If you want to work in the fashion industry, becoming a resale fashion buyer is a hidden-gem opportunity for those with a sharp eye for style, business acumen, and a passion for sustainable fashion.
With the rise of sustainable fashion, conscious consumerism, and the increasing popularity of buying pre-loved luxury clothing and accessories, the role of a resale fashion buyer has gained prominence and shows no sign of slowing down.
We caught up with Joy Mauro, CEO of Turnabout Luxury Resale to walk through a day in the life of a resale buyer. She shares her lessons and the key responsibilities and challenges that her team of resale buyers face. Let’s dive into the intricacies of being a resale buyer and actionable tips for carving out a path as a successful resale fashion buyer.
If you’re interested in a career with Turnabout, send us an email with the subject line “Resale Buyer” or create a profile in our candidate database.
What Does a Resale Fashion Buyer Do?
Before becoming a resale fashion buyer, it’s essential to understand what the role involves (hint: it’s not all glamour). A resale fashion buyer is tasked with curating a collection of pre-owned clothing, accessories, and luxury items to sell in their retail locations and online. They must have a deep understanding of fashion trends, market demand, and consumer preferences to make informed buying decisions.
We asked Joy about Turnabout’s Resale Manager, Jill Fullan’s typical day and what the role entails. Jill’s responsibilities run from sorting and assessing client’s pieces, making strategic buying decisions based on customer behaviours, organizing and entering product and account details, and maintaining relationships with clients.
Joy tells us, “Being a resale buyer is a busy and fast paced job that sees Jill wearing a lot of hats throughout the day. The job involves coming in a few hours before opening to check customer emails about their accounts, then Jill is responsible for strategically planning the day and outlining the day’s workflow. She checks in on the authentication process for luxury items and spends time doing data entry to make sure all of the newest pieces are entered in our system. Then the day starts and the customers start coming in and client buying meetings begin.”
Getting Started as a Resale Buyer
To kickstart a career as a fashion buyer, you’ll need to understand the industry’s dynamics and trends. Familiarize yourself with different brands, their target markets, and your consumers’ preferences.
Getting started as a retail sales associate creates a great foundation and can be a fundamental fashion buyer job responsibility. As Joy tells us, “Jill started as a retail manager before increasing her responsibilities and opening new stores. No matter what other duties she took on, she was always running the sales floor, working with customers, and approving inventory for the store.”
In addition to working with customers, Jill constantly familiarized herself with brands and price points to learn what pieces are worth and what customers gravitate towards. While she loves to sell, Jill transitioned to other aspects of customer service as a buyer vs. being on the sales floor.
Today, customer service is still a significant part of her job as a resale buyer. “A buyer has to have great customer service skills to monitor and take care of personal accounts and reach out to past customers,” Joy says. “Jill knows brands, prices, and is business-minded. She had to first be a good fit with our brand, and a big part of that was providing great customer service. Now, she excels as our Buying Manager,” Joy tells us. According to Joy, dedication to customer care goes a long way in Jill’s status as a stellar buyer, saying, “Where she goes, success follows her.”
4 Core Skill Areas for Resale Fashion Buyer Jobs
Fashion buyers must possess a keen eye for emerging styles, coupled with a deep understanding of consumer preferences and market trends. Fashion job skills for resale buyers are similar to other roles in the fashion industry that require a unique blend of analytical, trend forecasting, and business skills. Let’s explore the core skill areas that successful resale buyers need to have:
1. Fashion Knowledge: A strong understanding of current fashion trends, designers, and styles is crucial for success as a resale buyer. Stay updated with fashion publications, social media influencers, and industry events to stay ahead of the curve. Expertise in trend analysis, market forecasts, and emerging designers is key in understanding and adapting to shifts in consumer preferences. A genuine love for fashion drives a commitment to curate inventory that customers want in their closets and are willing to pay for.
2. Business and Analytical Acumen: As a resale fashion buyer, you’re essentially running a small-scale fashion business. Financial skills aid in pricing items competitively while maximizing profitability. Adaptability enables quick responses to market fluctuations. Develop analytical skills to assess market demand and sales performance to stay relevant and competitive.
3. Attention to Detail: Inspecting each item for quality, authenticity, and condition is a core capability for resale buyers. Meticulous care for detail ensures that only the best pieces make it onto the sales floor or eCommerce site, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Attention to detail also allows for accurate product assessments and correct data entry into customer management systems. Detailed research skills allow you to accurately price and position items from small labels or designers from other countries who are lesser-known in the North American market.
4. Communication Skills: Building relationships with clients, stylists, and other industry professionals is key to acquiring high-quality inventory. Strong communication skills foster connections with clients, facilitating smooth transactions and ongoing relationships with loyal customers who keep active accounts across multiple selling seasons. Being able to communicate with clients translates into great customer service where you can understand consumer needs and use that knowledge to inform your buying decisions. Firm but gentle communication with clients when declining to buy a client’s pieces is also required in resale buying—learning how to say no respectfully and graciously.
