placement journal
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J O U R N A LB U Y I N G P L A C E M E N T
M Y E X P E C T A T I O N S
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 . F R I E N D LY W O R K I N G E N V I R O N M E N T
2 . M U S T B E A B L E T O W O R K W I T H I N A T E A M
3 . M U S T W O R K AT A FA S T PA C E
4 . B E C O N F I D E N T T O M A K E D E C I S I O N S
5 . D E V E L O P S K I L L S E T W I T H I N I N D U S T R Y
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I hope the staff will provide a positive and friendly
working environment, whilst also encouraging me to
learn/show me various aspects within the Buying in-
dustry which will enable me to develop my skill set.
I expect that I will have to work closely within a team,
as I will also be interacting with Merchandisers,
Designers and Garment Technologists.
As there will be several deadlines that will need to be
met, and various meetings to attend, I expect that I will
be working quickly yet efficiently.
I feel that for the role as a Buyer I will have to make
quick decisions when completing tasks, and have con-
fidence when doing so, this is an aspect I may struggle
with.
I aim to develop new skills, and have a greater under-
standing of the buying process once completing my
placement, which will benefit me in the future.
D A Y O N E09M A R C H
As I had worked in Sainsbury’s Head Office pre-
viously I was more excited than nervous for my
first day, as I enjoyed it so much last time and
had an idea of what to expect when I arrived. So
for the duration of my placement I was planned
to work with both the buying team for the Gok
range, as well as those on smart wear and
outerwear.
For my first day the staff just really wanted to
make sure I knew where everything was, and
that I was familiar with the collections which
were currently in store, as well as those which
they are working on in preparation for Winter.
MONDAY = TRADE MEETINGS
I began the day by attending the Monday
morning trade meeting that all departments on
Womenswear must attend to discuss sales. I
had help fetch the garments needed to discuss
their sales performance, and select which items
were the best/worst sellers of the previous
week. The sales figures also being compared to
those of last year.
If certain items failed to meet these targets an
action plan was put in place in order to pro-
mote them, with the aim to increase sales, or to
phase them out of store.
I realised that not a lot of work gets done on
a Monday, its all meetings, and running back
and fourth to the mock store to collect items.
Despite being a busy little bee I was happy to be
gaining greater experience of what it is like to
be working in industry.
R I S E & S H I N E
O n t h e n e x t f e w p a g e s y o u
w i l l f i n d t h e c u r r e n t s p r i n g
c o l l e c t i o n s t h a t a r e i n s t o r e .
Ta k i n g a l o o k a t t h e S a i n s b u r y ’s
Tu b l o g a s e x t r a r e s e a r c h .
The spring/summer collection Dolce Vita depicts a fresh colour palette of soft mint greens and cooling sea blues. This trend is a modern take on Italian Riviera glamour, and from all the collections it is one of my favour-ites! With full skirts, ruffle hem maxi dresses and delicate printed blouses this trend will look fab if you’re off on holiday, and will most definitely bring out the sun if your on a ‘stay-cation’ in the UK.
Key Items and price points
D O L C E V I T A
Sainsbury’s Tu have recently been working alongside Marie Claire to create an ‘advertorial’ showcasing their current collections in order to appear more fashion forward whilst still appealing to a slightly more mature customer.
St Ives features nautical stripes and structured tailoring to create a polished, flawless look. With key items such as the printed Capri trousers and daisy sleeveless shirt, I assure will brighten up those dull days in the office!
S T I V E S
Road Trip contains a selection of casual bohemian style separates to create a laidback effortless look. Long maxi skirts, relaxed shirt dresses in distressed denim and tie dye prints will be perfect for those summer outings, and will also make great festival wear!
Key Items and price points
R O A D T R I P
D A Y T W O10M A R C H
F I T S L I K E A G L O V E
So the day started off by assisting one of the
buyers for the Gok range set up for her meeting,
with the buying directors and head of Womens-
wear, in hope to sign off the latest collection.
