Toy buyers assess and purchase toys for retail sale. They decide which
toys make it or do not make it on to the shelves of stores. This gives them
enormous financial responsibility, especially around the winter holiday shopping
season.
Toy buyer David Baruk says toy buyers must consistently show that they
can spot toys that sell. "If you buy a toy...for a toy chain or any market,
and it doesn't sell, it doesn't look good," he says.
"So you better know your product very well. And you gotta know the market
well."
Tanyth Gadon helps purchase toys for a store. She says instinct and personal
taste play important roles in purchasing decisions. She says if you like the
product, chances are somebody else will, too.
Toy buyers work for large, general toy stores, specialty toy stores or
large general retail stores that sell toys. They earn a salary. But some may
get a commission based on how well a toy they bought sells, says Baruk.
Working hours for toy buyers vary a lot. Weekend work is common. Baruk
says he will start at 7 in the morning and work well into the evening when
he attends toy trade fairs.
Toy buyers also travel a lot. The Internet has made it easier for toy buyers
and suppliers to interact, Baruk says. But toy buyers cannot simply base purchasing
decisions on Internet catalogs. That means they spend a lot of time on the
road.
The three major toy shows are spread across three continents. And there
are a number of regional shows across North America throughout the year. "Every
time there is a fair in North America, we try to be there," says Baruk.
The constant travel may make it difficult, although not impossible, for
people with physical disabilities to find work as toy buyers, says Baruk.
Those with sensory disabilities may also find it difficult to find work as
toy buyers because they may find it difficult to evaluate toys from all perspectives.