Senior Category Buyer E-Commerce

Karsten; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel allowance or OV card

13th month & 8% holiday pay

Daily lunch & beverages

Bootcamp & yoga

Massage at the office

Bike leasing option

Visa support and 30% ruling

Job summary

Karsten International seeks a Sr. Category Buyer E-Commerce to lead our digital product range and drive innovation for improved commercial performance. You will negotiate with global suppliers, especially in China, and travel to trade fairs and supplier sites several times a year.

You will apply data-driven sourcing methods to propose investments, spot trends, and grow our catalogue while maintaining harmony in the overall product range. English fluency is required; Dutch is a plus.

Qualifications

• 5+ years as a Buyer, Category Manager, or Purchaser in retail/wholesale (non-food experience is a plus)
• Proven negotiation skills—you know how to get the best deal without burning bridges
• Data-driven—you balance data, trends, and gut instinct to make decisions
• Chinese market familiarity—experience working with Asian suppliers is a big advantage
• Entrepreneurial energy—you’re proactive, thrive under pressure, and love seeing results
• Willingness to travel (China, trade fairs, etc.)
• Fluency in English is required; Dutch is a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead the product range for our digital channels and drive innovation to improve commercial performance
• Apply data driven sourcing methodologies to lead investment proposals
• Spot trends, negotiate on price, and find winning products to grow the catalogue
• Drive the monthly product innovation roadmap and investment appraisals for category expansion
• Collaborate with offices in China to source manufacturers and support the product lifecycle from sourcing to marketplace leadership
• Partner with retail category buyers to identify ecommerce opportunities and provide market insights
• Use trend analysis tools to drive synthesis and investment opportunities

Skills

Negotiation skills

Data-driven

Entrepreneurial energy

Fluency in English

Willingness to travel

Dutch language

Chinese market familiarity

Tools

Helium10

Markt Mentor

Data analysis sheets

Job description

Shape Trends, Drive Deals & See Your Products across major E-commerce marketplace

At Karsten International, we’re looking for a Sr. Category Buyer E-Commerce. Are you the negotiator who secures unbeatable deals while building strong supplier relationships? Do you thrive on spotting the next big consumer trend before anyone else?

This is your chance to:

• Directly impact our product range
• Work with global suppliers, especially in China, and cross-functional teams
• Travel internationally to trade fairs and supplier sites multiple times a year

Your Mission

As a key player in our E-commerce team, you’ll lead the product range for our digital channels and drive innovation to improve commercial performance.

• Apply data driven sourcing methodologies specific to E-commerce that lead to investment proposals
• Spot trends, negotiate on price, and find winning products to grow our catalogue while maintaining harmony in the overall product range
• Drive the monthly product innovation roadmap, including investment appraisals for category expansion
• Work collaboratively with our offices in China to source manufacturers, together with the ecommerce sales team, and support the entire product life cycle from sourcing to becoming #1 on a marketplace
• Partner with retail category buyers to identify ecommerce product opportunities and provide ecommerce market insights
• Use Helium10, calculation sheets, Markt Mentor, search volume data, and other trend analysis tools to drive synthesis and investment opportunities

Job requirements

What You Bring

• 5+ years as a Buyer, Category Manager, or Purchaser in retail/wholesale (non-food experience is a plus)
• Proven negotiation skills—you know how to get the best deal without burning bridges
• Data-driven—you balance data, trends, and gut instinct to make decisions
• Chinese market familiarity—experience working with Asian suppliers is a big advantage
• Entrepreneurial energy—you’re proactive, thrive under pressure, and love seeing results
• Willingness to travel (China, trade fairs, etc.)
• Fluency in English is required; Dutch is a plus

Who we are

Karsten International develops a wide range of products for daily use, from the latest gadgets to sustainable beauty products. The team consists of driven product developers, sales experts, logistics talents, online marketing specialists and graphic designers. You will be given every opportunity to contribute to this.

What you can expect from us

At Karsten International you will join a supportive, ambitious team where we work hard, stay sharp, and enjoy what we do. We are growing fast, so there’s plenty of room to share ideas, take ownership, and really make an impact. We communicate openly, help each other out, and keep things direct but respectful.

What we offer

• Plenty of space for personal growth, ownership and continuous improvement
• Excellent pension scheme
• Travel allowance or OV card, 13th month & 8% holiday pay
• Daily fresh lunch, fruit, and great coffee
• Bootcamp, yoga, football team
• Option to lease a bike
• OpenUp for mental well-being + massage at the office
• Discounts on great products & fun company outings
• Support with HSM visa and 30% ruling (if applicable)

Our core values

• Efficient & cost-conscious: We manage time and resources smartly, think critically and value what’s already in place.
• Ambitious with long-term focus: We take ownership, build lasting relationships and stay humble in our success.
• Striving for the best: We measure, learn, improve—and challenge each other to exceed expectations.
• Direct & respectful: We communicate openly and treat everyone with respect, regardless of background.
• We like to have fun: We enjoy what we do and create a positive, energetic work environment.