I had to steam and layout the garments forming
outfit builds and matching colour palettes. This
was quite scary as I hardly ever iron my clothes
(my mum still does mine, I know I need to grow
up!) therefore had visions of me accidently
burning holes or completely ruining the items...
but luckily it all went well!
FIT MEETINGS
Later on there were various fit sessions sched-
uled with models and technologists from the
different suppliers to try on the samples.
The garment technologist and the buyers made
several amendments to the garments in order
to produce a greater fit. This involved adding
darts, as well as shortening items, and even
altering the choice of fabric. This was incredi-
bly important for the Gok range, as they want
the clothing to appear flattering and sculpt the
body.
I gained a lot of information from observing the
fit session, it highlighted how quick the process
is, and if changes do need to be made that they
are on such a short time frame in order for it to
be corrected. If items are not completed in time
for launch it delays the whole process.
It was then finally time for lunch, and I was ab-
solutely starving! Wish I had more than a salad!
2 : 0 0 P M . . .
So during the afternoon (once all the meetings had fin-
ished) I managed to have a more in depth chat with the
buyer for the Gok range. She spoke about her job role, her
recent trip to London to discuss the collection with Gok
(exciting!!) , and went through some of the processes in
more detail.
> C O L O U R S U B M I S S I O N S
I managed to look and comment on colour submissions
provided by the supplier for the garment. This involved
testing it under a lightbox stating whether it was fuller,
thinner, redder ect.
> A P P R O VA L P R O C E S S
Samples were bronze, silver or gold sealed. Each product
had to be gold sealed before bulk manufacture could be-
gin. I then had to approve some of the products checking
all the labeling and prices, which I enjoyed doing.
D A Y T H R E E11M A R C H
J u s t t o m a k e s u r e t h e s e i m a g e s a r e n o t o f m o o d b a o r d s t h a t I w a s
w o r k i n g o n f o r u p c o m i n g s e a s o n s w i t h i n S a i n s b u r y ’s .
G E T T I N G C R E A T I V E
9 : 0 0 A M . . .
Creative Meeting, this is where all teams on Wom-
enswear meet to discuss the upcoming ranges. This
involves looking at the collections, ensuring each item
relates to a particular trend and ensures that none of the
collections are clashing, to make sure it flows well within
store. This took up most of the morning as it meant
going through every item on Womenswear, and analys-
ing it.
1 1 : 0 0 A M . . .
Later on a designer had just got back from New York (I
wish I got to go there!), and wanted to go through some
ideas he had and what he had found. I got to go with
the buyer to look at some of the mood boards… howev-
er she thought that lot of it was unsuitable for the Gok
range, and wanted to discuss other ideas.
(Sorry for the lack of images, I had to sign a confidenti-
ality form which stopped me from taking photos!)
> P O S T L O G
This is done as a way to document what items of
clothing have been sent to or from suppliers, making
it easier for the buyer to track items, for instance if a
supplier does not receive a sample where listed amend-
ments have been made to the garment, this all has to be
logged. I had to send garments back to suppliers in Tur-
key in which I found out the addresses were extremely
long, and parts of Asia.
I found today really interesting as it highlighted the more
creative side of the buying process, which is something
I really enjoyed. As well as this I gained understanding of
the series of process you must go through before items
are launched into stores.
M y o u f i t f o r t h e d a y. I t ’s a c t a u l l y
q u i t e c o l d i n t h e o f f i c e &
e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e m o c k s t o r e !
D A Y F O U R12M A R C H
J U S T 5 M O R E M I N U T E S . . . P L E A S E !
As it was now getting towards the end of the week
the long days had finally started to kick in, I was
waking up at 6:00am every morning to meet the
product technologist for quarter past 7, who kindly
offered to give me a lift whilst on my placement…I
hate the cold early mornings!. Arriving for half 8 and
leaving at half 6 most days meant I was nearly fall-
ing asleep on the journey home from Coventry.
Despite being half asleep my placement was go-
ing really well, and was pleased at how much I had
learnt just over three days!
