Within all facets of retail, we tend to over-analyze everything to ensure our investment is the right one. We are looking at sales, traffic, retention, engagement, etc. to maximize potential profits each season. But with each analysis comes learning. Key take-away’s about a silhouette, color, graphic, location, or promotion that are then stored into your own personal library. It is that library of knowledge, learnings, and experience that in many cases causes you to have a “gut” reaction as you move on within your career.
My goal today is to make sure you don’t discount those instincts of yours, as they are probably more spot on than you think. Here's why...
Data will always be first and foremost- representing at least 75% of the reasoning behind your decision, but the remaining 25% is all YOU. Within any role, but particularly buying and merchandising, the analysis only gets you so far. Your eye for product, knowledge of your customer base, and ability to forecast trends will always play into your strategy and investment decisions.
So while I know retail moves at an incredibly fast pace, be smart and diligent. If your intuition is making you second-guess something, take a minute to think about why. Re-look at the analysis in front of you and utilize that personal library I mentioned before. Whether or not you find the answer you are looking for, at least you are listening to that gut of yours and going that extra mile. All of which builds upon your character, experience, and judgment as you move forward.
Trust your instincts- you are smarter than you think...
