@_MsRobles: How’d you get into it?
My second job at 15 years old was at a retails shoe store. It seems that it’s serendipitous that I am now once again in the shoe business 20 years later. I’ve worked retail most of my life and even got into Visual Merchandising. I left retail and worked in apparel and footwear wholesale for 7 years, but knew that I would eventually return to the retail environment some day. I heard about a buying opportunity in footwear and even though I did not have any “experience” per say, I applied. I was hired based on my years of experience in the wholesale business, as I dealt with buyers and I helped them plan assortments and programs for their business. As well, having worked many years in footwear retail was a big bonus, I was able to understand the form of all types of footwear and how to manage a store.
@Jess_WithLove: What has been your greatest learning experience in your current career??
I’ve learned that trying to buy for someone else (the mass consumer) is more difficult than you think. If you ever decide to become a buyer, remember this: You will NEVER be right! It’s a hard lesson to learn but it’s humbling. You can be a great buyer but you’ll never be right. It’s a job with no crystal ball and you are making decisions based on some history, some information and a lot of “gut” feel.
Another great thing I’ve learned is how to develop shoes, I don’t know too many people who can say that! My business is part buying branded goods and part developing shoes for our own label. I actually go to factories, source all types of shoes, materials and findings and create shoes! It’s probably the most fun and creative part of my job.
@garrettnacc: Does it rely heavily on strong math skills?
Let me tell you, I hated math in school and I was never good at it. You don’t need to be a whiz in calculus but yes, you need to be somewhat fluent in math and be comfortable with it. You have to be able to understand “Retail Math”. If you are working as a buyer for a larger company you will have a team of planners that work out budgets as well as any particular reports that are necessary for you to plan out your assortment and buy. Even though you have someone doing all this for you, it’s important that you know how to make sense of it all. Having strong analytic skills is key.
@Monochroma_Chic: How to get your foot in the door, what skills are required, and is a degree in fashion a must?
I attended school and completed my Fashion Marketing Diploma and Degree in Business. Although I don’t think a “degree” in fashion is a must to become a buyer, I did take away a lot from schooling that I have applied in my career. As I mentioned in my previous response to @_MsRobles, I’ve been in the apparel industry in some shape or form for almost 20 years now. You have to be submersed into the business. Understand the consumer, understand product, understand retail and be well versed in what’s happening in the industry.
By: Sunny Shum
Sunny Shum is a Footwear Buyer for Sterling Shoes and a blogger for www.partlysunny.ca
*Photo Credit: www.sterlingshoes.com
Twitter @partly_sunny
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