Learning retail buying involves understanding the buying process, starting from planning for the buying budget (OTB), to planning the assortment, until the placement of orders and dealing with suppliers.

Buyers are responsible for choosing the right products that will appeal to the target customer of the retailer and will be profitable for the business. This involves understanding the brand they are buying for, the type of consumers it is targeting, their profile, and the specific needs of those consumers that can be satisfied through an assortment of products.