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SPECIALIZING IN TOPS & SWEATERS (ALSO DIPPING MY TOES IN ATHLEISURE & INTIMATES), OUR TEAM HANDLES CATEGORIES OF KNITS, WOVENS, GRAPHICS, TANKS, TEES, PULLOVERS, CARDIGANS, KIMONOS ETC. 

MERCHANDISING & BUYING 

WITH

ALTAR'D STATE

IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, I ACCEPTED THE OFFER TO BECOME A MERCHANDISING/BUYING INTERN AT ALTAR'D STATE'S HOME OFFICE IN MARYVILLE, TN. THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AT ALTAR'D STATE IS A COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE DESIGNED TO PREPARE THE INTERN TO HANDLE AUTHENTIC BUYING SITUATIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND TO USE BOTH AN ANALYTICAL AND CREATIVE APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING  WITHIN THE INDUSTRY.

REPORT ANALYSIS

ONE VERY IMPORTANT SKILL WE ARE CHARGED WITH MASTERING IS BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND STRATEGICALLY ANALYZE WEEKLY REPORTS. SUCH ACCOUNTS INCLUDE ON ORDER REPORTS, WHICH TELL US THE STATUS/WHEREABOUTS OF OUR INCOMING PURCHASE ORDERS AS WELL AS THEIR DETAILS (UNITS, COST, OTB PERIOD), ATTRIBUTE REPORTS WHICH ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW CONSUMERS ARE RESPONDING TO PARTICULAR SILHOUETTES, FABRICATIONS, AND PATTERNS, TOP 5 REPORTS THAT TELL US THE TOP 5 HIGHEST PROFITING ITEMS UNDER EACH CATEGORY OF APPAREL FOR THE WEEK AND COMPARATIVE TO LAST YEAR, AND FINALLY OUR HOLY GRAIL OF REPORTS, THE STYLE CLASS SUMMARY. THIS SHOWS US EACH AND EVERY STYLE THAT IS ROUTED OR ON THE SALES FLOOR AS WELL AS THEIR STATISTICS (AGE, ON HAND QUANTITY, SELL THRU PERCENTAGE ETC.)

SEAMLESS COMMUNICATION

ACTIVE COMMUNICATION IS KEY TO ANY AND ALL SECTORS OF BUSINESS, UNDOUBTEDLY. AT ALTAR'D STATE WE PRIORITIZE THE ORGANIZATION AND TIMELINESS OF OUR COMMUNICATION, WHETHER IT'S WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, ACROSS OTHER DEPARTMENTS, OR WITH OUR VENDORS.

 

WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE MEMORIZE EVERY DETAIL OF OUR ORDERS AS WELL AS THE BIG PICTURE ANALYSIS OF OUR OPEN TO BUY PERIOD. THIS ALLOWS US TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE TO OUR SENIOR BUYER WHAT GARMENTS WE HAVE COMING IN OR ONES WE HAVE NOT PICKED UP YET, SO AS TO AVOID OVER PUCHASING SIMILAR STYLES.

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EACH MONDAY I COLLABORATE WITH OUR E-COMMERCE DEPARTMENT TO COLOR CODE THE STYLE SUMMARY PERFORMANCE. THIS SPREADSHEET DISPLAYS THE ACTIONS THAT BOTH THE E-COMMERCE AND BUYING TEAMS NEED TO PRIORITIZE, IN ORDER TO ENSURE OUR SAMPLES ARE SHOT AND UPLOADED TO OUR WEBSITE CHANNEL FOR THE WEEK. 

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LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS THE ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION THAT OCCURS WITH OUR VENDORS. ON A DAILY BASIS, WE MAKE SURE TO LET THE VENDORS KNOW OF ANY CHANGES WE WANT MADE TO OUR SAMPLES, AND URGE THEM TO EFFICIENTLY UPDATE US ON THE IMPACT OF THOSE CHANGES. WE ALSO MUST BE ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNICATING THE STATUS OF OUR ORDERS AND WORKING OUT ANY HICCUPS THAT MIGHT OCCUR IN THE PURCHASING PROCESS.

MARKET RESEARCH

& PATTERNING

ONE OF MY FAVORITE ASPECTS OF MY INTERNSHIP WITH ALTAR'D STATE IS ANALYZING OUR TARGET MARKET, PATTERNING THEIR BUYING BEHAVIOR, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAPITALIZE ON OFFERING PRODUCTS 'SHE' VALUES AND SEES TRENDING. 

TO EFFECTIVELY DO THIS, WE REGULARLY CONSULT OUR WEEKLY CONSUMER REPORTS TO UPDATE OURSELVES ON HOW OUR CUSTOMERS ARE REACTING TO SPECIFIC ATTRIBUTES, STYLES, AND TRENDS. WHAT I HAVE FOUND TO BE PARTICULARLY HELPFUL, IS TO CONSULT TREND FORECASTING WEBSITES, TAKE TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO OBSERVE OUR TARGET'S STYLES OF INTEREST, AND EDUCATE MYSELF ON CURRENT EVENTS THAT MAY IMPACT PEOPLE'S BUYING BEHAVIORS. AS A BUYER IT IS IMPERATIVE TO STAY CURIOUS, KNOW THE NEXT BIG THING, AND BE EVER RESPONSIVE TO OUR CONSUMER'S WANTS/NEEDS.

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