When it comes to hiring new resale buyers to join the Turnabout team, Joy echoes these skill areas and also highlights personality and fit that set great candidates apart from the pack. “It’s all about personality, passion, and a genuine love for the product,” she says. “If you don’t have all of the qualifications, you can learn and pick things up on the job, but we also look for personality and it’s all about attitude. The one thing you can’t teach is personality.”
Challenges of Being a Resale Buyer
While a career as a resale buyer is rewarding in many ways, it’s not without its challenges. Competition can be fierce, and sourcing quality inventory to meet customer demand can be a constant struggle.
It’s a common misconception that fashion is all glamour, so we asked Joy what parts of being a resale buyer might surprise people who have this notion. “There are lots of things that our resale buyers do that aren’t glamorous,” she says. “There’s the labor associated with sorting large piles of clothing, then there’s data entry, tagging, and steaming. Dealing with the end of season is challenging and labor-intensive—we’re not wearing high heels all day, we’re rolling up our sleeves and sorting through boxes and bagging products for donations.”
In addition to the less-than-glam aspects of being a resale buyer, there are some tricky challenges that come with the job. “One of the toughest parts of the job is rejections and having to tell a client that we won’t be buying their pieces, even VIP clients who we’ve worked with for a long time,” Joy tells us. “Jill regularly deals with having to say no, and this requires honesty and kindness. It’s a business decision, and it’s all about making people feel comfortable and explaining to them why we can’t take their items,” Joy says, adding, “You can’t beat around the bush, you need to be honest and direct.”
Actionable Tips for Succeeding as a Resale Fashion Buyer
Regardless of what a fashion buyer job description says, you’re essentially responsible for curating the store’s product selection based on what your customers want. To do this successfully, follow these tips to becoming a strong resale buyer.
Develop Your Fashion Knowledge
Being educated in fashion is crucial to succeeding as a resale buyer. Immerse yourself in the world of fashion by reading industry publications and following designers, influencers, and industry experts on social media. Learn about different fabrics, sustainable fashion, garment construction, and fashion history to develop a well-rounded understanding of the industry.
Meet the Demand of What Customers Want
Investing your efforts in buying quality inventory requires a special understanding of customer demand. Buying pieces that are on-trend, well-made, and in excellent condition will attract discerning customers willing to pay a premium to shop sought-after labels and pieces from luxury brands.
Work on the Retail Sales Floor
Fashion buyers benefit from working on the retail sales floor as a way to understand customer preferences, trends, and purchasing behaviors firsthand. Direct interaction provides invaluable insights into consumer needs and allows buyers to curate inventory that resonates with target audiences, optimizing product selection and driving sales success.
We asked Joy what advice she has for job-seekers who want to get into the resale industry as a buyer and what first steps they should take and she stressed the importance of working on the retail floor. “You have to put in the time if you want to be successful as a buyer. How do you know what to buy if you don’t know what consumers are buying?” she says. “Work on the floor and see what customers want. Learn the products’ worth and what we can get for each brand. The more time you spend on the floor, the better buyer you’ll be.”
Hone Your Customer Service Skills
Providing excellent customer service and building rapport with your clients is essential for fostering loyalty and repeat business. Part of a resale fashion buyer’s job role is responding promptly to inquiries, addressing any issues or concerns respectfully, and going above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.
Learn and Maintain Impeccable Systems
Success as a resale buyer depends on staying organized. Keep detailed records of your inventory, sales, and accounts to track your progress and identify areas for improvement. Learn to use inventory management software or spreadsheets to streamline operations and stay organized, making sure that all pieces are tagged, entered into the systems, and itemized on a client’s account.
The Bottom Line
Becoming a resale fashion buyer is a fulfilling career path for fashion enthusiasts with a passion for style and an entrepreneurial spirit. By developing your skills, building your brand, and staying adaptable in the face of consumer and market changes, you can carve out a niche for yourself resale fashion buying. With dedication, perseverance, and an authentic love of the fashion industry, the possibilities for becoming a successful resale buyer are endless and well within your reach.
Special thanks to Joy Mauro for contributing her resale buying expertise! Check Turnabout out on Instagram for inspiration and a glimpse into the growing world of luxury resale.
Looking for the next great team member to join your business? Check out Style Nine to Five’s Employer Services from founder, Christie Lohr. With a variety of packages for recruitment, job postings, and employer branding updates, there are easy hiring solutions to fit your company’s hiring needs.
Jeanine Gordon is a freelance content marketer with a passion for creating stellar strategies for global brands and small businesses alike, specializing in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.