A buyer decides what a store or wholesaler sells, how much to order, what to pay, and when to mark it down. Your job is to turn sales data and customer demand into profitable purchases. The work rests on three habits: reading numbers (sales, margin, inventory), talking to people (vendors, planners, store teams), and negotiating well. You do not need a specific degree to start, since O*NET lists none for this role, but most employers hire assistant buyers or planners with some college or retail experience. This roadmap starts with retail math and Excel, moves to vendor negotiation and assortmen
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Every stage from beginner to expert, with lessons, practice drills, projects, interview questions and free resources. Free with a Rolearch account.
Stage 1 of 4 · about 8 weeks
Learn retail math (gross margin, markup, markdown, sell-through, turn, GMROI), basic Excel (formulas, sorting, pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP), and how a retail business makes money. Practice by tracking 20 products in a spreadsheet.
How a retailer makes money
Every buying decision traces back to profit. If you understand where money comes in and goes out, you will know why buyers obsess over margin and inventory, and you will sound credible in interviews.
Retail math: margin, markup and markdown
Buyers set and defend prices all day. Mixing up markup and margin is the most common beginner error and it costs real money.
Inventory math: sell-through, turn and GMROI
These numbers tell you whether a product is earning its space. Buyers are judged on them, and interviewers love to ask about them.
Excel for buyers
Excel is the buyer's daily tool. Sales reports, vendor line sheets and open-to-buy files all live in spreadsheets, and clean, fast analysis sets you apart in your first job.
Then 3 more stages (about 86 weeks in all) with lessons, drills, projects, 10 interview questions with strong answers and free resources.