P L A N F O R T H E D AY :
➢> Critical Path Meeting
➢> Sort out the samples in the mock store
➢> Supplier Meeting
C R I T I C A L PAT H M E E T I N G
The buyers, merchandiser and garment technologist
sat down to discuss each of the products within the
Gok range. They handed out A3 size sheets filled
with data, which seemed very confusing! It didn’t
help that the print was incredibly tiny, and me not
having the best eyesight made it difficult to read...
I began to understand why everyone had a ruler
handy! After listening to what they were saying I
slowly began to get the jist of things.
The fact that I had already covered the Buying and
Merchandising module at University also helped as I
had more of an in depth understanding, compared to
when I visited last time.. and had no clue what lead
times even were.
The level of communication between staff is some-
thing I have noticed which is vital to the role, and
ensuring everything runs on time.
A B U S Y B E E
Items of clothing were crammed into every possi-
ble space, stretching from the floor to the ceiling
with rails either side; it was a corridor piled up with
clothes… every girls dream, right? Well, not once you
have to start sorting it all out.
A H H H . . S O M A N Y S A M P L E S !
The space was that small when trying to wheel
the ladders down to reach the top rail, they were
scraping against either side. I was just hoping that
I wouldn’t get stuck! I had to put the items back in
the correct places according to the trend, as well as
clearing out all the unwanted samples that had not
been gold sealed. I managed to clear out tons of
items that were no longer needed, and made space
for the new collections that we were working on.
By the time I had finished my arms were aching
after trying to carry all the clothing up and down the
ladders. I have to say this was not the most fun task
I had been set
Lunch was greatly needed after the busy morning
I had, and it was as though someone had read my
mind, as someone was giving free samples of a
new energy drink which was exactly what I needed!.
The admin buyer and me went for the strawberry
and lime, in hope it would taste like Kopparberg but
unfortunately it didn’t!
F I N A L M E E T I N G O F T H E D AY
The day ended with me going to a meeting with one
of the suppliers. They wanted to get the bulk fabric
samples approved so that production could begin.
Luckily this all went well, and all samples were
approved!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I f o n l y t h e r a i l s
h a d b e e n t h a t
t i d y a n d
o r g a n i s e d . .
i t w o u l d h a v e
m a d e m y j o b
m u c h q u i c k e r !
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D A Y F I V E13M A R C H
S T R I P E D
J A C K E T Z A R A
£ 4 9 . 9 9
D R E S S N E X T
£ 3 2 . 0 0
S T R I P E D
J A C K E T Z A R A
£ 4 9 . 9 9
I T ’ S F R I D A Y . . .
C O M P E T I T V E S H O P R E P O R T
Friday’s seemed to be calmer, there were fewer
meetings and fit sessions to attend therefore I had
time to start completing a competitive shop report.
For this I had to focus on smart wear and tailoring,
looking at both Tu’s key competitors such as George
and F&F, but also aspirational brands such as Zara,
Warehouse and Next. Whilst doing this it was im-
portant to pick up on key trends, considering style,
colour and print.
For this I began to look online, as there was greater
variety of items, however for some of the supermar-
ket chains I went into store, to take photos. I went
with the admin buyer on a little trip, trying sneakily to
take photos.
Key trends were stripes, in navy, white and red and
fluro - bold colours and prints, ready for summer.
Also for tailored jackets we found that they had con-
trasting linings and trims.
Once we got back we started to put together what
we had found. It was fun getting out of the office for
a while, and sneaking around the shops!
After this was completed I then had to archive
samples that had been approved. This is done as a
way to reference what colours, fabrics, prints and
embellishments have been chosen for each of the
garments. All of these were filed into folders based
on the trend and season.
As the drawers had to be cleared it involved me hav-
ing to push a huge trolley around the office, which
only wanted to go in a straight line, struggling to get
it around the corner! However I eventually managed
it, and organised all the folders into boxes to be sent
into storage.
