Jobs/By role/Buyer
Buyer jobs
A buyer decides which products a fashion label will stock each season, choosing styles, colours and quantities that match the brand's customer and budget. Retailers ranging from high-street chains to premium labels rely on buyers to balance trend forecasting with commercial sense, often working closely with merchandising and design teams. This page lists current openings, including a Head of Buying role at Hunkemöller, for buyers at every level across Europe.
Also hired as: fashion buyer · inkoper · purchasing
Open Buyer roles
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Salary guide
What does a Buyer earn?
Ranges come from our Buyer salary guide, maintained per level for the European market. Individual listings state their own range when the company shares one.
Full Buyer salary guide →The role, in practice
Working as a Buyer
What the role covers day to day
A buyer's week moves between supplier meetings, range reviews and sales analysis. Early in a season this means sourcing samples, negotiating prices and committing to orders, while later it shifts to tracking sell-through and deciding what to reorder, discount or drop. The job sits at the meeting point of creative judgement and hard numbers, so buyers need to read a trend report and a margin spreadsheet with equal ease.
What hiring managers look for
Most employers want evidence of commercial results rather than a portfolio in the design sense: range plans, sales figures, supplier relationships you have managed. Strong Excel or retail planning software skills are standard, and additional languages help when negotiating with suppliers across different markets. Confidence presenting decisions to senior stakeholders matters too, since buyers are regularly asked to justify choices with data.
How the career progresses
Buyers typically start as assistant buyers handling admin and analysis before taking ownership of a category, then a wider department. From there the path leads to senior buyer and eventually head of buying roles, where the focus shifts from individual ranges to setting overall buying strategy and managing a team, similar to the Head of Buying position currently listed at Hunkemöller.
Common questions
Becoming a Buyer
What qualifications do you need to become a buyer?
Most buyers hold a degree in fashion buying, business or a related subject, though some enter through retail graduate schemes or by working up from an assistant buyer role. What matters most to employers is demonstrable commercial experience, such as managing a budget, negotiating with suppliers or improving sell-through on a range. Strong numeracy and comfort with retail systems are expected from day one.
What is the difference between a buyer and a merchandiser?
A buyer chooses what products go into the range and negotiates with suppliers on price and delivery, while a merchandiser plans how that stock is allocated, priced and replenished across stores and channels. The two roles work side by side throughout a season, but a buyer is more focused on product and supplier decisions, and a merchandiser on numbers and stock flow.
Can you move into buying from another career?
Yes, people move into buying from retail management, visual merchandising or sales roles where they have already shown commercial awareness and an eye for product. Employers generally expect you to start as an assistant buyer to learn supplier negotiation and range planning before progressing. Relevant short courses in buying or merchandising can help demonstrate commitment when changing career.
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