Perceived importance of educational criteria to retail buyers

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how retail buyers rate the importance of selected educational criteria. Questionnaires were mailed to 388 retail buyers in department, discount and speciality stores; the usable response rate was 28 per cent. Results of this study indicated that buying criteria such as planning and organising work effectively, retail mathematical skills, finding information to solve problems and critically interpreting information were rated very highly by the respondents. Also rated highly were criteria related to the knowledge of apparel products, from fibre through garment construction to the end‐use performance.