Hosiery Buyer Jobs - Fashion & Clothing Industry Hosiery Buyer Job Description

Hosiery Buyer

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A hosiery buyer by any other name is a lingerie buyer.  But for our purposes, ApparelSearch.com will differentiate between the two.  A hosiery buyer is a more specialized job within lingerie purchasing.

The ideal candidate for a hosiery buyer position has experience in the fashion buying business, and in the hosiery or lingerie-buying sector specifically.  With recent experience in the hosiery buying field, you could enter this position making a salary range in the mid-40's to mid-50's.

A hosiery buyer will generally have clients who maintain several different and diverse departments.  Rare is the retailer that focuses exclusively on hosiery items.  It will be your job to get them interested and excited about the possibilities of increasing their sales margins with hosiery items.

The hosiery buyer is directly involved in sourcing new products.  How much can hosiery really change?  You would be surprised.  Hosiery changes in style, texture, and color to accommodate fashion trends.  There are also updates and developments in material and construction.  You will search out quality products for your clients to provide to their fashion-and-accessory-conscious consumers.  This may require some travel, including but not limited to sourcing trips in Europe, India, or the Far East. 

Are you a team-player?  Hosiery buyers must play well with others.  You will work closely with merchandisers to plan promotional, pricing, and financial strategies.  If you are working with a designer or designers, you must be capable of sharing creative ideas with the design team about new products or product developments.   You also will have to delegate fairly within your buying team.  

The ability to interpret numerical data and make decisions from that data are two skills that are hard to come by but will make you a more successful hosiery buyer.  You will be the head of your hosiery buying team, and as such, will be required to take the lead on many financial decisions.  The ability to analyze sales and market data can make the difference between being outstanding in this position and being mediocre.  You must understand profit margins and sales objectives in order to achieve them.

You will be responsible for short-term and long-term financial planning and pre-season ordering for your clients hosiery needs.  You must be organized, and once again, able to interpret data, in order to plan successfully, and to keep track of the turnover of millions of hosiery items though the clients you serve.

Come prepared to negotiate prices with vendors.  You will also negotiate with suppliers to secure the most timely and accurate and affordable shipping for your clients. 

The crux of it is this:  If you are capable of communicating well, and are organized, financially aware, and have a background in hosiery, this could well be the career for you.

If you possess an eye for design that is only matched by your awareness of needs of the hosiery consumer, a hosiery buyer position may be just the one for you to step into one leg at a time, of course.

Find Jobs as a Hosiery Buyer