Erika Giordano

Position eliminated due to company budget reduction

Associate Buyer, Merchandising & Operations Aug 2025 -Jan 2026

Lifestyle Merchandising Coordinator Jan. 2025- August 2026

• Directed buying, assortment planning, replenishment, and inventory strategy across 7 product categories and 27 merchandise classes.
• Increased gross margin from approximately 30% to 50% through vendor negotiations, assortment optimization, and pricing strategy, contributing to a profitable Q1.
• Developed and implemented purchase-order and inventory-management tools for over 5,000 SKUs, saving 8+ hours weekly, preventing duplicate orders, and enhancing delivery and stockout visibility.
• Directed private-label product development for apparel, home fragrance, body care, and smoking accessories, elevating digital merchandising standards.
• Executed inventory liquidation initiatives, including flagship sample sale, partnership with Eclipse Group, and charitable product donations, optimizing inventory flow.
• Promoted twice within 18 months into merchandising leadership, assuming buying responsibilities during a leadership transition.

• Supported buying and assortment planning for the Men's Jackets category while partnering with upwards of 10 vendor partners.
• Contributed to a 20% increase in seasonal category sales by identifying trend opportunities and supporting exclusive assortment strategies.
• Participated in weekly Open-to-Buy meetings, analyzing sales, inventory, gross margin, sell-through, and competitive market trends to support assortment and buying decisions.

• Managed merchandise planning and inventory allocation for the Home Bedding & Blankets category.
• Developed a regional Cold Door assortment strategy focused on plush blankets and trend-forward colorways, increasing test-market sales by approximately 10%.
• Analyzed sales, inventory, markdowns, and regional demand while presenting weekly planning recommendations to merchandising leadership.

• Supported merchandising strategy across Women's Knits categories through weekly business analysis, trend research, and competitive shopping.
• Partnered with Design, Creative, Global Sourcing, and Inventory Planning throughout product development.
• Presented a seasonal trend forecast and merchandising direction based on consumer insights and competitive analysis.