Assistant buyer and merchandiser

Level 6/7 apprenticeship (non-degree qualification) · Sales, marketing and procurement route · Standard ST0668 v1.1

Level: 6
Typical duration: 24 months (about 2 years)
Max funding band: £10,000
End-point assessment: 6 months
Route: Sales, marketing and procurement

Sourcing, selecting, maintaining and delivering the right products to meet demand and business objectives.

About the role

This occupation is primarily found in retail organisations, but also exists across a variety of other sectors that manage the acquisition, planning, and distribution of products, goods, or stock. These may include wholesale, manufacturing, supply chain and logistics, fashion, food and drink, e-commerce, and other industries with structured buying and merchandising operations. These organisations may serve customers and clientele directly (B2C), operate through intermediaries, or supply other businesses (B2B).

The primary purpose of the role is to understand the organisation’s brand and customer base in order to source, select, maintain, and deliver the right products to meet demand and strategic business objectives. Using data-driven forecasting, risk and opportunity analysis, commercial insight, and creativity, individuals will anticipate and shape customer demand and market trends. This occupation features two pathways:

Buyers focus on identifying and sourcing products or services aligned with the organisation’s strategic goals, ensuring these are positioned effectively to customers.
Merchandisers maximise sales and profitability by ensuring product availability in the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantities.

Together, they develop and implement buying and merchandising strategies to research, anticipate, and satisfy current and future customer demand, contributing to profitability through efficient, effective, and sustainable operations.

Individuals in this occupation typically interact with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including wider buying and merchandising teams, designers, manufacturers, suppliers, planners, logistics, marketing, finance, and IT departments. The role is typically office-based, but may involve hybrid working and travel to supplier meetings, trade fairs, distribution centres, operational sites, and potentially international travel for supplier or factory engagements.

At this level, individuals will usually manage a team and be responsible for an assigned product range or 'assortment'. Budget responsibility varies significantly by organisation and department, but can exceed £100m.

How it compares

At 24 months (about 2 years), it is shorter than average for a degree-level apprenticeship (the average across all 172 Level 6+ standards is 39 months).

The funding band — the maximum an employer's levy can contribute to training costs — is £10,000, below the £21,500 average for degree-level standards. Apprentices never pay tuition either way.

It has 2 specialist options, so two apprentices on this standard can follow noticeably different paths.

Typical job titles

Assistant buyer
Assistant merchandiser
Buyer
Category manager
Junior buyer
Junior merchandiser
Merchandiser

Specialist options

Assistant buyer
Assistant merchandiser

What you'll learn

The official standard defines 10 core duties, 48 knowledge areas, 43 skills, 5 behaviours. This is the actual assessed content of the apprenticeship — worth reading before an interview, because competency questions are usually written straight from these lists.

Core duties 10

Creatively manage a portfolio of products and services to ensure that the critical path(s) for the assortment is (are) followed, taking appropriate corrective actions to resolve issues as needed.
Apply detailed knowledge of UK and / or global markets to select and develop an appropriate product and service range.
Through effective leadership, develop and contribute to departmental buying and merchandising strategy to ensure overarching organisation objectives are met and that products and services meet the needs of the customer.
Take account of emerging technological changes in design and delivery as well as new markets to maximise market share and profitability.
Make informed managerial decisions that manage risk, drive sales and profitability, taking into account the requirements of different customer and delivery channels.
Drive sales and profitability through effective negotiations with suppliers on key deliverables such as: capacity, cost price and flexibility, re-buys, cancellations, delivery dates, lead times, promotion support etc.
Manage and collaborate with key internal stakeholder functions to agree appropriate promotional strategies and other activities to maximise the success and profitability of the allocated assortment.
Deliver robust range building and planning for the assigned assortment, linking it in to the wider operation of the buying and merchandising function.
Lead, coach, manage, motivate and develop self and team members to achieve personal and business success.
Ensure all channels to market are considered and the most appropriate channel(s) is/are selected to maximise the sales and profit potential.

