Buying Job Descriptions — Letter D
Buying and purchasing job descriptions beginning with D
Four buying job descriptions begin with the letter D, and together they show the breadth of the profession. The Department Store Buyer buys across a large store's wide assortment; the Dress Buyer and Dress Shirt Buyer are deep specialists in single garment categories; and the DMM — Divisional Merchandise Manager — is the senior role that manages buyers themselves. All four descriptions are linked below.
More Buying Job Descriptions by Letter:
D — Buying Roles
Breadth and Depth: Store Buyers and Specialists
A department store buyer works at the broad end of buying, coordinating ranges that may span many product types for a store whose customers expect everything under one roof. The dress buyer and dress shirt buyer work at the deep end: dresses are among the most trend-sensitive purchases in fashion, bought around occasions and seasons, while dress shirts turn on collar styles, fabrics, fit blocks and size runs that repeat customer after customer. Neither approach is better — stores need both, and buyers often move between breadth and depth as their careers develop.
The DMM: Managing the Buyers
The divisional merchandise manager sits above the buyers of several related departments, setting their budgets and sales and margin targets, reviewing their ranges, and developing the buyers themselves. It is the first role in this directory whose main product is other people's judgement rather than a range of garments — which is why DMMs are almost always experienced buyers first. Read the DMM description alongside the specialist pages to see both the job and the promotion it represents.
Common Questions
What is a DMM in fashion buying?
DMM stands for Divisional Merchandise Manager — the manager responsible for a division made up of several buying departments. The DMM sets budgets and targets for the buyers in the division, reviews and approves their ranges, and answers for the division's combined sales and margin. It is the step between buyer and GMM on the buying career ladder.
How does a Department Store Buyer differ from a Dress Buyer?
Scope. A dress buyer specialises in one category and knows it in depth — its fabrics, occasions, price points and suppliers. A department store buyer works across a much wider assortment for a large store, trading some of that depth for breadth and coordination across departments.