Merchandise & Product Development Specialist

Wild Oak Boutique

Merchandise & Product Development Specialist

Sioux Falls, SD
Full Time
Paid
  • Responsibilities

    Benefits:

    401(k)

    401(k) matching

    Bonus based on performance

    Dental insurance

    Employee discounts

    Health insurance

    Paid time off

    About Wild Oak Boutique

    Wild Oak Boutique is one of the fastest-growing online women's fashion retailers in the country. We are passionate about helping women feel confident through fashion while delivering an exceptional customer experience across our website, mobile app, and social commerce channels.

    As we continue to grow, we're looking for a Merchandise & Product Development Specialist to help drive product decisions, identify emerging trends, and support the development of future collections and private label products.

    Position Overview

    The Merchandise & Product Development Specialist will work directly with our Lead Buyer and our Senior Designer to help determine what products Wild Oak should buy, develop, and launch.

    This role combines merchandising, trend forecasting, product development, and data analysis. The ideal candidate is highly organized, analytical, trend-aware, and passionate about women's fashion.

    Responsibilities

    Merchandising & Buying Support

    Analyze product performance, sales trends, inventory levels, and customer demand.

    Assist in assortment planning and product selection across key categories.

    Support buying decisions through data analysis and market research.

    Identify opportunities for replenishment, expansion, and new product introductions.

    Monitor inventory productivity and sell-through performance.

    Product Development

    Partner with the Senior Designer to identify opportunities for private label development.

    Research fabrics, fits, washes, styles, and emerging trends.

    Help evaluate product concepts, samples, and development opportunities.

    Assist with collection planning and product launch preparation.

    Provide data-backed recommendations for future product development.

    Trend & Competitive Analysis

    Monitor industry trends, social media, influencers, competitors, and emerging brands.

    Identify product opportunities before they become mainstream.

    Research pricing strategies, category growth opportunities, and customer preferences.

    Present findings and recommendations to leadership.

    Reporting & Analytics

    Create and maintain merchandising reports and product performance dashboards.

    Analyze sales, conversion, gross margin, inventory turns, and customer behavior.

    Provide actionable insights that improve buying and product development decisions.

    Support forecasting and seasonal planning initiatives.

    Qualifications

    2–5+ years of experience in merchandising, buying, planning, product development, retail analytics, or a related field.

    Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

    Advanced Excel or Google Sheets proficiency.

    Passion for women's fashion and consumer trends.

    Excellent organizational and project management skills.

    Ability to turn data into actionable recommendations.

    Experience with Shopify, inventory planning, or retail analytics tools is preferred.

    Experience with apparel, fashion merchandising, or product development is a plus.

    What Success Looks Like

    Better product decisions driven by data and customer demand.

    Improved inventory productivity and sell-through.

    Stronger assortment planning and trend forecasting.

    Successful private label product launches.

    Continued growth of Wild Oak's product offering and customer loyalty.