Associate Merchant - Case Goods

Position Summary:

Guide Merchandising of Case Goods and associated product programs through Product Management and understanding of the line, Systems work for product set up, Sales analysis, Marketing support, and Retail Communications to ensure timely and accurate implementation for all programs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Prepare and interpret all pricing data by margin analysis, sales analysis, and product comparisons for the entire line, which includes pricing for all new introductions.  
• Work with vendors to compile initial cost quotes.  Prepare and maintain master files with all price data and product details, inclusive of working with imports to make sure all freight and duty rates are correct to price product. 
• Build and maintain specification sheets for all new introductions, build files for market prints, assign product names through Legal, and arrange photography/Rendering for all new styles. 
• Be up to date on the current assortment for styles, plant of manufacture, finishes, and materials.
• Identify best-selling products and suggests future recommendations and drops.  Prepare and execute exit plan of planned drop merchandise through pricing, margin strategies. 
• Maintain up-to-date pricing, sourcing, and product detail information in appropriate spreadsheets, databases, web-related programs, etc.
• Assist and create all price files for US/Canadian/EU for each direct mail magazine based on company margin direction. 
• Create and proof all price files for yearly price increases for US/Canadian/EU based on company margin direction. 
• Create and proof all prices files and product requests for Contract projects or specialty customers.
• Prepare and identify styles for all advertising for our direct mail magazines and web in order to increase sales year over year while maintaining a good service level.  Ensure accuracy on all internal and external marketing materials; inclusive of web, TV, and print. 
• Answer marketing requests and needs within the timeframe requested for review of inventory availability, correct quality of images, and proper descriptions.
• Maintain and edit all Use and Care, and Warranty materials.
• Provide accurate product information, photography/rendering needs, pricing materials, and design center selling tools for all new introductions.  
• Research answers by serving as both customer liaison to Corporate, Retail and international sourcing networks and web merchants.
• Ensure proper and timely retail notification of product changes, collection retirement, sourcing changes, etc. by monitoring inventory levels on target goods.
• Prepare quarterly business recaps for style outs. 
• Work closely on sample status.  Work with Imports to hit deadlines and manage sample and freight charges against yearly budgets.  Responsible for managing back-up samples that are needed for conference/designer meetings and/or marketing needs.  Management of billing out samples in order to reconcile sample account. 
• Work with Compliance on all new introductions to make sure they meet all regulations for each product. 
• Maintain vendor manual and update when needed. 
• Create and revise various analyses and reports for department as necessary.
• Daily review of oversolds.  Work with Planners to communicate discontinued products to IT and Web team. 
• Maximize inventory efficiencies with maximum in-stock positions and minimum inventories within management directed parameters/levels.
• Prepare quarterly sales reports.  Acquire key data from Sales tracker, compile and create management reports used to analyze sales performance, trends and overstock issues. 
• Coordinate new product launch and proto display forecasts to assure proper inventory support is planned to support anticipated consumer demand at retail.
• Ensure that all sales materials, physical swatches, and tools are created, priced, and uploaded to our systems for each new product launch. Work to update past sales tools and physical swatches as needed in the field.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• • Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, Merchandising or similar field with minimum three (3) years merchandising and/or planning experience.
  • Strong written and verbal communications, analytical, time management skills required.
  • Competence in all MS Office programs and website software, as well as I5 system.

Benefits are an important part of the total compensation that is offered, providing peace of mind and financial well-being.  Ethan Allen is committed to offering a variety of benefits that allow associates to choose whether or not to participate based on personal and family needs.  Some of the benefits offered are 401(k) plan (with Employer contributions), multiple Medical Plans with Prescription Drug Coverage, Health Savings Account (including Employer contributions), Dental Plan, Vision Plan, Basic Group Term Life & Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Supplemental Group Term Life & AD&D Insurance, Dependent Group Term Life Insurance, Short and Long-Term Disability (Full-Time associates only), Business Travel Accident Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts – Health Care & Dependent Care, Commuter Saving Plans – Public Transit & Parking, Voluntary Whole Life Insurance, Voluntary Critical Care Insurance, Voluntary Accident Insurance and Employee Assistance Program.