Overall I had a fab first week on my placement, but
despite it being Friday I was not looking forward to
a relaxing weekend. Instead I have to go to work at
Next, and start preparing for the mid season sale!
The joys….
D A Y S I X16M A R C H
A s n e a k p e a k a r o u n d t h e
b u i l d i n g . . .
M O N D A Y M A D N E S S
After a hectic weekend at work, I was far from pre-
pared for the early morning start back at Sainsbury’s.
I woke up in a state of shock when my alarm went
off, frantically running around deciding what to wear,
and figuring out what to do with my mop of hair!
To top it off the Monday morning traffic was just
delightful (the sarcasm). I just managed to make it
in on time, along with many other members of staff
who complained how they had started out extra early
knowing they had trade all morning….
T R A D E , T R A D E , T R A D E
So similar to last Monday I had to attend trade in the
morning, with the same process of collecting all the
garments, arranging them and identifying the worst/
best sellers of the week. Once this was over the
admin buyer and myself had the task of putting it all
back.
Later on, I had to help put together a pack for one of
the buyers who was travelling to meet with suppliers.
It is important that she had all the necessary infor-
mation which needed to be discussed whilst there.
It contained images of samples that are currently
incorrect and need altering, past and current perfor-
mance sheets so she had all the necessary figures,
and inspiration imagery of designs for the new
collection.
O T H E R L I T T L E TA S K S
➢> Photograph garments for the Gok range.
➢> Help to assist and approve colour samples,
providing comments.
➢> Open all the post, updating the information
on the post log.
M o n d a y m o r n i n g s t y l e . . .
( s t i l l h a v e n ’ t m a n a g e d t o
m a s t e r t h e a r t o f ‘ s e l f i e ’s ’ )
W H Y C A N ’ T I G O T O N E W Y O R K
D A Y S E V E N17M A R C H
So today one of the buyers had returned from New
York, everyone here seems to be going to these
amazing places - it seems so unfair being stuck in
Birmingham, I want to go!!! She spoke about what
she had been up to and found out, but really seemed
to focus more on the fact she never had enough
time to shop, and how annoying the American ac-
cent had become after she had been there over five
times! She was really fun and chatty… it was a good
start to the morning hearing about her little adven-
ture.
Anyway, back to talking about actual work….
After completing my first week I felt like there was
slightly more of a routine, with scheduled fit sessions
and meetings taking place throughout the day. I liked
to be kept busy; there was always something to be
doing which made the days go extremely fast.
1 0 : 0 0 A M - F I T S E S S I O N
> The fit sessions involved looking at the smart wear
jackets, these were tried on by two different models,
to check the that shape, sleeve length and shoulder
position were all correct. As well as this they also
took note of any changes in embellishment such as
buttons.
> Trousers then had to be tested, again checking
details such as the length, zips and fastenings. The
models were also asked to questions to ensure that
the garment was comfortable to wear.
Before lunch I then had to sort out all the folders.
They were crammed full of style sheets and fabric
samples, they looked like they were going to burst
open, therefore I had to split them all up into bot-
toms, tops ect just so there was more room to add
the new ones. It was getting irritating as all the plas-
tic wallets kept splitting, due to the amount that was
encased in them!
1 : 3 0 P M - L A B D I P A P P R O VA L
We had received more samples through the post
these had to be checked and colour approved.
The admin buyer asked me to do this giving feed-
back. I was nervous having to do it myself incase
I got it completely wrong.... Some of the colours I
rejected as they differed greatly from the original
design.
The admin buyer then checked it to make sure I
had provided the correct comments, which she
thought I had, woohooo!
The day ended by helping to finish off the over-
sized bag of sweets along with the rest of the
team. What can I say.... its difficult to resist
starburst jelly beans and after another busy day I
was definitely in need of all the sugar!
D a y d r e a m i n g . . . w i s h I c o u l d b e i n N Y a g a i n !
# TA K E M E B A C K
T h e p a c k e t w a s g o n e b e f o r e I
h a d c h a n c e t o t a k e a p i c t u r e .
