Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Pursue inventory opportunities, especially those arising from previous generation, overstock, out-of-season, surplus, slow moving, de-commited, and end-of-life inventory
• Research, screen, and develop a portfolio of direct purchasing relationships that will deliver gross profit opportunities
• Study and monitor market prices and trends to identify inventory opportunities by category, manufacturer, or liquidation channel.
• Negotiate pricing, payment, and other deal terms
• Collaborate with colleagues to schedule, merchandise, and market inventory buys

SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE:

• Searching, prospecting, hustling and hunting relentlessly for the next great inventory opportunity buy
• Negotiating a multitude of potential deals simultaneously with determination and patience to fight for a workable deal 
• Being unemotional and indifferent to the outcome of any particular deal, and able to walk away without anxiety or misgivings
• Identifying inventory opportunities caused by market and manufacturer disruptions, difficulties, distress, trends, product cycles, and other factors
• Finding deals that are the top picks of our merchandise and marketing managers and are successful across our family of websites
• Building and maintaining a robust deal flow that provides diverse opportunities for revenue and profit
• Seeing opportunities in situations others are too timid and conventional to consider
• Cultivating direct manufacturer relationships where Mercatalyst provides long-term value as the manufacturer’s solution to their inventory problems and issues
• Collaborating with colleagues to ensure effective merchandising and planning of inventory buys
• Managing inventory through complete lifecycle to ensure high turn and profitability

FAILURE LOOKS LIKE:

• Being unable to identify and assess what makes something a truly exciting and workable opportunity buy
• Being unable to effectively pitch and explain Mercatalyst’s unique value proposition to manufacturers
• Being unable to negotiate and haggle without feeling uneasy, uncomfortable, or wanting to crawl into your shell
• Being paralyzed by fear and unable to take risks when you don’t know exactly how a deal will perform
• Assuming your background and training in a conventional buying environment (e.g. traditional retailers) prepares you for success in a deal / opportunity environment
• Assuming what makes you successful in an inline buying role will also make you successful in an opportunity buying environment
• Thinking you “already know how to do your job” and don’t need to learn anything new because of your traditional retail experience

Qualifications

SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, & EDUCATION

• Deep, broad, and diverse knowledge of consumer product good categories
• 5+ years experience in a surplus, opportunity, wholesale, or retail buying environment
• Solid knowledge of retail math and metrics
• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable with change and ambiguity

Additional Information

We are offering a unique experience in an exciting, motivating culture. At Mercatalyst, we offer competitive benefits such as medical/dental/vision on day 1.  We also offer paid vacation, paid holidays, a 401k plan with a great match, short term disability, long term disability, life, AD&D, critical care plans, and more. 

We are an equal opportunity employer.  We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment of any kind, including discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, veteran status, age, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, or any other characteristics protected by law.  We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled.