Merch Buyer and Technic Sales

**Schedule**
Monday - Friday 8:30-4:30pm, occasional weekend shifts

**Education Level**
2 Year Community College Diploma

**Career Level**
3 years relevant experience

Responsible for coordinating the purchasing cycle of merchandise goods for resale in a University store environment. Provides expertise and a thorough knowledge of all products within the specified retail, digital, and online spaces and how best to display that merchandise to optimize sales. Negotiates best prices with vendors and calculates and sets retail prices to ensure margin and budget targets are achieved. Leverages technical knowledge to ensure product selection remains relevant to the needs of the McMaster Community, while also providing pre-sales guidance and post-sales support to the University community as it pertains to technology and consumer electronics purchases. Performs a variety of retail tasks that support and contribute to the overall success and functionality of the department and its auxiliary locations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

- Consult with customers regarding specialized computer requirements, computer services, and technical products.
- Communicate and adapt technical information in terms appropriate to a customer’s level of understanding and prepare optimal product suggestions to meet exceed customer requirements in relation to pricing, availability, delivery, and quality by compiling technical data on vendor products.
- Calculate taxes, rebates, quotes, discounts and prepare quotes for customers.
- Negotiate price, terms, and delivery with vendors.
- Respond to general inquiries regarding matters such as product availability, cost, etc.
- Provide sales related support for managers and buyers in sourcing retail products for sale in the computer store.
- Direct customers to various on campus resources for information technology support and troubleshooting.
- Utilize technical knowledge to ensure inventory selection remains current with user/system needs in a University setting.
- Oversee inventory control by analyzing inventory trends, and by reviewing receiving logs, outstanding purchase orders, and sales histories.
- Participate in vendor meetings to review new products and determine the implications of new products for standards and specifications related to the University computing environment.
- Provide technical specifications and suggestions to the marketing coordinator for use in the development of advertising.
- Understand the process flow of various systems utilized by the department in order to resolve issues and suggest process flow changes
- Greet and actively engage customers on the sales floor to determine needs, locate products, and make product suggestions.
- Monitor high theft areas of the store and remain aware of customers shopping in these areas.
- Enter special orders into the system, match goods, and contact customers when their orders have arrived. Follow-up with customers regarding hold items and web orders.
- Perform customer service tasks, both in-store and online, including, but not limited to, order processing, product returns, defective product exchanges, and customer support.
- Perform data entry tasks including, but not limited to, those in the mail order and online ordering systems.
- Perform inventory control duties including, but not limited to, securing merchandise, inspecting merchandise, verifying receiving logs, and referring issues to the appropriate buyer for resolution.
- Conduct database, and web searches for merchandise orders.
- Perform a variety of retail activities including, but not limited to, pricing and merchandising of products, creation of window displays, and effective use and storage of display fixtures, rotating stock, removing dated products, and performing regular sales floor maintenance including, but not limited to dusting, organizing, organizing stock rooms, and informing buyers of low stock.
- Conduct analysis of sell-through, margins, in stock position, and inventory turnover of general merchandise.
- Determine the quality and quantity of products purchased. Initiate and approve general merchandise purchase orders in accordance with department and University purchasing policies.
- Update, maintain, and verify information in the inventory management system.
- Obtain necessary purchase order approvals when purchase authorization limit has been exceeded.
- Support on-site and off-site displays and sales events.
- Ensure that all data, files, purchase orders, invoices, and supporting documentation are current, accurate and understandable for use by other staff to aid in the process of receiving, invoicing, and merchandising.
- Write a variety of documents including, but not limited to, correspondence, procedure documents, and training manuals.
- Assist in creating business plans for the department by providing input into forecasting sales and budgets, write-offs, and discounts.
- Collaborate with colleagues to create promotional material.
- Work wi