Knowledge 48

Understands the overall product portfolio and brand image that the company is promoting to the customer, and can purchase and merchandise the products accordingly.
Understands how to identify current and future buying and loyalty behaviours of existing and potential customer groups for core products and third party products.
Understands the impact of the buying critical path on the effective operation of the buying function. Understands the concept and impact of new product development.
Understands when a product and product range has reached the end of its lifecycle, and acts appropriately to ensure its removal from the product range.
Understands the key factors that influence UK and global markets, including economic and political activity.
Understands the impact of emerging technological changes, for example AI, in terms of how product is sourced, how buying and merchandising processes might be improved, and how they might impact on customers.
Understands what factors contribute to the strategic development of the buying and merchandising function,and how through their leadership, they can influence the development of the strategy.
Understands the key factors that influence the quality of a product and tolerance levels.
Understands the strategic implications for product range development, and the appropriate courses of action available.
Understands the importance of ensuring that at all stages of the buying and merchandising process, the product is fit for purpose and meets company standards.
Understands impact of new and evolving purchasing options across different fulfilment channels.
Understands the main influencers on sales and profit growth, and can lead the team to achieve them.
Understands the key financial levers and ratios that affect profitability, and can manage the team to ensure that profit is maximised.
Understands the key deliverables associated with the buying and merchandising function, such as cost return rates, re-buys, cancellations, debit agreements, delivery dates, lead times etc.
Understands the importance of effective negotiation and managing an ongoing relationship, including with designers, manufacturers and suppliers.
Understands the importance of effective partnerships with other functions and departments, such as Merchandising, Sales and Finance, and leads the team to ensure that the outcomes from the relationships are maximised.
Knows when to make appropriate refer decisions to senior executives in order to obtain the correct level of authorisation.
Understands why effective planning and forecasting are vital to delivering a robust range plan, such as aspects of customer demand and changes in buying patterns.
Understands the importance of, and strategies to, lead, coach, motivate and develop members of the team.
Understands the importance of leadership style and self - development, on the success of the business.
Knows how to identify the customer’s current and future needs and purchasing trends, including ethical and sustainable retailing.
Understands how different channels of delivery, buying cycles, trading models and customer groups can affect the buying and merchandising process.
Understands key buying analysis criteria such as, competitor benchmarking, price comparison, and competitor analysis.
Understands the roles that techniques such as business planning, pricing strategies, product design and product manufacture, often in a global context, have on the overall success of the business.
Understands the need to develop and implement innovative and responsive processes and systems to customer's digital demands.
Understands the requirements of delivering to the most appropriate route to market.
Understands the potential problems that can arise from non-legal and ethical compliance and options for mitigation.
Understands the concept and impact of new product development.
Understands the importance of onboarding new suppliers to ensure full compliance with internal and external standards.
Understand where additional corporate requirements are needed to enhance compliance practice.
Understands the process that is required to ensure the rectification of any failures.
Understands how to effectively utilise data in order to identify commercial opportunities for their organisation.
Understands the importance of working together with other teams (especially buying).
Understands the potential problems that can arise in merchandising and how they can be mitigated.
Understands concepts such as ‘modern slavery’ and how they might impact on the business.
Understands allocation strategies and ensure effective data inputting.
Understands how to interrogate data in order to make effective trading decisions.
Understand merchandising concepts such as ‘fixturisation’, and the effective use of space.
Understands the impact of effective forecasting on the operation of the merchandising function.
Understands, in depth, the purpose of the critical path.
Understands supplier data, such as delivery intakes , packaging requirements etc.
Understands differing requirements across all methods of delivery (e.g. instore and on line).
Understands the principles of having the right stock in the right place at the right time, in order to satisfy customer demand.
Understands the impact that they have as a leader on the business.
Knows how to effectively build relationships with key external stakeholders.
Understands how to review and revise a system that is not functioning correctly.
Knows how to utilise different communication techniques.
Methods and approaches for analysing and responding to Buying and Merchandising plans.