Y U M Y U M !
D A Y E I G H T18M A R C H
M a y b e o n e d a y I w i l l b e c o m e a n a s s i s t a n t
b u y e r . . . . w h o k n o w s !
S O M E T H I N G N E WToday I had the opportunity to work with the design-
ers, this was very exciting as it enabled me to develop
my creativity, and look more closely into trends. One
of the designers began to show me some mood-
boards that he created, displaying prints, catwalk
imagery, street style and other inspirational visuals.
I was then asked to help look into these trends further,
I got to on WSGN noting down information and imag-
es that I thought would be necessary. Throughout my
research I always took into consideration the Sains-
bury’s customer – this knowledge was gained from a
folder the buyer gave me to have a look at.
B R I E F C U S T O M E R P R O F I L E
➢> She is busy juggling work and family.
➢> Wants inspiration and easy outfitting with lots of
mix & match potential.
➢> Quality, fit and comfort are key.
➢> Also shops at Next, Wallis and designers at Deben-
hams.
Through being able to view and help create some of
the visual boards, it enabled me to be more selective
and refine images. I was also able to look more close-
ly at layout, which is something I have struggled with
in my work, therefore I found this very helpful.
P R O G R E S S M E E T I N G
A few hours later I was able to attend a progress
meeting with the buyers where they discussed up-
coming launch dates, ensuring that suppliers were on
track to meet these. During the meeting promotional
activities were also spoken about, with members
suggesting products and selected lines that they think
should be included.
E x a m p l e s o f t h e c r i t i c a l p a t h ,
a n d p e r f o r m a n c e s h e e t s .
D A Y N I N E19M A R C H
J U S T U N L U C K YMy morning was disastrous I originally thought I had
left my phone in the car… which was bad enough as
I feel completely lost without it. However, it became
10x worse when I noticed a taxi driver get out the
car waving a phone around complete with a unicorn
case… obviously that phone could only be mine!
The screen was shattered to pieces with the glass
shards falling off and the button already missing,
clearly I was not a happy bunny!
A N O T H E R C O M P E T I T O R S H O P
After a rubbish start to the day I was happy to be
completing another competitor shop, this time
though it was for the Gok range. The buyer specif-
ically wanted to look into the trends other stores
were focusing on for spring, and what the price
points were for the various garments.
This was completed in an excel spreadsheet, listing
images, prices, fabric compositions and details.
W E H A V E V I S I T O R S
I had to assist the buying team with the visual
merchandising in order to showcase their product
ranges, as they had to prepare for a visit from the
field team, who had come from store.
The aim of the visit was to educate them on the
product range and show them how it should appear
in store, so they know make it look appealing to the
consumer. They also provided them with additional
information that could be used when trying to per-
suade customers to make a purchase.
O T H E R TA S K S C O M P L E T E D
> Daily post log.
> Documenting samples and feedback.
> Checking gold seals and ensuring all the
information, labeling and sku’s are correct.
S o m e o f S a i n s b u r y ’s c u r r e n t i n s t o r e v i s u a l m e r c h a n d i s i n g .
“ # L I V E Y O U R S T Y L E ”
C A N I S T A Y P L E A S E ?
D A Y T E N20M A R C H
Unfortunately I was unable to do three weeks at
Sainsbury’s, as I had to work several days next week
due to the mid season sale at Next. The sales are
mad therefore I had no chance of getting the time
required off. Such a nightmare! I really wish I could
have stayed, however when speaking to the buyers
they said they would have me back anytime, and
mentioned about returning in the summer. I gained
several contacts, which will beneficial when looking
for placements in the future.
It was so sad to leave, as everyone had been so
kind and helpful. I felt that the experience gave me a
greater understanding of what it is actually like to be
working in industry, and put the skills learnt so far at
University into practice. Hopefully I will return there
again very soon!
My morning consisted of :
> Fit sessions
> A supplier meeting
> Clearing rails from the mock store
> Raise style sheets
During the afternoon I was able to speak with a
senior buyer and a designer who had just got back
from a trip to abroad.
