Torchora
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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Merchandising Assistant

💰 $45,000 - $65,000

MerchandisingRetailE-commerceBuying & Planning

🎯 Role Definition

The Merchandising Assistant is a foundational role within the merchandising department, acting as the organizational backbone for the buying and planning teams. This position is crucial for ensuring the smooth execution of product strategies, from initial concept to the customer-facing experience. You will be instrumental in managing product data, coordinating with vendors, analyzing sales performance, and supporting the team in creating a compelling and profitable product assortment. This is an excellent opportunity for a detail-oriented and proactive individual to launch a career in retail or e-commerce merchandising.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Retail Associate / Store Management
  • Merchandising or Buying Intern
  • Administrative Assistant (in a corporate retail setting)

Advancement To:

  • Assistant Merchant / Assistant Buyer
  • Merchandise Planner / Allocator
  • E-commerce Merchandiser

Lateral Moves:

  • Marketing Coordinator
  • Inventory Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage the complete purchase order (PO) lifecycle, including accurate creation, submission to vendors, tracking, and system maintenance for all revisions and updates.
  • Serve as a primary point of contact for vendor communications, addressing inquiries regarding purchase orders, shipping logistics, and product specifications to foster strong partnerships.
  • Diligently track all inbound product shipments from vendor departure to warehouse arrival, proactively identifying and communicating any potential delays to the wider team.
  • Execute the setup of new products and SKUs in the company's Product Information Management (PIM) and ERP systems, ensuring 100% data accuracy for all attributes.
  • Conduct daily and weekly audits of the e-commerce site to ensure all products are live, correctly categorized, priced accurately, and feature compelling imagery and descriptions.
  • Pull, compile, and distribute weekly and monthly sales reports, analyzing performance by category, style, and SKU to identify top sellers and slow-moving inventory.
  • Assist the merchandising team in assortment planning by preparing product boards, maintaining line sheets, and organizing historical sales data for review meetings.
  • Perform regular competitive analysis by monitoring competitor websites for new product launches, pricing strategies, and promotional activities, summarizing key findings for the team.
  • Manage the organization and tracking of all product samples, coordinating their movement between photography, marketing, and merchandising departments.
  • Collaborate closely with the planning team to monitor inventory levels, providing data to support allocation decisions and identify replenishment needs.
  • Support the creation and proofreading of product copy and marketing assets to ensure alignment with merchandising strategy and brand voice.
  • Assist in preparing all necessary materials and samples for key market appointments and internal product presentations.
  • Resolve any shipping or invoicing discrepancies by liaising between vendors and the accounts payable department to ensure timely and accurate payment.
  • Maintain and update all merchandising calendars and trackers, ensuring key deadlines for product launches and marketing campaigns are met.
  • Generate and analyze ad-hoc reports as requested by Merchandisers and Buyers to support strategic decision-making and business inquiries.
  • Partner with the customer service team to provide product information and investigate customer-reported issues related to product data or availability.
  • Aid in markdown and promotion execution by ensuring pricing is updated correctly in all systems and on the customer-facing website.
  • Maintain organized digital and physical files for all product information, purchase orders, and vendor communication for easy reference.
  • Actively participate in weekly cross-functional meetings, providing updates on PO status, sample tracking, and other key operational tasks.
  • Support the end-to-end product lifecycle process, from initial item setup and purchase order creation through to its end-of-life and clearance strategy.
  • Monitor on-site search results and category navigation paths, suggesting improvements to enhance product discoverability and the customer shopping experience.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the senior merchandising team with ad-hoc reporting and in-depth exploratory data analysis to uncover sales trends and opportunities.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of merchandising processes and systems by providing user feedback and participating in new tool rollouts.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Marketing, Creative, and Operations, to ensure cohesive product storytelling and seamless campaign execution.
  • Participate in weekly business review meetings by preparing data, taking notes, and following up on action items assigned to the merchandising team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Microsoft Excel Proficiency: Advanced skills, including VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, and complex formulas for data manipulation and reporting.
  • Retail Math: Solid understanding of key retail metrics such as margin, sell-through, turn, and markdowns.
  • Purchase Order (PO) Management: Experience creating, tracking, and maintaining purchase orders within an ERP or similar system.
  • Data Analysis: Ability to analyze sales data and business reports to extract actionable insights.
  • Systems Acumen: Familiarity with ERP, PIM, and e-commerce platforms (e.g., SAP, NetSuite, Shopify, Magento).
  • Reporting: Experience in generating and formatting standardized business reports on a recurring schedule.

Soft Skills

  • Extreme Attention to Detail: Meticulous and precise in data entry, reporting, and communication to ensure accuracy.
  • Organizational Skills: Superior ability to multitask, prioritize a high-volume workload, and manage deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Proactive Problem-Solver: A self-starter attitude with the ability to anticipate needs and resolve issues independently.
  • Effective Communication: Clear, concise, and professional written and verbal communication skills for collaborating with internal teams and external vendors.
  • Collaborative Mindset: A strong team player who builds relationships and works effectively across different departments.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate's or Bachelor's Degree.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Fashion Merchandising
  • Business Administration
  • Marketing
  • Economics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0-2 years of relevant experience, including internships in a retail, wholesale, or corporate environment.

Preferred:

  • 1+ year of experience in a merchandising, buying, or planning support role, preferably within an e-commerce or multi-channel retail setting.
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