Assistant Buyer

Riddle's Group; Rapid City (SD); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) Match

Paid Time Off

Jewelry Discount

Insurance Options

Monday–Friday Schedule

Work/Life Balance

Career Growth

Job summary

Riddle’s Jewelry in Rapid City, SD, is seeking an Assistant Buyer to join our merchandising team at the corporate headquarters. The role supports product strategies across 60+ stores, combining data analysis with fashion insights to shape the luxury jewelry assortment.

The successful candidate will analyze sales, trends, and inventory, coordinate with buyers, marketing, and stores, and help drive new product development from vendor meetings to launches.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Fashion Merchandising, Business, Marketing, Retail Management, Economics, or a related field preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in retail, merchandising, buying, jewelry, fashion, or a related industry preferred.
• Experience with retail merchandising, inventory analysis, purchasing, product assortment, or vendor relationships is a plus.
• Experience with Excel and working with sales or inventory data preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support the Buyer with sales analysis, trend reporting, assortment planning, product research, and merchandising analysis.
• Assist with the purchase order process, including SKU setup, order placement, receiving, vendor communication, and follow‑up.
• Communicate with our retail stores to respond to special orders, unique product requests, and merchandising needs.
• Assist with visual merchandising and planogram development, including mock case setups, product photography, product lists, and merchandising instructions.
• Partner with Marketing and Ecommerce to ensure jewelry products are appropriately featured across our website, social media, digital marketing, and advertising.
• Assist with product turn‑in meetings and new product launches.
• Attend jewelry vendor meetings and market appointments with the Buyer and assist with new product development.
• Organize vendor samples, product specifications, pricing information, and materials for new product introductions.
• Conduct competitive research and market analysis, both in‑store and online, to identify jewelry trends and ensure our assortment remains relevant.
• Assist with designated jewelry product categories, including assortment planning, inventory analysis, forecasting, replenishment, allocation, and sales performance.
• Research jewelry fashion trends, customer preferences, competitors, and emerging products.
• Provide additional merchandising and buying support as needed

Skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Analytical thinking

Excel

Communication

Vendor relationships

Visual merchandising

Forecasting

Multi-tasking

Education

Bachelor's in Merchandising or related

2+ years in retail/merchandising

Jewelry industry experience a plus

Tools

Excel

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Description

Job Description

Riddle’s Jewelry | Rapid City, South Dakota | Full-Time | Monday–Friday

Love fashion, jewelry, and retail? Turn your passion into a career.

Riddle’s Jewelry is looking for a highly organized, detail-oriented Assistant Buyer to join our Merchandising team at our corporate headquarters in beautiful Rapid City, South Dakota.

This is an exciting opportunity to build a career in luxury jewelry merchandising and retail buying while working alongside an experienced Buyer and helping shape the product assortment for 60+ jewelry stores across multiple states.

If you have an eye for fashion, jewelry trends, product selection, and what customers want, and you enjoy combining creativity with data and analysis, this could be the perfect fit.

And if you're looking for more than just a job, the Black Hills offers an incredible quality of life. Enjoy hiking, camping, boating, fishing, skiing, hunting, and exploring some of the most beautiful scenery in the country—all while working a Monday–Friday schedule that provides a true work/life balance.

As an Assistant Buyer, you'll support the Buyer and Merchandising team in developing and executing product strategies across our jewelry stores. You'll gain hands‑on experience with retail buying, merchandising, product assortment, inventory analysis, vendor relationships, and luxury jewelry trends.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Support the Buyer with sales analysis, trend reporting, assortment planning, product research, and merchandising analysis

• Assist with the purchase order process, including SKU setup, order placement, receiving, vendor communication, and follow‑up

• Communicate with our retail stores to respond to special orders, unique product requests, and merchandising needs

• Assist with visual merchandising and planogram development, including mock case setups, product photography, product lists, and merchandising instructions

• Partner with Marketing and Ecommerce to ensure jewelry products are appropriately featured across our website, social media, digital marketing, and advertising

• Assist with product turn‑in meetings and new product launches

• Attend jewelry vendor meetings and market appointments with the Buyer and assist with new product development

• Organize vendor samples, product specifications, pricing information, and materials for new product introductions

• Conduct competitive research and market analysis, both in‑store and online, to identify jewelry trends and ensure our assortment remains relevant

• Assist with designated jewelry product categories, including assortment planning, inventory analysis, forecasting, replenishment, allocation, and sales performance

• Research jewelry fashion trends, customer preferences, competitors, and emerging products

• Provide additional merchandising and buying support as needed

We're looking for someone who is curious, organized, analytical, and genuinely interested in jewelry and fashion.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Exceptional organizational skills and strong attention to detail

• The ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and stay organized in a fast‑paced retail environment

• Strong analytical, critical‑thinking, and problem‑solving skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build positive relationships with vendors, stores, and internal teams

• An interest in luxury jewelry, fashion, retail trends, and consumer behavior

• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office

• The ability to learn new systems, processes, and product categories quickly

• A proactive, self‑motivated approach and willingness to take ownership of assigned projects

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Fashion Merchandising, Business, Marketing, Retail Management, Economics, or a related field preferred

• 2+ years of experience in retail, merchandising, buying, jewelry, fashion, or a related industry preferred

• Experience with retail merchandising, inventory analysis, purchasing, product assortment, or vendor relationships is a plus

• Experience with Excel and working with sales or inventory data preferred

• Jewelry industry experience is a plus, but not required

Why Riddle's?

At Riddle's, you're not just joining a corporate office—you're joining a family‑owned company with a long history and a passion for jewelry.

Our corporate headquarters are located in Rapid City, South Dakota, right in the heart of the beautiful Black Hills.

Imagine finishing your workday and being minutes away from:

• Hiking and exploring the Black Hills

• Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park

• Boating, fishing, camping, and kayaking

• World‑class motorcycle riding

• Skiing and winter recreation

• Incredible outdoor trails and scenic drives

• A vibrant community with a relaxed, friendly lifestyle

Best of all, this is a Monday–Friday corporate position, giving you the opportunity to build a rewarding career while still having time to enjoy everything the Black Hills has to offer.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

• Health Savings Account (HSA)

• 401(k) with Company Match

• Paid Time Off

• Employee Jewelry Discount

• Company‑Paid & Voluntary Insurance Options

• Monday–Friday Schedule

• Work/Life Balance

• Career growth and development opportunities

Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Schedule: Monday–Friday, Full-Time
Industry: Luxury Jewelry | Retail | Merchandising

Keywords: Assistant Buyer, Buyer, Associate Buyer, Jewelry Buyer, Jewelry Merchandising, Retail Buyer, Retail Merchandising, Luxury Retail, Luxury Jewelry, Fashion Merchandising, Jewelry Industry, Product Merchandising, Merchandise Planning, Assortment Planning, Inventory Analysis, Retail Buying, Product Development, Vendor Management, Product Selection, Fashion Trends, Jewelry Trends, Retail Analytics, Sales Analysis, Visual Merchandising, Ecommerce, Retail Management, Merchandise Coordinator, Buying Coordinator, Merchandising Coordinator, Purchasing, Product Specialist, Rapid City, South Dakota, Black Hills

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