Benjamin Phillips Email & Phone Number

Kinston, Nc

Create merchandising direction for major wholesale accounts tailored to individual buys and regional assortments. Work cross functionally with marketing and design to produce necessary signage for key items. Assist with store openings and shop installations. Provide visual direction and assistance with trade show setups to help communicate the vision for the brand and the direction for the season.

Kinston, Nc

Bought and merchandised for two boutiques specializing in home, accessories, and gift while adhering to open to buy budgeting and gross margin metrics. Improved store appearance and selection of higher end merchandise while implementing special events resulting in improved sales for the flagship location.

Jacksonville, North Carolina, United States

Controlled the overall presentation of the store. Executed all visual directives and seasonal floor moves while helping guide a team of merchandisers on changing standards. Overcame challenges that come with a highly productive and dense retail space while creating high quality visual presentations.

Shallotte, North Carolina, United States

Elevated the presentation standards of the high sales per square foot store. Led the store through installing an open-sell shoe department as well as floot-to-ceiling fixtures throughout the store. Ensured the success of a Free People test shop that led to adding the brand to the store's assortment.

Wilmington, Nc

Executed all visual tasks for the home, kids, dresses, and special size departments at the largest Belk store in the Wilmington, NC region. Also worked extensively in other areas leading floor moves, constructing special displays, and preparing for visits.

Charlotte, North Carolina Area

Plan, execute, and maintain the visual presentation of the entire mens and accessories departments in the flagship Belk store at Southpark Mall in Charlotte, NC. Create inspiring presentations to drive sales and elevate the experience of shopping the 2nd floor of the store while partnering with others to improve the store as a whole. Used knowledge of textiles, design, and retail to merchandise the store in a way to promote items that are brand right for the Premier Belk store and the direction of the company as a whole.

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

Customer Service-Assisted clients with selecting clothing appropriate for a wide range of uses and events from golfing to a night out. Visual Merchandising- Presented products within the Bonobos, Premium Denim, and Golf shops to drive sales and create a unique aesthetic for each brand. Carefully monitor sales to determine which items should be moved within the shop to improve performance. Sales- Generated sales beyond goals in the Bonobos department in Belk-Crabtree as the pseudo-specialist from the brand's introduction at Belk until becoming an intern for them. Grew sales in Polo Ralph Lauren in Belk-Asheboro by more than 10% over LY for December 2014 and by 25% over Plan for February 2015.

Nyc

Market Prep.-Prepared for and assisted with Spring 2015 wholesale market for all accounts ranging from Nordstrom and Belk to a host of specialty boutiques across the country. Assembled wholesale deck and swatch books representing all samples for the spring line as well as recommended buys tailored for each account. Wholesale Orders and Account Support-Placed orders for spring 2015 for all accounts, as well as replenishment orders on basic items and RTV’s on slow moving styles. Developed product knowledge look books for specialists that were distributed to all Belk stores as a "Catalog" to generate sales in doors beyond the ones stocking the brand. Market Exploration- Researched and created decks for numerous potential specialty accounts from across the country to determine the potential significance of the account based on competitive brands being sold, target customer for the store, and local population characteristics.

Pinehurst, Nc

Guided clients through selecting appropriate business, formal, and casual apparel to fit their needs and requirements. Mark and prepare garments for alterations to properly fit customers. Resolved customer service issues to ensure client satisfaction. Met sales goals while maintaining high visual standards for the store. Gained insight on the value of product knowledge when selling luxury items.

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

Sales Generation and Visual Merchandising-Merchandised the Polo shops in Belk stores throughout the triangle area in accordance with Ralph Lauren merchandising directives as well as sales data to focus and drive sales in key items and slow moving styles. Assisted the Director of Creative Presentation as well as Regional Directors of Retail Development with creating merchandising directives in the Polo RL retail lab in Greensboro, NC. Final Project- Completed a project that examined the reasons why customers buy Polo merchandise and gave recommendations based on the data acquired. Created a manual to educate wholesale specialists and customers on basic product knowledge and show how customers wear and style Polo apparel for a wide range of uses.

Bonlee, Nc

Assist with design of logos and graphics for t-shirts, uniforms, banners, signs, and decals. Mastered techniques for screen printing, and heat press t-shirts and uniforms as well as apply lettering for signs, banners, and decals.

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Fashion And Textile Management- Fashion Development And Product Management, 4.0

Activities and Societies: VP of marketing for NCSU Pack Transfers

Associate'S Degree, Transfer Core Diploma Towards An Associate'S In Science, 3.89

Activities and Societies: Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society