at least two years of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the past five years
• Applicants must meet both the qualification and employment requirements to obtain a positive skills assessment
• Highly relevant fields of study include:
  • Merchandise Planning
  • Marketing
  • Retail Management

Important

According to VETASSESS, pre-qualification experience for Retail Buyer may be considered in a skills assessment if the experience meets the following requirements:

• Three years of relevantemployment gained within the previous 10 years; and
• One year of highly relevant employment performed at the required skill level gained in the last five years.

Select and buy goods for resale in retail establishments, and value and buy wool sold by wool growers.

Tasks

• Monitoring sales data and stock levels, and studying trade, manufacturers’ and market information to keep informed of changing market conditions
• Negotiating purchase, promotion and supply arrangements with suppliers
• Designing and implementing pricing, marketing, promotional and display strategies
• Liaising with management on long-term planning and sales promotions
• Establishing working plans according to seasonal and budgetary requirements
• Anticipating consumer trends and determining quantity, style and quality of goods to be purchased
• Inspecting, comparing, selecting and valuing wool by determining colour, yield, micron and length
• Inspecting and buying wool at auction, in wool brokers’ stores and in farm sheds
• Receiving samples from scoured wool exchanges
• May visit freezing works to buy slipe wool

Skill Level

Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.
In Australia:
AQF Certificate III including at least two years of on-the-job training, or AQF Certificate IV (ANZSCO Skill Level 3)

In New Zealand:
NZ Register Level 4 qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 3)

At least three years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.

Occupations in this Group

• 639211 Retail Buyer
• 639212 Wool Buyer