The Salary for an Apparel Buyer
Apparel buyers are among the highest paid retail buyers, according to labor statistics data. Still, some areas of the U.S. pay buyers significantly less than others no matter what sector employs them. Furthermore, some apparel buyers may need to relocate to get the jobs and salaries they want as retailers reduce their buying operations.
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Function
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Apparel buyers focus on getting the best quality clothing at the lowest prices for their company. To accomplish that they need to follow changes that affect manufacturers' supplies and prices. For example, a rise in cotton prices may increase the cost of clothing made entirely or partly of cotton. Buyers also need to follow fashion trends in an attempt to predict which clothing items will be most appealing to customers and drive up sales. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show the mean annual salary of apparel buyers was $66,000 in 2010.
Wage Comparison
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Apparel buyers earn significantly higher salaries than other retail buyers do. Bureau data shows the mean annual salary for retail buyers overall was $56,300 in 2010. Apparel buyers' salaries exceed buyers' wages in specific industries as well. For example, buyers who work for electronics companies earned a mean annual salary of $62,100 in 2010. Buyers who work for grocery stores earned significantly less that year at $41,660.
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Salaries by Location
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Apparel buyers' location will likely affect the salaries they earn. New York is among the top paying cities for retail buyers. They earned a mean annual salary of $72,060 in 2010, based on BLS data. However, the mean salary for buyers in Trenton, N.J., was slightly higher that year at $73,600. The bureau lists Los Angeles among cities that have the highest employment levels for the occupation. However, the mean annual salary for Los Angeles buyers was significantly lower in 2010 at $53,180. About 4,540 buyers worked in Los Angeles that year.
Job Outlook
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The retail buying sector may lose about 3,300 jobs through 2018 as retailers consolidate their buying departments. The BLS indicates that the estimated decline in available jobs may result from company mergers in the retail industry. The bureau also indicates that large retail stores are closing buying departments around the country and setting up buying departments at its company headquarters instead. Despite such changes, retail buyers who are top performers may not see a drop in their income because buyers often earn bonuses based on their performance.
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