Assistant buyer with over six years of corporate and in-store retail experience. Proven ability to execute strategies, maintain positive vendor relationships, analyze and predict selling patterns, identify trends, create exciting advertising outfits, and detail and source product. Regularly achieves and maintains higher-than-...
During my time as the eCommerce buyer for Cato shoes, I have maintained both higher than plan merchandise contribution and sales. I have developed my communication skills as primary liaison between advertising and my department. I value the creative side of my position as well - whether it is detailing original designs or researching and interpreting new trends.
History has always been a passion of mine, ever since taking my first WWII history class in Germany in 5th Grade. During my time at UNC, I focused on Cold-War era Soviet Society. Majoring in History means I am analytical. I am able to draw conclusions from large wells of information. After living in Germany for nearly six years, German was a natural choice.
• 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.
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