OSCA 619935

Retail Buyer

Overview

  • Employed persons

    2,900

  • Employment status

    83.4% Full time

    16.4% Part time

  • Median age

    37 years

  • Employment by sex

    61.8% Female

    38.1% Male

    Moderately female dominated

  • Indigenous employment share

    0.3%

  • Main employing industry

    Retail Trade

Indicator Retail Buyer Total employment
Employed persons 2,900 12,049,400
Median age 37 years 40 years
Full-time share 83.4% 64.2%
Part-time share 16.4% 35.8%
Female employment share 61.8% 48.5%
Male employment share 38.1% 51.5%
Gender segregation intensity scale Moderately female dominated Gender balanced
Indigenous employment share 0.3% 2.2%
Main employing industry Retail Trade Health Care and Social Assistance
Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

Occupation overview

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

What the occupation involves

  • Sources and evaluates potential suppliers, and negotiates contracts and terms of trade
  • Reviews and assesses supplier performance and reports any issues or disputes
  • Monitors inventory levels, pricing and delivery times using business-relevant software or systems, and adjusts purchasing decisions accordingly
  • Develops and maintains relationships with suppliers, and attends trade shows and industry events
  • Collaborates with marketing and sales teams to develop promotional strategies and campaigns
  • Reviews and evaluates product quality, and ensures compliance with industry standards and regulations
  • Prepares and presents reports on purchasing activities and performance to management

Common occupation titles

No alternative occupation titles are listed for this occupation.

Specialisations

No specialisations are listed for this occupation.

Skill level (education and experience level)

Skill level 3
equivalent to a mid-level Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification (Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least 2 years’ on-the-job training).

Note: While skill levels are described using formal education levels, some people use a combination of informal learning, on-the-job training and personal experience to achieve an equivalent level.

Licensing or registration requirements

No licensing or registration requirements are listed for this occupation.

OSCA structure

Employment

On this page

    Industries

    Top 10 most common industries, 2021

    Retail Buyer Total employment
    Industry Share of occupation Industry Share of occupation
    Retail Trade 75.7% Health Care and Social Assistance 14.5%
    Wholesale Trade 7.6% Retail Trade 9.1%
    Manufacturing 2.5% Construction 8.9%
    Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 1.9% Education and Training 8.8%
    Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services 1.3% Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 7.8%
    Information Media and Telecommunications 0.9% Public Administration and Safety 6.6%
    Accommodation and Food Services 0.7% Accommodation and Food Services 6.5%
    Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing 0.7% Manufacturing 5.9%
    Transport, Postal and Warehousing 0.7% Transport, Postal and Warehousing 4.5%
    Arts and Recreation Services 0.3% Financial and Insurance Services 3.7%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    States and territories

    Employment distribution by states and territories, 2021

    • New South Wales

      37.5%

    • Victoria

      40.9%

    • Queensland

      11.6%

    • South Australia

      3.8%

    • Tasmania

      0.6%

    • Northern Territory

      0.2%

    • Australian Capital Territory

      0.2%

    Retail Buyer Total employment
    State / Territory Employment Share of occupation Employment Share of occupation
    New South Wales 1,100 37.5% 3,684,200 30.6%
    Victoria 1,200 40.9% 3,162,900 26.2%
    Queensland 330 11.6% 2,444,100 20.3%
    South Australia 110 3.8% 839,400 7.0%
    Western Australia 150 5.3% 1,306,200 10.8%
    Tasmania 20 0.6% 254,700 2.1%
    Northern Territory 10 0.2% 107,000 0.9%
    Australian Capital Territory 10 0.2% 248,600 2.1%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    Age and sex

    Employment distibution by age group and sex, 2021

    Retail Buyer

    Total employment

    Age group Retail Buyer Total employment
    15–24 years 4.6% 14.3%
    25–34 years 36.5% 22.7%
    35–44 years 27.6% 22.3%
    45–54 years 18.1% 20.4%
    55–64 years 10.0% 15.3%
    65–74 years 2.9% 4.3%
    75 years and over 0.5% 0.6%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.
    Sex Retail Buyer Total employment
    Female 61.8% 48.5%
    Male 38.1% 51.5%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    On this page

      OSCA occupation profiles data

      This file contains data available from the OSCA Occupation Profile page.

      Use of this data must include the relevant attribution text provided.

      OSCA Occupation data - 2021 Census.xlsx

      xlsx 1236447

      Download

      Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA)

      Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) is the skill-based classification used to categorise occupations across the Australian labour market. OSCA is used to define occupations across all official occupational statistics. OSCA replaces the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).

      Each job is classified to one, and only one, group of jobs at each level of the classification with no overlaps. This prevents the accidental double-counting of roles within the Australian labour market. For more information about OSCA, visit the What is OSCA information page, or the ABS website.

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