Careers in Fashion Merchandising: A Buyer’s Role and Responsibility

Careers in Fashion Merchandising: A Buyer’s Role and Responsibility

Difference Between Buyer, Allocator & Planner | Key rolls in buying department of a fashion store

The role as a buyer sounds like a pretty glamorous position – attending fashion trade shows and runway shows, and basically shopping on the company’s budget.  In reality, a buyer’s role – albeit fun and exciting – is a serious career that comes with a lot of responsibility and requires strong leadership, business and analytical skills.

Depending on a company’s size and structure, a fashion merchandising business might employ several professionals within the fashion merchandising department or buying department who serve key roles and collaborate to ensure profits.

Read also : Large Or Small Retailer: How A Buyer’s Role Varies In Fashion Merchandising

Three main job titles that you might find within a buying department at a larger fashion department store that serves a mass market with multiple locations include a buyer, a planner and an allocator. 

Lemon Frog Shop boutique, Los Angeles. At a small business like a specialty fashion boutique like Lemon Frog Shop, it is likely that a single person makes buying decisions for the store’s needs.

For example, high fashion athletic retailer , with dozens of locations around the world, actually has two separate fashion merchandising departments: the Merchandising Department and the Planning & Allocations Department.

In a nutshell, these roles break down into these roles:

• Buyer – Responsible for the product selection, sales and profitability for a given area or category of fashion merchandise.
• Allocator – Ensures that a store’s shelves are always stocked with new merchandise. An allocator forecasts each individual stores’ needs and determines which merchandise and what quantities will be sent to which stores.
• Planner – Develops the financial plans for a specific category, geographic region or other area of responsibility.

These roles may overlap when you consider the needs of a small business. According to the National Retail Federation, 95% of all retailers in the United States operate in just one location. At specialty fashion boutiques, like Lemon Frog Shop in Los Angeles, there might be just one person who handles all of the above roles who may own the businesses, or work closely with the owner, to purchase fashion merchandise to meet the store’s needs.