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Goods purchase canvassers

How to become a Merchandiser and Buyer

Also called: MD, Food merchandiser, Fashion buyer, Department store merchandiser

Decides which products a shop should carry and buys in products that will sell, and may plan sales strategies or develop products with producers.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualifications are required to become a merchandiser, but because the work covers market research and product development, involves working with many people and moves large sums of the company's money, merchandisers are usually hired as core career-track staff. Food merchandisers usually join as permanent staff, spend some years selling on the shop floor, gain experience as a department manager or deputy store manager, and then become merchandisers. In fashion, too, people become merchandisers after experience in customer service on the shop floor and as store manager, or after working as a buyer or as a merchandiser's assistant. Later in their careers, merchandisers either move into the company's senior management or become specialists and experts in their area. A small number use their expertise and contacts to set up as independent consultants. You need to be quick to notice how products are selling and what is trending, and able to think logically and strategically. You work with producers and many other people, and often meet people for the first time or more senior people. You need to be comfortable with this and communicate smoothly.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Merchandiser and Buyer?

No particular education or qualifications are required to become a merchandiser, but because the work covers market research and product development, involves working with many people and moves large sums of the company's money, merchandisers are usually hired as core career-track staff. Food merchandisers usually join as permanent staff, spend some years selling on the shop floor, gain experience as a department manager or deputy store manager, and then become merchandisers. In fashion, too, people become merchandisers after experience in customer service on the shop floor and as store manager, or after working as a buyer or as a merchandiser's assistant. Later in their careers, merchandisers either move into the company's senior management or become specialists and experts in their area. A small number use their expertise and contacts to set up as independent consultants. You need to be quick to notice how products are selling and what is trending, and able to think logically and strategically. You work with producers and many other people, and often meet people for the first time or more senior people. You need to be comfortable with this and communicate smoothly.

How much does a Merchandiser and Buyer earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,576,200 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Other sales workers (shop owners, managers and others), which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Merchandiser and Buyer?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 51% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Merchandiser and Buyer?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026