Skills 43

Apply understanding of customer and business operations to inform decisions on product and service portfolio management.
Selects and merchandises products that enhance the company brand image and product portfolio.
Anticipates the need for products and ensures that the buying process enables their effective delivery to the customer.
Delivers and articulates supported recommendations regarding the introduction or withdrawal of a product and product range.
Analyse and react to main influences on Buying and Merchandising plans, taking appropriate actions as a result.
Leads the team to construct the key buying and merchandising objectives and plans for the specific product range to reach or exceed sales at forecasted levels.
Makes appropriate managerial decisions to ensure the departmental approach to selecting products and services balances quality and commerciality.
Uses management-based monitoring procedures throughout the buying and merchandising process, taking account of legal and other requirements to ensuring product compliance is maintained.
Critically evaluate and advocate opportunities presented by new technologies taking account of how they will impact on the product range, fulfilment and consumer behaviour.
Analyses appropriate cost and income influences on buying and merchandising plans to make informed decisions.
Through their influence as a leader, looks to use digital opportunities to drive sales and profitability across all channels where appropriate.
Demonstrates how to negotiate in a manner that obtains the optimum outcome for the business.
Through their leadership and management of the team, demonstrates a strategic approach to the relationship with other departments.
Anticipates potential problems and opportunities through the effective liaison at the appropriate level with other teams and functions.
Critically reviews and revises plans and forecasts for the function, taking into account the latest trend analyses, to produce the range.
Develops and implements a ‘People Plan’, that is effective in ensuring sufficient team capacity and capabilities to deliver on business objectives.
Demonstrates an effective leadership style in achieving the key business objectives.
Ensure continuous personal and team development to enhance delivery.
By using data, analyse and predict the customer’s current and future needs and purchasing trends, including how the customer journey is impacted.
Using critical research, construct a customer engagement plan identifying the effective and profitable channels to market.
Assesses and implements the relevant approach required from a buying and merchandising strategy, to take account of differing types of delivery channel, product and customer.
Work in partnership with the customer engagement team to achieve better outcomes for both existing and new customer groups.
Critically evaluates the current and future methods of digital delivery, and anticipates customer changes in respect of the use of digital and Artificial Intelligence.
Being able to implement techniques such as business planning, pricing strategies, product design and product manufacturing to maximise sales and profitably.
Ensures that the organisation’s ethical and legal policies and procedures are monitored and adhered to by the team and suppliers.
Ensures compliance with company operating standards in the sourcing of range.
Can identify when problems are likely to occur, and manage action required to resolve them.
Effectively analyses the key buying criteria to help shape the planned product range for third party products.
Has the ability to ensure that the right product is available at the right time, in the right place.
Produces and delivers accurate forecasts which demonstrate creative and ambitious suggestions for future strategy.
Demonstrates customer insight in preparing forecasts.
Demonstrates the activities needed to ensure that the forecast is underpinned by financial considerations and business strategy.
Ensures that all team members operate within current legal guidance.
Makes commercial decisions based on product, category and departmental performance.
Maximises every trading opportunity in order to deliver sound commercial outcomes for the organisation.
Using IT skills, develop strong spreadsheet and pivot table creation knowledge to enhance and optimize reporting and analysis data, so as to improve sales and profitability.
Prepare executive level reports on current and forecasted performance, and using advanced presentation skills, ensure the communication of the outcomes is delivered in the most effective and profitable way.
Effectively liaises with other key stakeholders to ensure a joined-up approach across the business.
Delivers to the critical path plan in order to ensure that delivery deadlines are met, and that intakes meet stock levels.
Delivers timely and accurate forecasts to ensure that customer needs are met.
Communicates directly with suppliers to ensure receipt of stock.
Demonstrate effective problem solving and time management skills, and an expert written and verbal communication style.
Assess the impact that they have on key external relationships, and adjusts their style to ensure that they achieve maximum benefit for the business.

Behaviours 5

Acts as an ambassador for the buying and merchandising function and the business.
As a leader, Is resilient, responsible, commercially aware and takes the initiative.
Seeks opportunities to develop themselves and the team.
Builds relationships across the whole function and beyond.
Is creative in their approach to the role.

Live vacancies

No live vacancies for this course as of 2026-07-24 — new adverts appear on Find an apprenticeship daily, and many degree apprenticeship employers recruit on their own careers sites instead.

Universities registered to deliver it

No university is currently on the provider register for this standard — delivery is by specialist training providers. The full provider list is on Find apprenticeship training.

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Official sources

Occupational summary, duties, knowledge, skills and behaviours reproduced from the ST0668 apprenticeship standard (last updated 2025-08-06) — contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Always check the official page before applying: standards get revised.