She provided me with an insight to her role, what she
does on a daily basis, and what she did previously
before working for Sainsbury’s. For me this was very
helpful as it broadened my outlook into other roles,
as well as this answered any questions raised whilst
on my placement.
S K I L L S G A I N E D
> C O M M U N I C AT I O N
This was vital for the role as there is constant inter-
action amongst staff members whether discussing
sales performance, commenting within fit sessions,
or speaking about the stages met of the critical path.
> T E A M W O R K
Every member of staff played an important role
when ensuring deadlines are reached, targets are
met and the end product meets Sainsbury’s quality
standards. By attending meetings, fit sessions, and
working within various areas such as design I felt
this was a skill I developed further.
> W O R K U N D E R P R E S S U R E
I sometimes don’t do well in pressurised situations,
and can be a little stress pot, but this skill was devel-
oped through constantly working against deadlines.
Everything is so fast pace meaning that decisions
have to be made quickly and instantly, therefore
there was no time to worry and stress about them.
> O R G A N I S AT I O N
I realised how important it was to prioritise tasks as
well as documenting everything that is happening,
such as all the samples coming into the office, mak-
ing notes during fit sessions, preparing spreadsheets
for meetings, archiving samples and organising
them. I had to make sure I managed my time effec-
tively to get all the jobs required done.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F E E L I N G P O S I T I V E
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sainsbury’s
Head Office, and felt that I gained so much more
knowledge of what working within the fashion indus-
try actually entails. Although I was mainly working
with Buyer’s and understanding their role, I also got
to interact with designers, garment technologists and
merchandisers, all of which enhanced my experience,
and showcased how important team work is within a
working environment.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
FA S T PA C E E N V I R O N M E N T
I also loved how everything was so fast pace, and
that there was always something to be doing, it made
the days go so quickly. The fact that a collection is
launched every two months for the Gok range means
there is no time just to be sitting down!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
P O S S I B L E C A R E E R PAT H
In the future I will consider this as a possible career
path, as there are many elements that I enjoyed. As well
as this I feel there is room to progress within the role as
a Buyer, and opportunities to work your way up.
However I sometimes question if I would prefer some-
thing slightly more creative.
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
O V E R A L L T H O U G H T S
B A C K A T N E X T
L E T T H E M A D N E S S B E G I N . . . . .
As I was recently given a permanent contract at Next
it meant I was unable to get the time off as it has be
booked months in advance, and the mid season sale
meant that nobody was available to cover my shifts,
so instead I did a weeks experience here. I felt it
would actually be beneficial as I am fairly new to the
job therefore I still have a lot to learn.
S AT U R D AY 2 1 s t = S A L E D AY
So over the weekend the mid season sale began,
although it is not as large as the summer or boxing
day sales people still go crazy for it!
I was happy not to be on the early shift which would
have meant being in at 6:00am, instead I got the
more reasonable 9:00am start, which felt like a lie in
after getting up early everyday for the last week!
So the morning consisted of constant recovery on
the shopfloor, particularly womenswear, making sure
that items were picked up and arranged as neatly as
possible. This was a difficult task as you can imag-
ine clothes were flying here, there and everywhere!
Once the madness had started to slow down later
on during the day, I had to go over to childrenswear,
as sale stock was running low it meant that all the
new stock had to be put on the shopfloor, therefore I
got to do some visual merchandising, which I never
really had the the chance to do properly before!
V I S U A L M E R C H A N D I S I N G
The whole wall of ‘big boys’ had to be redone; it was
tricky as next follow a plan provided so that each
store has similar visuals, with flowing stories. How-
ever stock was low, therefore had to improvise, as
not all items needed were available in store.
After fetching bars and deciding where everything
should go my arms were killing. Everyone at work
knows I have no strength therefore have developed
the nickname “muscles” and most the time some-
one ends up having to help me carry or hold the
items. I Should probably go to the gym more often....
