The Life Of A Merchandiser
An exclusive interview with Mr Richard Papp, the Group Merchandise Director for Next PLC. He shares what he's learnt in his 27 years of retail work, what life is like as a merchandiser and what responsibilities it holds.
"No regrets; it's an amazing industry and I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed every day of my career so far"
Did you always want to work in the fashion retail industry?
No, like lots of people, I had no idea what I wanted to do. My father worked as a supplier to the fashion industry and spent a long time telling me not to follow in his footsteps, I of course ignored him and did the exact opposite. No regrets; its an amazing industry and I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed every
naturally fall into place. This is the foundation of a good career, then overlay on this an open approach to risk when opportunities arise, believe in yourself & accept that sometimes you have to move your life balance in favour of your career and take them!
Who do you admire in the retail industry?
At the moment it has to be the discount supermarkets - Aldi and Lidl. They have changed the supermarket landscape,
day of my career .
Do you think qualifications are more essential than experience?
Absolutely not! Experience is everything and is built up over a lifetime. I learn something new from somebody everyday.
supermarkets - Aldi and Lidl. They have changed the supermarket landscape, threatening the established UK giants and making them adjust. This is incredibly difficult to do as a domestic entrant into such a closed aggressive market, never mind as a foreign entity - absolutley amazing
Human beings are amazing things, they love to share knowledge, and all you have to do is listen and constantly question to learn. This knowledge comes from everyone, at all levels, both inside and outside of work.
When was your break in your career?
It doesn’t work like that; it’s never a single moment in time. It’s about having an ethos of learning and hard work, do this and everything else will
Has merchandising changed since the beginning of your career?
Yes and no. Merchandising is not complicated, it’s about providing a balanced, well-sourced, reactive range that evolves at a great pace as your customers tell you what they do and don’t want. This has never changed and never will.
Sourcing has constantly evolved and has helped to relentlessly drive down prices as time has gone on.
Where it has changed is the increased pace.