Main Responsibilities of a Buyer at Ross
As an Associate Buyer for West Coast cosmetics at Ross, Gabby's responsibilities encompass managing categories like "sunscreen, serums, and oils," working with vendors from initial product selection ("I want to make collagen oil") to negotiating closeout deals, and handling all financial aspects. The role is heavily analytical, with Gabby noting that "the job is about 75% numbers and analytics," encompassing the entire product lifecycle from sourcing to final sale across 1700 stores.
Financial Analysis, Negotiation, Vendor Relations, Supply Chain Management, Category Management
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. Working with vendors to negotiate pricing and shipping of products.
2. Managing the financial aspects of buying, including budgeting and forecasting.
3. Handling both planned purchases and closeout deals to ensure a diverse product assortment.
Transcript
What are your main responsibilities within your current role as an Associate Buyer?
As an associate buyer, I work for a West Coast-based cosmetics company. I am responsible for purchasing for a total of 1700 stores. In this role, you own categories of business under your buyer and work in partnership with them.
My specific responsibilities include sunscreen, serums, oils, and skincare sets. Describing exactly what a buyer does is difficult because there are so many small tasks and problem-solving involved. When you walk into a store and see a rack of serums, the buyer is responsible for that entire business from start to finish.
We work with vendors on pricing and shipping. We also physically buy the goods, which means we have all the financial responsibilities. The financial aspect is a significant part of the job that many people don't realize. They might think buyers are just going shopping and picking out pretty items.
I'd say the job is about 75% numbers and analytics. For instance, within the serums category, we have two main processes: upfront buying and closeouts. For upfront buys, you partner with a vendor, decide on products like a popular collagen oil, and determine how many units to purchase for the upcoming season.
Closeouts happen when brands have excess inventory, perhaps due to reformulating a product. Instead of selling to a high-end retailer, they might come to us. We negotiate the cost for these items and then bring them into our stores.
Currently, we have a Marc Jacobs Beauty buy that was previously sold at Sephora. Marc Jacobs Beauty is no longer being sold there, so they partnered with us to purchase that inventory.
Advizer Personal Links
Insta gabbydannunzio