Buying Intern

The Paper Store, Inc.; Acton (MA); On-site; USD 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

The Paper Store, Inc. invites applications for a Buying Intern at our Acton, MA corporate office. You will assist the Buying team with PO/SKU management, vendor coordination, and assortment planning to support seasonal initiatives and promotions.

Join a fast-paced retail environment where you’ll learn how product decisions are made, analyze sales performance, and contribute to online and in-store product launches. The internship runs through December 2026 and requires on-site presence.

Qualifications

• Rising junior or senior pursuing a degree in Business, Fashion Merchandising, Retail, or related field.
• Naturally curious about retail trends, product, and consumer behavior.
• Analytical and comfortable working with numbers, data, and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Be a TPS brand ambassador.
• Support purchase order (PO) and SKU management, ensuring accuracy across systems.
• Partner with vendors to confirm shipments, verify costs and availability, and manage order follow-ups.
• Assist in building assortments, reorders, and product lists for promotional and seasonal initiatives.
• Prepare and maintain pricing and product information to support buying decisions.
• Build and organize materials for promotions, markdowns, and key business moments.
• Collaborate with stores and the distribution center to support product flow and resolve issues.
• Support buying execution, including product placement direction and seasonal planning support.
• Partner with e-commerce and marketing teams to prepare product for online launches.
• Analyze sales performance, including sell-through, turn, and gross margin, and identify opportunities to improve results.
• Track promotional performance and contribute insights on product and customer trends.
• Assist in creating product presentations, collages, and materials for assortment reviews.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in progress or related field

Tools

Excel

Job description

TPS Group Holdings, a family of brands including The Paper Store, Uncharted and Gifts & More, is all about transforming daily routines into joyful escapes that inspire and surprise. Our mission is to connect with every customer through carefully chosen products, immersive shopping experiences, and service that goes the extra mile, creating a space that sparks joy with every visit.

Position Overview: The Buying Intern is responsible for supporting the Buying team across product selection, vendor partnerships, and business performance. This role is designed to provide hands-on exposure to how merchants think, plan, and drive results, connecting day-to-day execution with broader business outcomes. You will gain insight into how product decisions are made, how trends are identified, and how assortments translate into customer excitement and sales.

The Buying Intern reports directly to the VP of Merchandising.

What You'll Do

• Be a TPS brand ambassador.
• Support purchase order (PO) and SKU management, ensuring accuracy across systems.
• Partner with vendors to confirm shipments, verify costs and availability, and manage order follow-ups.
• Assist in building assortments, reorders, and product lists for promotional and seasonal initiatives.
• Prepare and maintain pricing and product information to support buying decisions.
• Build and organize materials for promotions, markdowns, and key business moments.
• Collaborate with stores and the distribution center to support product flow and resolve issues.
• Support buying execution, including product placement direction and seasonal planning support.
• Partner with e-commerce and marketing teams to prepare product for online launches.
• Analyze sales performance, including sell-through, turn, and gross margin, and identify opportunities to improve results.
• Track promotional performance and contribute insights on product and customer trends.
• Assist in creating product presentations, collages, and materials for assortment reviews.

Who You Are

• A rising junior or senior pursuing a degree in Business, Fashion Merchandising, Retail, or a related field, or a recent graduate with a strong interest in buying and product-driven retail.
• Naturally curious about retail trends, product, and consumer behavior.
• Analytical and comfortable working with numbers, data, and Excel.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Able to work in a fast-paced retail environment and pivot quickly as business needs change.
• A proactive problem solver who can identify issues, ask thoughtful questions, and help move work forward.
• A strong communicator who is comfortable working cross-functionally with teams and vendors.
• Excited to learn how product decisions are made and how they impact the business.
• Motivated to build a career in buying, merchandising, and product-driven retail environments.

Internship Requirements

• This internship is based at our Corporate Office in Acton, MA and requires working on-site throughout the duration of the program.
• This internship begins upon hire and continues through December 2026.
• Availability during the holiday season is required, as this is one of the most important and exciting periods for the Buying team and provides valuable exposure to seasonal planning, promotional activity, and retail execution.

TPS Group Holdings LLC is an equal-opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, veteran status, or any other classification protected by state, local or federal law.

This range reflects what the company reasonably expects to pay for this position at this location at the time of this posting.