Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products

Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products score 47 out of 100, which is elevated exposure to AI. That ranks #312 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 20 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 1 on its own and 17 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 7 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

47/ 100

Elevated

Rank: #312of 923 jobs
US workers: 491,430for Buyers and Purchasing Agents
Median pay: $77,710a year
In real AI use: 7 of 20tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 1 (5%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 17 (85%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 2 (10%)

Provide clerks with information to print on price tags, such as price, mark-ups or mark-downs, manufacturer number, season code, or style number.AI can speed this up on its own · supplemental task
Buy merchandise or commodities for resale to wholesale or retail consumers.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Negotiate prices, discount terms, or transportation arrangements with suppliers.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Examine, select, order, or purchase merchandise consistent with quality, quantity, specification requirements, or other factors, such as environmental soundness.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Recommend mark-up rates, mark-down rates, or merchandise selling prices.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Obtain information about customer needs or preferences by conferring with sales or purchasing personnel.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Authorize payment of invoices or return of merchandise.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Monitor and analyze sales records, trends, or economic conditions to anticipate consumer buying patterns, company sales, and needed inventory.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Collaborate with vendors to obtain or develop desired products.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Inspect merchandise or products to determine quality, value, or yield.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Consult with store or merchandise managers about budgets or goods to be purchased.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Determine which products should be featured in advertising, the advertising medium to be used, or when the ads should be run.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task · Seen in real AI use
Monitor competitors' sales activities by following their advertisements in newspapers or other media.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Analyze environmental aspects of competing merchandise when making buying decisions.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Compare transportation options to determine the most energy-efficient options.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Develop strategies to advertise green products or merchandise to consumers.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task · Seen in real AI use
Identify opportunities to buy green commodities, such as alternative energy, water, or carbon-neutral products for resale to consumers.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Monitor consumer preferences or environmental trends to determine the best way to introduce new green products.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Conduct sales meetings to introduce new merchandise.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Train or supervise sales or clerical staff.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

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Questions about wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products and AI

Will AI replace wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products?

Not entirely. Parts of the job are likely to change as AI takes over routine tasks. Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products score 47 out of 100 (elevated exposure), #312 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 18 of the job's 20 tasks, 1 of them on its own, while 2 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Provide clerks with information to print on price tags, such as price, mark-ups or mark-downs, manufacturer number, season code, or style number".

Which wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Conduct sales meetings to introduce new merchandise"; "Train or supervise sales or clerical staff".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 7 of the 20 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products, and what do they earn?

About 491,430 people in the US (figure for Buyers and Purchasing Agents), with median pay of $77,710 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.