Matthew Thomas
Las Vegas
Summary
Dynamic multi-category merchandising leader with a proven track record of driving sales growth and enhancing profitability in the apparel, accessories, and footwear divisions of an e-commerce retailer. Expertise in leveraging market trends and consumer insights to develop innovative merchandising strategies that resonate with target audiences. Skilled at optimizing product assortments and implementing effective promotional campaigns to maximize revenue potential. Committed to fostering collaborative team environments that inspire creativity and achieve exceptional results.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Buyer II
Zappos.com
Las Vegas, Nevada
03.2010 - Current
- Negotiated with vendors, ensuring compliance with quality standards and delivery timelines.
- Analyzed market trends to identify opportunities for product assortment expansion.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to align purchasing strategies with business objectives.
Sr. Content Coordinator
Zappos.com
Las Vegas, NV
04.2008 - 03.2010
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure brand consistency across all communication channels.
- Managed content distribution across site, enhancing audience engagement and reach.
- Created, edited and proofread copy for clarity, accuracy, and adherence to brand voice and guidelines.
Customer Service Representative
Zappos.com
Las Vegas, NV
03.2007 - 04.2008
- Resolved customer inquiries through multiple channels, ensuring satisfaction and swift issue resolution.
- Collaborated with team members to streamline communication processes, improving response times for customer queries.
- Trained new staff on effective customer interaction techniques and company policies to maintain service quality standards.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Pharmaceutical Sciences
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH06-2006
Skills
- Assortment creation
- Supply chain optimization
- Supplier negotiations
- Supplier relationship management
- Spend analysis
- AI proficiency
- Strategic leadership planning
Accomplishments
Negotiated and managed a $4.2M incoming inventory swap between brand, licensee holder and Zappos, with swapped inventory generating 10x sales compared to projected incoming inventory sales.
Built AI agents that saved full buying department over 200 hrs/week.
Collaborated with tech on platform fixes to collectively save over 100 hrs/week for department.
Timeline
Senior Buyer II
Zappos.com
03.2010 - Current
Sr. Content Coordinator
Zappos.com
04.2008 - 03.2010
Customer Service Representative
Zappos.com
03.2007 - 04.2008
Bachelor of Science - Pharmaceutical Sciences
The Ohio State University
Scope & Experience
- Categories: Apparel, Accessories & Footwear across multiple market segments
- Sub-categories: Athletic, Running, Golf, Work, Men's Sportswear, Big & Tall, Dress Furnishings, Action Sports, Streetwear, Performance & Outdoor
- Brand portfolio: Nike, Hoka, ON, New Balance, adidas, Caterpillar, Arc'teryx, Under Armour, Hurley, Burton, Dockers, The North Face + 150 additional brands
- Team: Managed 3-person team responsible for $25M annual sales
- Marketing: Built/sold marketing plans direct to vendors, generating over $500K in marketing revenue
Merchandising & Financial Performance
- Set and tracked annual & seasonal objectives; consistently delivered against targets, including single-handedly managing the entire Work business unit for over a year:
- Sales: $325M / +5% YoY
- Assortment breadth: 2500 SKUs across 85 brands
- Exclusive product: 80 exclusive styles
- Managed inventory, markdowns & returns to optimize stock turn up to 2.5 / +25% YoY improvement
- Analyzed vendor profitability, SKU productivity & key item performance by brand and category
Strategy & Leadership
- Developed competitive marketplace strategies through continuous analysis
- Directed key decisions maximizing sales and minimizing risk
- Collaborated cross-functionally with buyers, account executives, senior management & vendors to execute merchandise strategies
- Identified new category and product opportunities driving $5M incremental revenue
- Ensured pricing, promotional strategies & marketing aligned to financial objectives
- Built portfolio investment prospectus for leadership approval including annual sales planning, forecasting and marketing
Cross-Functional Project Management
- Led initiatives across website, warehouse, merchandising & vendor teams
- Facilitated timely communication and cooperation across up to 4 teams including supply chain, tech operations, marketing and buying
- Projects include: MAP pricing tool implementation, assistant training programs, automation & AI tools & charitable events
- Early adopter of AWS Quick AI, building multiple agents to immediately increase productivity by +10%