Assistant Buyer

Shoppers Stop; Mumbai; On-site; INR 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Shoppers Stop in Mumbai, India, seeks a seasoned Merchandising professional to shape divisional buying strategies. You will collaborate with merchandising, design, marketing, and QA to ensure timely deliveries, optimal pricing, and robust product development aligned with customer demand.

Responsibilities include supplier negotiations, stock management, seasonal planning, and market research to anticipate trends.

Qualifications

• Graduate/Diploma in design/apparel merchandising, NIFT (GMT/FD/Textile /KDT/D&D), Pearl academy (IFTP).

Responsibilities

• Contribute to divisional Buying and Merchandising strategy and work within it at all times.
• Ensure deliveries satisfy assigned purchase orders with merchandising team.
• Identify future product offerings by researching customer needs and trends.
• Plan pricing strategies with marketing and management; negotiate with suppliers for optimal pricing.
• Develop and source the right product to meet customer requirements.
• Maximize sourcing channels and identify new opportunities.
• Support negotiations to achieve best costs and margins.
• Work with Designers on style development, fabric advice, and move-on styles.
• Manage stock, style options, quantities, promotions and markdowns with Merchandising.
• Track competitor activities and market trends in color, fabric, and forecasting.
• Oversee product presentation, packaging, development and promotional plans.
• Review and adjust season and weekly plans.
• Identify and develop vendors; secure range merchandise after negotiations.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Design to develop Visual Merchandising promotions.
• Ensure timely delivery of samples by vendors.
• Set quality standards with QA; reconcile with store plans and financial plans.
• Conduct annual supplier performance reviews with QA.
• Pursue and recover money from vendors for penalties or markdowns.
• Regularly update front-end on key product benefits.

Skills

Merchandising strategy

Vendor negotiation

Product development

Stock management

Pricing strategy

Market research

Education

Graduate/Diploma in design/apparel merchandising

Job description

Role and Responsibilities

• To contribute to the development of the divisional Buying and Merchandising strategy and to work within this strategy at all times.
• To work with merchandising team to ensure that all deliveries satisfy the assigned purchase orders.
• Identify possible future product offerings by conducting thorough research about what customers are looking for next and the technological trends that are coming up.
• Plan pricing strategies on various product lines with the marketing department and management and aim to reach an agreement with suppliers that allow for optimal pricing.
• Developing and sourcing the right product at the right time to meet customer requirements.
• Maximizing current sourcing channels and identifying new opportunities.
• Supporting negotiations and working with supply base to ensure that best costs and margins are achieved.
• Working closely with Designers on developing styles; design research trips, fabric & print advice and informing best sellers for move‑on styles.
• Working closely with Merchandising; management of stock, style options, quantities, promotions and markdowns.
• Keeping a track of Competitor’s activities through market research activities to track understand trends, forecasting, in terms of color, fabric etc
• Product presentation, packaging and Product development and develop promotional plans.
• Review and adjust the season plans and weekly plans.
• Product presentation, packaging and Product development and develop promotional plans.
• Vendor identification and development.
• Obtaining Range merchandise after effective negotiation.
• To work with Marketing and Design to develop Visual Merchandising promotions in line with theme and product launches.
• Ensures timely delivery of samples by vendors.
• Setting of standards for quality of merchandise with QA.
• Reconcile to store plans and fix departmental financial plans.
• Supporting negotiations and working with supply base to ensure that best costs and margins are achieved.
• Working closely with Merchandising; management of stock, style options, quantities, promotions and markdowns.
• To conduct the annual review of supplier performance with QA.
• To pursue and recover all money due from vendors as a result of performance penalties or markdown and promotional contributions.
• To regularly update the front-end on key product benefits.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• Graduate/Diploma in design/apparel merchandising, NIFT (GMT/FD/Textile /KDT/D&D), Pearl academy (IFTP)