The retail buyer is responsible for planning and selecting a range of Coco’s Fortune branded
garments to sell in Topshop retail outlets.
The buyer must consider the following factors when making purchasing decisions:
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Customer demand (e.g. price, quality and availability);
Market trends;
Store policy;
Financial budgets.
Buyers source new merchandise and review existing ones to ensure products remain competitive.
By fully understanding customer needs, they are able to maximise profits and provide a
commercially viable range of merchandise at competitive prices. Keeping up to date with market
trends and reacting to changes in demand are key elements of the role.
The Coco’s Fortune buyer will have a considerable amount of responsibility and autonomy in what
is often a pressured environment.
Typical work activities
Typical work activities can vary according to the season. For example, out of season, the majority
of time will be spent in the workplace (in the office and on the shop floor), and during the buying
season, a significant amount of time will be spent away from the workplace in order to assemble a
new collection of merchandise in conjunction with the designers.
Throughout the year, tasks typically involve:
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analysing consumer buying patterns and predicting future trends;
regularly reviewing performance indicators, e.g. sales and discount levels;
managing plans for stock levels;
reacting to changes in demand;
reacting to changes in logistics;
meeting suppliers and negotiating terms of contract;
maintaining relationships with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers for future
products;
liaising with other departments within the organisation to ensure projects are completed;
attending trade fairs, in the UK and overseas, to select and assemble a new collection of
products;
participating in promotional activities;
writing reports and forecasting sales levels;
presenting new ranges to senior retail managers;
liaising with shop personnel to ensure product/collection supply meets demand;
seeking merchandise feedback from customers;
training and mentoring junior staff.