Ed, Branch Merchandising Associate - Equipment
Tell us about the purpose of your role
I'm part of a team that looks at branch merchandising for Equipment. The purpose of my role is to support the Branch Merchandiser in improving the service of stock to the 400 plus stores that make up BLG. This involves many different tasks from making sure stores have enough stock for a promotion to analyzing stock, sale and product performance to make best use of what stock we have in the business.
What do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy the fact that I have a real impact on the way my category performs. It is good seeing results from actions that either I or the team I'm on has made. For example, we have to ensure that extra stock is pushed out at peak times in a season, such as Easter or Bank holidays. Ensuring more stock is in stores for key lines means that sales are potentialised and have an impact on category sales.
Who do you work with on a day to day basis?
I work on a small branch merchandising team, who in turn work closely with a much bigger team that makes up the equipment category. Some of the people I work with have been working in retail for many years, which is good because they can support me and I can learn from their experience. We work with people from many different departments, such as the warehouse team and marketing. Working with different teams means that you have to build relationships so you can work better together. We also work closely with the store teams to ensure there is full availability of stock they are ranged for, so day to day I talk to store and area managers, which is great for raising your profile within the business.
What do you like about working at Blacks?
This is my first role in retail, so every day I have a new opportunity to learn more about the working as a merchandiser. BLG is the biggest outdoor retailer in the country, so the experience I'm gaining is great. Being an outdoor retailer, our sales can be dependant on the weather, for example bad weather can mean sales of umbrellas increase massively, this brings different challenges than other retailers as we have to adapt quickly. Its good as every day brings a new challenge which is good because there is never a chance to be bored!
What are the rewards like?
Development is good here and there is always potential to grow as an employee, its rewarding because if you do a good job it gets recognised. Also, I like going to festivals and camping and working here you get a great discount so I'm always well equipped whenever I go away!