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Graduate case studies

Graduate case studies
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Rachel - 
Sales Merchandiser

Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.

About the job

Main responsibilities

*Work with key retailers including Asda, Wilkinsons, Argos, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsburys.
* Control incoming stock levels by analysing sales, trending forecasts, order book maintenance and identifying strong & weak products.
* Products include a wide range of departments; housewares, control wear, health & beauty, consumer electronics and audio.
* Report on sales trends, KPI's and opportunities to sales, buying and senior management.
* Liaise with all departments; design, buying, merchandising, imports and warehouse to ensure the full critical order path is managed for on time delivery.

Typical day

As I don't really have a typical day below I have described a typical week instead. I manage my own time and need to adjust my priorities on a daily basis dependant on what the business requires.
* Keep customer weekly sales and stock information (WSSI) up to date
* Review the sales figures against forecasts and adjust the order book where necessary
* Analyse product ranges and sales trends to manage stock levels; highlighting strong and weak sellers
* Buy stock as and when required, ensuring we have enough stock within the lead times given
* Liaise with all departments to ensure stock is coming in on time
* Meeting merchandisers from customers to discuss forecasts and stock levels (more monthly)
* Providing the sales team with key information for meeting with customers (as and when required)
* Providing directors with reports on sales and stocks (as and when required)

Why did this area of work appeal to me?

The industry I work in is ever changing


Last updated: 07 Apr 2013