Buyers have ranked their relationships with suppliers just behind delivering profit and margin targets and category growth as the most important factor for achieving promotion.
According to The Grocer’s reader panel, buyers also acknowledged that staying on good terms with their suppliers was vital in achieving their first two goals.
One buyer explained: “You have to be able to understand the different needs of suppliers and be able to discover what encourages the representative to support your requests. You must also stick to and deliver on a commitment.”
Most of the buyers believed that there were opportunities to progress up the buying ladder, especially at the lower end of the scale, but that these opportunities were becoming rarer.
One buyer said: “Like most retailers, we are currently experiencing a downturn in sales and the prospect of downsizing looms.”
Another added: “I believe I can rise through the ranks here, but due to recent restructures it may take slightly longer to get to the level I am aspiring to.
“I can definitely move through the buying ranks, but it may be a quicker path to move out of retail and move on to the supplier side.”
The buyers also ranked the following, in order of importance: the ability to build good relationships with their line manager, experience of buying in different categories, loyalty and luck.
Although being a good self-publicist was ranked overall as the least important quality, quite a few of our buyers disagreed.
“The skill set must include the usual prerequisites such as excellent negotiation skills, but accomplished buyers have an ego the size of a planet and are ardent self-publicists.”
>>p32 How to play the game and win
A Sainsbury store in the upmarket Dog Kennel Hill area of London has sparked a public outcry with a planned new pharmacy that could offer a needle exchange service. A spokesman for the Southwark patient and public watchdog said: “It could easily become a magnet for illegal drug users.”
Top 50 chain RNS Holdings is expanding its management team as it continues to grow. It is due to open four more stores and is advertising for new store managers. The move could see RNS climb up The Grocer’s Top 50 list of independent retailers. It is currently number 40.
Bryan Drew, commercial director of Hub Wholesale Club, insists it is business as usual despite rumours that it will be swallowed up by Booker as part of the deal to prise shareholder Charles Wilson away from Marks and Spencer. Wilson is set to take over as Booker chief executive on November 1. Drew said as yet there had been no approach and that Hub would continue with expansion plans.
Retailers buying products through the National Federation of Retail Newsagents’ NFRN Direct service are set to receive annual bonuses from a pot that has risen by 600%. Payments range from £91 to £672 for the 12 months to June this year.
Bodycote Materials Testing has acquired Grimsby-based Allied Laboratory Services as part of its continuing expansion into the food testing market. The company will now be known as Bodycote Allied.
Waitrose has opened its latest store in Droitwich. It is situated on an English Heritage site and has taken nine years to get planning permission to build.
No to exchange
RNS on the up
Business as usual
Retail bonus pot
Bodycote expands
New Waitrose opens
According to The Grocer’s reader panel, buyers also acknowledged that staying on good terms with their suppliers was vital in achieving their first two goals.
One buyer explained: “You have to be able to understand the different needs of suppliers and be able to discover what encourages the representative to support your requests. You must also stick to and deliver on a commitment.”
Most of the buyers believed that there were opportunities to progress up the buying ladder, especially at the lower end of the scale, but that these opportunities were becoming rarer.
One buyer said: “Like most retailers, we are currently experiencing a downturn in sales and the prospect of downsizing looms.”
Another added: “I believe I can rise through the ranks here, but due to recent restructures it may take slightly longer to get to the level I am aspiring to.
“I can definitely move through the buying ranks, but it may be a quicker path to move out of retail and move on to the supplier side.”
The buyers also ranked the following, in order of importance: the ability to build good relationships with their line manager, experience of buying in different categories, loyalty and luck.
Although being a good self-publicist was ranked overall as the least important quality, quite a few of our buyers disagreed.
“The skill set must include the usual prerequisites such as excellent negotiation skills, but accomplished buyers have an ego the size of a planet and are ardent self-publicists.”
>>p32 How to play the game and win
A Sainsbury store in the upmarket Dog Kennel Hill area of London has sparked a public outcry with a planned new pharmacy that could offer a needle exchange service. A spokesman for the Southwark patient and public watchdog said: “It could easily become a magnet for illegal drug users.”
Top 50 chain RNS Holdings is expanding its management team as it continues to grow. It is due to open four more stores and is advertising for new store managers. The move could see RNS climb up The Grocer’s Top 50 list of independent retailers. It is currently number 40.
Bryan Drew, commercial director of Hub Wholesale Club, insists it is business as usual despite rumours that it will be swallowed up by Booker as part of the deal to prise shareholder Charles Wilson away from Marks and Spencer. Wilson is set to take over as Booker chief executive on November 1. Drew said as yet there had been no approach and that Hub would continue with expansion plans.
Retailers buying products through the National Federation of Retail Newsagents’ NFRN Direct service are set to receive annual bonuses from a pot that has risen by 600%. Payments range from £91 to £672 for the 12 months to June this year.
Bodycote Materials Testing has acquired Grimsby-based Allied Laboratory Services as part of its continuing expansion into the food testing market. The company will now be known as Bodycote Allied.
Waitrose has opened its latest store in Droitwich. It is situated on an English Heritage site and has taken nine years to get planning permission to build.
No to exchange
RNS on the up
Business as usual
Retail bonus pot
Bodycote expands
New Waitrose opens
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