Retail
Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning skills assessment
Buyers and planners decide what customers will find on the shelves. This scorecard measures range planning, supplier negotiation, margin management and forecasting so the right products arrive at the right time and price.
- 12 skills to score
- 1–10 scale on every skill
- 6 starting levels
The 12 Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning skills you can score
These are the default Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning skills in SkillScorer. Each one is scored from 1 to 10 for every team member, and you can edit, remove or add skills at any time.
Range Planning
Builds product ranges that match customer demand, store profile and brand positioning.
Sales Forecasting
Uses history, seasonality and trends to forecast demand at product and store level.
Supplier Negotiation
Negotiates price, terms, minimums and support with suppliers to secure strong margin and reliable supply.
Margin Management
Balances price, cost and mix to protect gross margin across categories.
Open-to-Buy Control
Manages purchasing budgets against sales to avoid overstock and stock-outs.
Trend Analysis
Interprets market, competitor and social trends to inform buying decisions.
Assortment Allocation
Allocates stock to stores based on demand, capacity and performance.
Markdown Strategy
Plans the timing and depth of markdowns to clear stock while protecting profit.
Supplier Relationship Management
Maintains constructive supplier relationships and resolves quality and delivery issues quickly.
Product Sourcing and Compliance
Sources products responsibly and verifies safety, labelling and ethical compliance.
Data and Reporting
Uses sales and stock reports to identify winners, losers and opportunities.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Works effectively with marketing, stores and logistics to launch ranges smoothly.
Levels included with Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning
Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning starts with 6 levels, which SkillScorer calls “Grade” for retail, so team members can be grouped and compared fairly. Rename, reorder or replace them at any time.
- Trainee
- Team Member
- Senior Team Member
- Team Leader
- Assistant Manager
- Store Manager
How Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning works in SkillScorer
Score
Each team member in a store is scored on the Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning skills in the Skills Matrix: tap a cell, type a score, and it saves itself.
Compare
Rank team members, compare two side by side, or compare your stores against each other to see exactly where the strengths and gaps are.
Track
Scores are kept year after year, so you can see who is improving and which Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning skills need attention. Reports also follow each supervisor's store.
Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning scorecard: common questions
What skills does the Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning scorecard include?
SkillScorer's Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning scorecard covers 12 skills: Range Planning, Sales Forecasting, Supplier Negotiation, Margin Management, Open-to-Buy Control, Trend Analysis, Assortment Allocation, Markdown Strategy, Supplier Relationship Management, Product Sourcing and Compliance, Data and Reporting and Cross-Functional Collaboration. Each one comes with a written description of what it measures, and you can edit, rename, remove or add skills to suit your organisation.
How are team members scored in Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning?
Every team member is scored from 1 to 10 on each skill (1 = Poor, 5 = Average, 10 = Elite), one store and year at a time. Scores autosave in the Skills Matrix, and the 18 built-in reports turn them into rankings, radar charts, skill gaps and year-on-year trends.
Which levels come with Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning?
Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning starts with these levels (called “Grade” in the app): Trainee, Team Member, Senior Team Member, Team Leader, Assistant Manager and Store Manager. They are just a starting point, so you can rename, reorder or replace them.
Can I change the Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning skills and wording?
Yes. The skills, levels and labels are all editable per organisation. In retail the app talks about team members, stores and supervisors, and you can change any of those words too.
Score Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning with SkillScorer
Book a demo and we'll set up Retail and Retail Buying & Merchandise Planning with the skills, levels and wording ready to go.
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