Wholesaler

A wholesaler purchases goods in bulk from manufacturers and suppliers, then sells them in smaller quantities to retailers, businesses, or other resellers at a margin. They operate within the distribution and supply chain sector, managing inventory, pricing, customer relationships, and logistics across product categories ranging from fast-moving consumer goods to specialised equipment. They are responsible for sourcing competitive products, negotiating supplier contracts, and ensuring timely delivery to maintain profit margins and customer satisfaction.

Identify and evaluate potential suppliers and manufacturers to source products at competitive wholesale prices. Negotiate purchase orders, pricing terms, payment schedules, and delivery conditions with suppliers. Manage inventory levels by forecasting demand, placing orders, and monitoring stock turnover across product lines. Establish pricing strategies for retail customers and resellers based on cost, market demand, and competitor pricing. Maintain relationships with retail customers and business clients through regular contact and account management. Process sales orders from customers, arrange delivery logistics, and track shipments to destination. Monitor cash flow, credit terms with customers, and outstanding invoices to ensure timely payment. Comply with relevant tax obligations including GST registration and reporting to the ATO.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

Your income depends entirely on margins you can squeeze between what you pay suppliers and what customers will pay you. In competitive product categories like fast-moving consumer goods, margins are razor-thin (2 to 5%), so you need massive volume to make decent money. You're also stuck managing cash flow constantly: customers delay payment while suppliers demand quick settlement, tying up your capital. This gets worse during economic slowdowns.

Some regions have clusters in food and beverage wholesaling. Most work is office and warehouse-based in metro areas, though remote work for relationship management is increasingly common. Regional areas have fewer opportunities unless you're in agricultural or resource-related wholesale.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 1333, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Complaint Handlingcore
• Customer Needs Assessmentcore
• ERP and Inventory Systemscore
• Freight Coordinationcore
• Goods Receipt Processingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Invoicing and Accounts Receivablecore
• Negotiationcore
• Purchase Order Processingcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Stock Reconciliationcore
• Supplier Communicationcore
• Upselling and Cross-Sellingcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Delivery Scheduling
• Invoice Matching and Reconciliation
• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Returns Processing
• Risk Identification
• Stock Counting and Stocktake
• Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Wholesaler workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026