Buying and Beyond

Episode 6 is all about the critical path, which is essentially a sequence of tasks you need to finish on time in order to complete your initiative. It’s a flow chart that needs to be followed as tightly as possible as any delays in critical tasks will delay your whole project. It starts from setting your strategy and takes you all the way through to launching your products on time - you hope! It’s...

In episode 5 we talk about trade. It's the main meeting that shapes our week, challenges us to think creatively and find solutions. It focuses on sales - how did you perform last week, what is your forecast for the next week, month, etc. Buyers costly analyse numbers as the key objective is to drive sales and see the business is growing - and if it isn't you need to be quick to adapt and...

In this episode we explore the differences between own brand development and branded buying, discuss how Buyers are responsible for everything and we have a giggle about some sampling mishaps. Both types of Buying have their pros & cons, so if you’re looking to get into Buying it’s good to be aware of your strengths and also the type of buying that the retailer, or department, you’re applying...

In this episode we talk about the different roles in Buying , starting from entry level and working our way up the ladder step by step… and depending what company you work for there can be a lot of rungs to that ladder! We will explain some of the differences between companies, how the  number of levels often depends on the structure and size of Buying department, and also the responsibilities tha...

In this episode we’ll share all about landing our first jobs, from how we found out about the roles, to interviews, to our first days! After all the studying and internships then came the daunting process of finding a role, and then the big day is upon us, like the first day at school!  The 3 top things from episode 2 we want to share with you are…. 1) Talk to people (again, we reiterate!) It’s ab...

In episode 1 we’re going right back to the beginning to give you all an insight into how we got into buying in the first place - we hope that this podcast is not just relatable, but also educational, and hopefully helpful to anyone looking to get into the industry too! We’ll share our backgrounds, our work experience, our interviews and landing our first jobs.. The 3 top things we learnt from toda...

Welcome to the Buying & Beyond podcast, the podcast for all things Retail Buying….and more! Join us, Kate & Lyns, buyers and best friends, each week for industry insights, stories and expertise from real people in retail.   Enjoy honest stories and conversations, retail therapy and learn bite-sized tips from us and our friends from across the industry.  We are your modern day mentors, prep...