At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape and deliver a profitable online furniture range that meets customer needs.
- Company: Dynamic furniture retailer with a focus on innovation and customer satisfaction.
- Benefits: 33 days holiday, discounts, career progression, and enhanced family leave.
- Why this job: Join a fast-paced team and make a real impact in the online furniture market.
- Qualifications: Experience in buying or assisting in furniture retail and strong commercial skills.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a supportive and collaborative environment.
The predicted salary is between 32000 - 48000 £ per year.
We're looking for an experienced and commercially driven Online Furniture Buyer to shape and deliver a profitable, customer-focused furniture range for the UK online market. This is a key role within our Commercial Team, responsible for building a compelling range that drives sales, margin, and brand growth — ensuring the right products are sourced, costed, ranged, and delivered at the right time and quality.
As Online Furniture Buyer, you will own and develop a profitable, commercially compelling online furniture range that:
- Meets customer needs and expectations
- Supports our brand and price architecture
- Delivers sustainable sales, volume, and margin growth
The role balances commercial judgement, supplier management, trend awareness, and financial discipline to ensure consistent performance and long-term category growth. This role is based in our Customer Support Centre but will require travel to support operational needs.
What does the role involve?
- Product Range & Buying Strategy
- Develop and deliver a balanced, commercial online furniture range aligned to customer needs and demands, brand and price strategy
- Own the online category from concept through to launch and lifecycle management
- Monitor range performance and take corrective action where required
- Commercial Performance
- Deliver agreed margin, sales, and stock targets for the online category
- Ensure pricing is competitive, sustainable, and aligned to strategy
- Support promotional planning while protecting long-term profitability
- Supplier Management
- Build strong, professional relationships with key suppliers
- Lead negotiations on lead times and quality standards
- Manage supplier performance, addressing issues
- Identify and on-board new suppliers where required
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Merchandising to align buy quantities, stock flow, and availability
- Partner with the Quality team to ensure products meet required standards
- Support Marketing as a commercial point of reference for the category
Who are we looking for?
- Proven experience as a Buyer or Assistant Buyer within furniture, home, or durable goods retail
- Strong understanding of furniture construction, materials, and finishes (e.g. frames, upholstery, foams, fabrics, leathers)
- Ability to manage lead times, manufacturing constraints, and supply-chain risk (including offshore sourcing)
- Retail margin structures, pricing architecture, and promotional mechanics
- Experience managing supplier negotiations
- Strong commercial numeracy including margin, intake margin, mark-up, stock, sell-through
- Experience working cross-functionally with other key stakeholders in the business – Merchandising, Quality, Digital, Marketing, Retail
- The ability to work in a fast-paced environment and multi-task as required to meet schedules in a changing environment
- Maintain a strong customer-focus
What's in it for you?
- 33 days holidays including bank holidays
- Employee benefits platform – access to 100s of high street discounts and more – holiday discounts, gym discounts, cinema discounts, e-vouchers, cashback and more!
- Colleague Discount
- Career progression
- Long service awards
- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave
- Access to our dedicated Employee Assistance Programme – to give you free access to advice and information on a range of topics
- Virtual GP – Access to a GP service 24/7
- Salary finance scheme
- Pension Scheme
- Death in Service
- Life assurance
Online Furniture Buyer in Sunderland employer: ScS Upholstery plc
Contact Detail:
ScS Upholstery plc Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Online Furniture Buyer in Sunderland
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the furniture industry on LinkedIn or at local events. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its products. Show us that you understand their brand and can contribute to their online furniture range. Bring your A-game with examples of your past successes!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just wait for job postings! Be proactive and reach out directly to companies you admire, like us at StudySmarter. Express your interest in potential roles and showcase your skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after interviews with a thank-you email. It’s a simple gesture that shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in their minds. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why you’re the perfect fit!
We think you need these skills to ace Online Furniture Buyer in Sunderland
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Online Furniture Buyer role. Highlight your experience in furniture buying and any relevant skills that match the job description. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your past successes in buying and supplier management. Let your personality shine through, as we love to see genuine passion!
Showcase Your Commercial Acumen: In your application, demonstrate your understanding of retail margin structures and pricing strategies. We’re looking for someone who can drive sales and profitability, so make sure to highlight your commercial achievements.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at ScS Upholstery plc
✨Know Your Furniture Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of furniture construction, materials, and finishes. Being able to discuss specifics like frames, upholstery, and fabrics will show that you’re not just a buyer, but a passionate expert in the field.
✨Showcase Your Commercial Acumen
Prepare to discuss how you've successfully managed margins, pricing strategies, and supplier negotiations in the past. Bring examples of how your decisions have positively impacted sales and profitability, as this role is all about driving commercial success.
✨Demonstrate Cross-Functional Collaboration
Think of instances where you've worked with other teams like Merchandising or Marketing. Be ready to explain how you’ve aligned your buying strategies with their goals, as collaboration is key in this role.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical situations, such as managing supply chain risks or dealing with underperforming products. Prepare your thought process on how you would tackle these challenges, showcasing your problem-solving skills and customer focus.