Knives & Stones Location: Shop 1/180 Commercial Road, Prahran VIC 3181 Position: Retail Buyer Employment Type: Full-time Salary: $80,000 per annum + superannuation

About Us

Knives & Stones is a specialist one-stop destination of premium Japanese kitchen knives, kitchenware and culinary products. We offer an extensive range of Japanese chef knives sourced from established makers and craftsmen, together with sharpening products, cookware, cutting boards, tableware and other specialist culinary accessories.

With our continued business growth and the opening of our Melbourne store in Prahran, we are seeking an experienced Retail Buyer to support our product sourcing, purchasing, inventory planning and merchandising activities.

About the Role

The Retail Buyer will be responsible for selecting and purchasing products for resale across our retail and online operations. The role requires a strong understanding of specialist kitchenware and culinary products, customer preferences and retail market trends, together with the ability to analyse sales performance and stock requirements and maintain effective supplier relationships.

Working closely with management, retail and operations teams, the successful candidate will assist the business in maintaining an appropriate product range and inventory levels while identifying new products and purchasing opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

- Research and monitor customer preferences, market trends, competitor offerings, sales performance and stock levels to identify purchasing requirements and new product opportunities.
- Select and purchase Japanese kitchen knives, cookware, kitchenware and related culinary products for resale.




- Evaluate existing and prospective suppliers based on product quality, pricing, reliability, availability and commercial terms.
- Liaise and negotiate with domestic and international suppliers regarding product selection, purchase prices, quantities, delivery schedules and supply arrangements.
- Forecast product demand and determine appropriate purchasing quantities based on historical sales, seasonal demand, inventory levels and anticipated consumer trends.
- Develop and maintain seasonal and ongoing buying plans within operational and budgetary requirements.
- Monitor product performance, stock turnover and inventory levels and recommend replenishment, discontinuation or adjustment of product ranges where appropriate.
- Analyse product costs, margins and pricing and provide recommendations to management regarding purchasing and retail pricing strategies.
- Coordinate with retail, warehouse, e-commerce and marketing teams to ensure appropriate stock availability and support product launches, promotions and merchandising initiatives.
- Maintain accurate purchasing records, supplier information, product information and purchase documentation.
- Monitor supplier performance and product quality and assist in resolving supply, delivery or quality issues.
- Provide regular purchasing,



inventory and product performance reports to management.

Skills and Experience

To be successful in this role, you will ideally have:

- 1 year relevant full-time experience in retail buying, merchandising, purchasing, retail operations or a closely related field.
- Diploma in business, retail, hospitality, cookery or a related discipline.
- Experience within kitchenware, cookware, hospitality supplies, culinary products or other specialist retail environments will be highly regarded.
- Positive knowledge of retail buying principles, inventory management and product merchandising.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales data, stock levels and customer purchasing trends.
- Good commercial awareness and an understanding of product costing, margins and retail pricing.
- Strong communication and negotiation skills and the ability to develop effective relationships with suppliers.
- Ability to work collaboratively with retail, warehouse, e-commerce and management teams.
- Knowledge of Japanese kitchen knives, cookware and culinary products would be highly regarded.

What We Offer

This is an opportunity to join a growing specialist retail business with an established reputation in premium Japanese kitchen knives and culinary products.

You will work with an extensive range of specialist products and suppliers and play an important role in product selection, purchasing and inventory planning as Knives & Stones continues to expand its Australian retail operations.

To apply, please submit your resume to [email protected]

Pay: $80,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person

📌 Retail Buyer (Prahran)
🏢 Knives and Stones
📍 Prahran