Eric Hedberg Email & Phone Number

Goodlettsville, TN, US

Goodlettsville, TN, US

Senior Buyer for Lawn & Garden, with direct responsibility over Toys for over 15,000 stores with total volume responsibility over $900 MM

Source off-price and opportunity buys to drive volume and traffic for automotive internet company

• Consultant for Mori Luggage stores in Atlanta airport, including Luggage, Handbags, Small Leather Goods, and Gift categories
• Produced 25% increase in daily sales in targeted stores through detailed sales and assortment analysis; appropriate order flow; revised store layouts focused on key items, categories, brands
• Negotiated 10-20% cost reduction in key items
• Secured return of $40,000 non-productive inventory

Brentwood, TN, US

• Buyer for Truck, Trailer, and Towing departments for over 850 stores, volume responsibility over $210 MM
• Create comprehensive merchandising strategies that consistently increased sales by focusing on growth opportunities in existing key items, development of new items, and through detailed sales analysis and forecasts
• Build targeted product assortments through analysis of current consumer and competitive trends; evaluation and knowledge of all vendor product lines
• Develop and maintain effective vendor relationships; execute line reviews and negotiate wholesale price concessions resulting in consistently improving gross margins
• Create detailed promotional and marketing plans that drive volume, and negotiate all vendor support
• Collaborate with marketing, visual presentation, and store management to create and execute innovative and productive store-line merchandising strategies

Atlanta, GA, US

• Senior Buyer for 325 stores in 61 locations throughout the United States and Canada, with total volume responsibility over $80 MM.
• Grew sales volume of total responsibility from $10 MM to $80 MM
• Increased sales in toy category by 500% through focusing on growth opportunities in key items, and development of new items, categories, and vendors
• Created and executed entire merchandising program for new Georgia Aquarium stores, including toys, souvenirs, gifts, and apparel, that opened in November 2005 resulting in $1 MM increase over plan of $4 MM
• Developed entire assortment of toys and souvenirs for the Coca-Cola Olympic City project; total volume was $1.5MM and 30% of total business over four months of the project
• Exceeded sales plans as Brand Manager of Kidzoo and General Motors specialty gift stores through product line development and strategic assortment planning

New York, NY, US

• Developed and executed all seasonal financial plans in Small Leather Goods, analyzed all business opportunities constantly to maximize volume and margins, consistently under inventory plan.
• Produced a $500K increase in Christmas outposts and gift shops in all 48 stores for Fall 1989 – 1991.
• Developed and executed seasonal training classes in Home Store areas for management and associates.