Anyway in between jumping on and off the tills serv-
ing customers, I finally managed to complete the
VM work, along with the help of another member of
staff. The stories were labeled ‘Faded Neon’ and
‘Festival Spice’ ready for the summer! Our supervi-
sor was very pleased with what we managed to do
with the stock available.
After scanning all the stock onto the shop floor, and
making sure everything was tidy my shift was nearly
over! Time flies on sale day! Overall the day went
well... apart from realising at the end of the day I had
my sale t-shirt on back to front with ‘welcome super
shoppers’ written across the front!
I was really happy that I was able to do something
more creative and put my visual merchandising
skills into practice!
D A Y F O U R T E E N24M A R C H
A F E W D A Y S L A T E R . .
The last few days were manic as customers were
coming to collect their sale orders which had started
to arrive in store. This meant two people had to sort
out the parcels everyday as we were receiving over
30 sacks, meaning this took up the whole morning
to sort them all out.
1 0 S A C K S D O W N 2 0 T O G O . . .
We had to scan every parcel, then place them in
order relating to the code provided. As well as this a
whole move had to be done in the stockroom, which
was so confusing as it’s basically to do with the
alphabet but backwards..... I have no idea!
Although this wasn’t something I was thrilled about
doing it had to be done, and as well as this I was still
completing jobs that I never usually get to do, so I
got to learn something new!
M O R E R E T U R N S !
Later on throughout the week all the returns started
to build up, as people had collected online orders
and had many items they wanted to return.
Therefore as the till bell kept going off so half of my
shift was spent on the tills processing them. As cus-
tomer service always comes first I had to leave any
other jobs that I was required to do.
R E P L E N I S H M E N T
Due to the reduced amount of sale stock on the
shop floor it meant that new stock had to constant-
ly be brought down, in order to fill the areas where
the sale had been scaled down. This involved some
more visual merchandising, as well as picking
replenishment assuring we have all the sizes
available.
D A Y F I F T E E N25M A R C H
L O O K I N G P R E T T Y
Today I got to do some more visual merchandising
on womenswear. I had to do the table layouts,
selecting jeans and tops that will be placed on the
display, as well as a few accessories such as a bags
and shoes in order to inform customers of ways to
wear and create outfit builds.
I also had to change the mannequin displays to
match the new season stock we had in store. This
is something I had never actually done before, and
thought it would be a simple task... well clearly I was
wrong! Attempting to get a dress on whilst aimlessly
trying to screw it together, and get the arms in was
harder work than I initally thought. The fact it was
bigger than me probably didn’t help the situation.
J O I N I N G T H E D E L I V E R Y T E A M
Later on I then had to go to the stockroom and
assist the delivery team, as they had a lot of stock
come in and needed assistance, and I was happy
to help! I had to help process the stock - tagging
it, providing the correct hanger and size cube. This
then had to either put away in the stock room or go
straight onto the shopfloor.!
T h e a m o u n t p e o p l e o r d e r o u t o f
t h e s e b o o k s i s c r a z y !
One thing I have learnt this week is that mess
stresses me out! I I can’t deal with clothes being
everywhere, it’s so bad I even attempted to colour
coordinate the sale stock a put it into similar
categories... however this was practically impossible!
The sale meant I had to work quickly under pressure,
whilst still providing exceptional customer service.
Aside from this I got the chance to do some in-store
visual merchandising which I hope I will get to do
again since being provided with the opportunity,
hopefully I showcased that I was capable!
I am pleased that throughout my three weeks of
placement I got to look into several different as-
pects, and understand what is required of the differ-
ent job roles. My experience on these placements
has helped to develop my skills which I feel can be
adapted to both my current employment, university
work and any future career goals within industry.
O R G A N I S E D G E E K
M y c u t e l i t t l e d i a r y I b o u g h t t o
m a k e n o t e o f e v e r y t h i n g d o n e
w h i l s t o n p l a c e m e n t
D A N I E L L E M A Z U R
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