“Right people/right product.”
From my beginnings in retail, that was the mantra I always heard. Everyone knew it was the winning formula for retail. And I remember it being exciting and challenging as the merchant and store operations teams worked together to steer us towards common goals and consistent execution.
Reflecting back on it now, it’s clear that things were so much simpler then.
Early in my career I worked for a traditional men’s and women’s clothing retailer called g.Briggs. The chain consisted of six large, mid-box stores in the Baltimore, Columbia, and Annapolis, Maryland, markets, each averaging 16,000 square feet. I was the director of stores, representing the “right people” side of the business, and my peer Melanie Jolles (still one of my closest friends) was the director of merchandising, representing the “right product” side. We both reported directly to the owner and president, Skip Briggs.
Melanie and I worked together closely and partnered during the big buying trips to New York. My focus was on how we would position, train (on product knowledge), and support Melanie’s buys. In return, she and her merchant team supported the stores during floor sets, large markdowns, promotions, and the peak holiday season. It was a highly collaborative pairing.
Today’s environment is, to put it mildly, more complicated and complex for stores and merchants alike. The right people and right product sides of the business face new challenges that are frankly harder to solve and, in many cases, out of their control.
In particular, the return and continuing fluctuation of tariffs has hit retail hard, and not just at the cash register. Merchants, buyers, planners, and allocators are feeling the pressure daily. What was once a fairly predictable buying cycle now feels like a moving target. Cost projections shift weekly, and suppliers, already stretched thin, are passing those pressures along.
As one retailer said recently, “We used to plan six months out. Now we’re re-forecasting every six days.”
The ripple effect is real: tighter margins, shorter lead times, and relentless pressure to maintain competitive pricing — all while keeping customers loyal in a value-driven market.
The Changing Role of the Retail Merchant
Today’s retail merchants are finding that their job has expanded in some pretty dramatic ways. With the expectations placed on them now, they’re required to think more like financial strategists, global economists, and diplomats.
They must:
- Balance cost pressures with brand integrity.
- Pivot rapidly when tariffs or sourcing shifts upend plans.
- Reassess vendor relationships with both firmness and empathy.
- Collaborate cross-functionally to protect margin and maintain trust.
- Navigate the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues on negotiations.
This new landscape requires not just technical skills but a new negotiation mindset, one that blends data, diplomacy, collaboration, and disciplined negotiation.
What does this mean for how you prepare your team members for success? Read on to learn what retail negotiation skills and tactics matter most today.
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