Favorite Parts Of Being A Buyer At Ross
Gabby, a Buyer at Ross, loves the collaborative and creative aspects of her role, highlighting the excitement of seeing "all your ideas come to fruition," such as a coat she designed from a fabric swatch that became a Macy's commercial feature. The ability to have "a hundred percent say" in the store's assortment, coupled with the analytical work of data analysis, further fuels Gabby's passion for the position.
Collaboration, Creative problem-solving, Data analysis, Decision-making, Product development
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Gabby DAnnunzio
Buyer
Ross
University of Arizona
None
Business & Related
Apparel, Beauty, Retail & Fashion
Business Strategy
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Collaboration with like-minded people to solve problems and develop products.
2. The creative process of developing products, from initial concept to seeing them in stores and even in commercials.
3. The analytical aspect of the job, including data analysis to inform purchasing decisions and influence product assortment on the sales floor.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your current role?
There are so many things I love about being a buyer, but number one is the people aspect. You get to collaborate with like-minded individuals to problem-solve and figure out the best possible products.
I also absolutely love the creative side of it. There's no better feeling than getting a sample after working on something for months, or seeing it come to fruition.
A really cool story: I used to buy topcoats and overcoats at Macy's. You buy with a tiny swatch of fabric, this big. I stopped in my tracks when I saw a swatch and thought, "I need to make that as a coat." My boss loved the idea, and it ended up going to about a hundred stores. Fast forward a few months, I'm walking in New York City and see a guy wearing the coat that was my idea. Fast forward a few more months, and I'm watching YouTube. Macy's had a commercial for their One Day Sale, and they featured that coat as the main item. It's really exciting to see your ideas come to fruition so quickly.
What I also love about working at Ross is that you get a hundred percent say in the assortment on the floor. If I decide I hate the color purple, I'm not going to have any purple on my floor. It's pretty exciting in that sense.
I also love the analytical piece. I enjoy making big recaps and roll-ups, finding numbers and conclusions that people might not know about. I can then tell management, "Hey, guess what?"
A perfect example: I buy supplements, and we don't have reporting based on flavors. For instance, emergency gummies are really popular. I love the raspberry flavor, and some people like the orange flavor. Is there an opportunity to say, "Make sure we buy more raspberry versus orange"? Gabby hates the orange flavor. Does a customer also hate orange, or am I totally wrong?
Advizer Personal Links
Insta gabbydannunzio