BUYING EXPERIENCE

 

I have extensive international buying experience for various retail outlets.

 

Gifts and general merchandise, luxury body products & art, gourmet gifts  - AmericasMart in Atlanta four times. 

 

Apparel range buying - The Coterie, New York

 

Furniture - High Point World's largest furniture market both as a trade Exhibitor (twice) and Buyer (five times)

 

Jewellery & Silver - AmericasMart in Atlanta.

 

My budgets that I have had sole responsibility for purchasing stock has ranged from $30,000 to $4  Million.

 

STAFF TRAINING

 

Devised staff  training courses both for sales assistants and management teams. Conducted needs analysis for companies, analyzing gaps in service performance, comparative studies with key competition retailers. Increased the annual budget allowance for staff training with resulting lowering in attrition rate and increase in staff morale and competence levels. I was also responsible for new hires, revamping the staff appraisal system and performance reviews.

 

EVENT PLANNER

 

I have been involved in opening flagship stores (Lifeworks Newmarket, HMV Queen St), organizing marketing rebranding (Paulls, nationwide) seasonal launches and major record company events.

 

While in Charleston, I served as a Board member on the Charleston Symphony Orchestra League and was their fund raiser for two years. Events included organizing a black tie gala with a sit down dinner for three hundred people, charity auction etc. The Revels programme was 12 fundraisers in one year, of which I organized all of them with a small team.

 

 

VISUAL MERCHANDISING

 

As Visual Merchandiser for numerous stores I have intimate knowledge of developing planograms, optimising store layout and fixtures to maximise sales. As I have a keen eye for design, shape and colour, I have won three window dressing competitions during my time!!

 

 

RETAIL MANAGER

 

When I have not been involved in the operations side of retail I have been a retail manager of up to 46 personnel and sales goals of up to a $12M annual turnover (Marshalls, Mt Pleasant USA for the TJX Company.) with three major truck deliveries a week of up to 700 pieces, trading hours of 8am to 10pm seven days a week. I have also been a retail manager for a small jewelry & gift store with three staff members, thus my experience has run the entire spectrum from large big box stores to small boutique stores.

 

Duties have included but are not limited to

 

• managing and motivating a team to increase sales and ensure efficiency;

• managing stock levels and making key decisions about stock control;

• analysing sales figures and forecasting future sales ;

• analysing and interpreting trends to facilitate planning;

• using information technology to record sales figures, for data analysis and forward planning;

• dealing with staffing issues such as interviewing potential staff, conducting appraisals and performance reviews, as well as providing or organising training and development;

• ensuring standards for quality, customer service and health and safety are met;

• resolving health and safety, legal and security issues ;

• responding to customer complaints and comments;

• organising special promotions, displays and events;

• attending and chairing meetings;

• updating colleagues on business performance, new initiatives and other pertinent issues;

• maintaining awareness of market trends in the retail industry, understanding forthcoming customer initiatives and monitoring what local competitors are doing;

• initiating changes to improve the business, e.g. revising opening hours to ensure the store can compete effectively in the local market;

• promoting the organisation locally by liaising with local schools, newspapers and the community in general;

• dealing with sales, as and when required

• joining professional associations and business and networking groups.

• always interested in furthering my education eg further NZIM courses

• all aspects of visual merchandising