Cato Corporation
Assistant Buyer
November 2013 — Present
• Act as primary shoe buyer for Cato E-Commerce. Analyze sales reports and work with planning, E-Commerce, and marketing divisions to identify and fulfill growth opportunities through online exclusive merchandise, correct online size assortments, and combinations of in-store and ecommerce test buys.
• Routinely achieve and maintain a higher-than-plan merchandise contribution for Cato E-Commerce, resulting in greater shoe Area of Business profitability.
• Execute buying strategies through maintenance and creation of assortment plans.
• Independently choose shoes for all Cato in-store and E-Commerce advertisements and act as primary liaison between Accessories division, Ready-to-Wear, and Advertising.
• Apply extensive visual merchandising knowledge to creation and presentation of Floorsets and Planograms, resulting in improved store merchandising techniques and sales associate trend knowledge.
• Analyze daily flash sales and Open to Buy to adequately track and predict patterns in shoe and accessory business and identify buying opportunities.
• Develop, propose, and execute test merchandise projects in order to quickly bring emerging trends to Cato stores and E-Commerce.
• Work as member of Cato Merchandising Team Leader Committee to promote collaboration between departments to create cohesive merchandise assortments and adequately represent trends for Cato stores.
• Collaborate extensively with Product Development division and vendors in choosing, detailing, and creating Cato original shoe styles.
• Utilize magazines, online resources, and competitor shopping to assist buyer in forecasting future trends and choosing the most trend-forward merchandise for the Cato customer.
• Maintain positive working relationships with vendors, Allocation and Planning, Product Development, E-Commerce, Advertising, Cato stores, and Distribution Center.