Retail Buying and Merchandising

Factors Affecting the Scope of the Buyer's Job

• Merchandise carried, organizational structure, and size of the retail organization affect the scope of the buyer's job.

DMM and GMM Roles

• DMM responds to the GMM (Corporate: CEO → CFO → Buyer vs GMM → DMM → Buyer).

Senior Buyer's Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensure having the right product at the right price, time, and quantity.
• Analyze last year's sales to forecast this year's sales.
• Conduct market trips to overview the season (4-6 months in advance).
• Analyze reports and fashion trends.
• Negotiate with vendors on MOQ, price, and timing.
• Price merchandise.

Planner's Role

• A planner monitors stock levels by store and tracks key items for sale (common in large companies).

Personality Traits for Buyers

• A buyer should have drive, vision, human relation skills (communication), and merchandise knowledge.
• Know how to create a P/L statement and understand its factors.

Soft and Hard Lines

• Soft lines are apparel and accessories (linens, currents, pillows).
• Hard lines are hardware, sporting goods, appliances, furniture, toys, and lawn and garden products.

Centralized Buying

• All buying activities are performed from central headquarters.
• Benefits include steady flow of merchandise, more accurate sales forecasts, reduced expenses, and more purchasing power.

Types of Centralized Buying

• Centralized Merchandising Plan
• Warehouse Requisition Plan

Departmentalization

• Functional (Controlling, Promotion, Operations, Merchandising)
• Product Line
• Geographic

Profit and Loss Components

• Real volume of Sales (Net Sales - Returns)
• Cost Of Goods
• Gross Margin (difference between COGS and net sales)
• Operating Expenses (excluding COGS)
• Profit & Loss

Research and Planning

• Research is based on last year's sales.
• The process includes research, planning, selection, purchasing, and managing.

Types of Buying Offices

• Independent Office: Salaried/Fixed Fee
• Merchandise Brokers Office: Store Owned buying office

Credit Notes

• A credit note allows brands to apply a dollar value to a future PO if something went wrong in a previous order.

Purchase Order (PO)

• A PO should include order details, division, total units, order date, shipping date, completion date, credit note, division, order type, total units, season, payment terms, and currency.

Learn about the key aspects of retail buying, including factors affecting the buyer's job, roles of DMM and GMM, and responsibilities of a senior buyer.