What It Takes to Succeed in Buying and Merchandising: Insights from Schuh’s Industry Experts

Ahead of the FMR x Schuh Speed Mentoring: Buying and Merchandising event on 3rd June, we’re taking a closer look at what these roles are really like—beyond the job titles, the trends, and the buzzwords.

We spoke to professionals at Schuh- Angela Hallmark, Head of Merchandising and Romy Parsell, Head of Buying, who shared honest insights into their day-to-day, the skills you’ll need to thrive, and the realities of building a career in the fast-paced world of fashion retail.

Whether you’re exploring career options, considering a role in Merchandising or Buying, or simply curious about what it takes to keep a business like Schuh running smoothly, their perspectives are invaluable.

Let’s break it down.

The Day-to-Day: What Do Merchandisers and Buyers Actually Do?

At first glance, Buying and Merchandising might seem similar, but they play distinct and complementary roles in the business.

Angela Hallmark on Merchandising:
“In Merchandising my role is numbers-driven—managing stock levels, tracking sell-through rates, and ensuring the right product is in the right place at the right time. For every buying role, there’s a merchandising equivalent, mirroring their role with a more numerical slant. The Merchandiser:Buyer relationship is key to trading a successful season. Merchandisers work across many functions in the business including logistics, retail, marketing, e-commerce, and finance.”

A typical day for Angela might include analysing sales data, forecasting trends, adjusting stock levels, and working with teams across the business to make sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.

Romy Parsell on Buying:
“In Buying, our role is all about curating the right product offer for our customers. Day to day, that means reviewing trading performance, visiting stores, and managing relationships with brands. We spend time preparing for appointments—whether that’s reviewing sales performance, analysing trends, or building ranges—and then following up after meetings with actions and next steps.”

Romy also emphasises the importance of staying connected to the industry:

“It’s key to stay up to date with what’s happening in the market—benchmarking against competitors, spotting trends, and understanding what customers want.”

It’s a collaborative environment too—Buyers work closely with Merchandisers, marketing teams, retail staff, and suppliers to ensure every decision is aligned and commercially sound.

The Skills You’ll Need to Succeed

Both Angela and Romy agree: success in Merchandising or Buying isn’t about luck—it’s about developing a specific set of skills and bringing the right mindset to the table.

According to Romy, the top skills for Buying are:

• Communication – You’ll be working with lots of stakeholders, so clear communication is essential.
  
• Problem-solving – Things change quickly; you need to adapt and find solutions.
  
• Attitude and outlook – Stay positive and open-minded.
  
• Energy and enthusiasm – Passion for the product and industry keeps you going.
  
• Logical and analytical thinking – Understanding data is as important as having a great eye for product.
  

Angela echoes these points for Merchandising, adding that commercial awareness, numerical skills, and the ability to react quickly to changes are also key. And one thing both stress? Resilience. In this industry, you need to stay calm and focused in the face of pressure.

How They Got Into Their Roles

Everyone’s journey into Merchandising or Buying looks a little different. Angela started on the shop floor, working weekends and holidays, which sparked her interest in retail:

“I didn’t always know that Merchandising existed until I started exploring graduate trainee schemes. Once I saw how strategic and influential it is behind the scenes, I knew it was the right fit.”

Her first role as an allocator opened her eyes to the complexity of getting a product into stores at the right time—a far cry from the simple ‘selling shoes’ perception.

Romy’s path into Buying also evolved over time. Her advice? Be open to learning, explore different opportunities in retail, and don’t be afraid to take your own route into the industry—whether that’s through a degree, store experience, or work placements.

The Biggest Misconceptions
Let’s bust some myths:

Angela says people often think Merchandising is about visual displays, but the reality is much more data-focused:

“I am constantly reviewing data, forecasting demand, and reacting to changes in real-time. The focus is maximising profit and minimising risk rather than aesthetics.”

Romy agrees there are stereotypes in Buying too:

“People think we wander around ‘shopping’ all day, but it’s not like that! Yes, product selection is part of the job, but there’s so much more analysis, forecasting, and planning involved. It’s a commercial role at its core.”

 

What Makes It All Worthwhile?

Both Angela and Romy agree that working at Schuh is something special.

For Angela, it’s the strategic challenge:

“There’s so much more to Merchandising than people realise. It’s fast-paced, dynamic, and you’re constantly learning.”

For Romy, it’s the people and the product:

“Schuh has a really unique culture—it’s collaborative, supportive, and fun. And for me, it’s so rewarding to see a product you’ve worked on land in stores and resonate with customers.”

Buying and Merchandising are about far more than choosing products or organising stock—they are strategic, analytical, and fast-moving roles that sit at the heart of every successful fashion retail business.