Purchasing Associate

Responsibilities

• Respond to product sourcing requests from the sales team, finding the best possible options across domestic suppliers and overseas manufacturers
• Evaluate recommendations not just on availability and price, but on product fit. Does this actually match what the customer wants aesthetically, demographically, and use-case wise?
• Build and maintain a supplier knowledge base covering who carries what, which brands skew trendy vs. basic vs. professional, and which supplier is the go-to for specific product types
• Conduct regular market research, studying brands, trends, and retail aesthetics to develop a strong eye for what different customer segments actually want
• Identify recurring product gaps. When the same request comes in repeatedly and we don't have a good answer, flag it and help find a solution proactively
• Document sourcing knowledge so the team can reference it instead of starting from scratch on every request
• Support outreach to new overseas manufacturers and domestic suppliers as we expand into new product categories

Requirements

• At least 1.5 years of experience in operations specific to procurement, purchasing, sourcing, or buying
• Note: We're also open to fresh graduates who are highly interested in fashion trends and details
• Experience in American fashion and apparel. You've had a role where you follow brands, notice trends, and can tell the difference between a product that fits a description and one that merely resembles it
• Ability to evaluate product fit by customer demographic. You think about who is buying this, what they wear, and what they would actually like, not just what category the product falls into
• Strong research instincts. You don't stop at the first option and look until you find something genuinely good
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Your responses need to be specific, confident, and actually useful to someone trying to close a sale
• Comfortable working with data and digital tools including CRM systems, knowledge bases, and spreadsheets
• Background in fashion buying, retail merchandising, or product sourcing
• Familiarity with wholesale apparel suppliers
• Experience sourcing from overseas manufacturers or platforms like Alibaba
• Knowledge of promotional products such as drink ware, bags, stationery, and accessories
• What Good Looks Like in this Role
• You get a request: A university sports team wants 80 units of a trendy oversized polo, budget around $4,000.
• A weak response grabs whatever shows up first on a couple of wholesale sites, something technically in the right category but wrong in fit, aesthetic, and price point for a college athlete.
• That judgment, product fit, customer awareness, and honest self-evaluation of whether your recommendation is actually good, is what we are hiring for.
• Why This Role Matters
• Real impact on revenue. Better product recommendations affect whether sales close
• Direct impact on Margins as any cost savings can directly increase Gross Profits
• A team where your contribution is visible and recognized along with a potential growth path into senior associate

Additional Information

Support the Pre-Order Ops Team for a company that generates millions in revenue while working from home permanently Fresh Prints is a New York-based custom-apparel company that helps college organizations, Greek life, campus groups, and corporate clients source and print customized products. We work with a mix of domestic wholesale suppliers and overseas manufacturers to find the right product at the right price for each client, and then decorate it with their artwork, logos, or designs. Our Product Acquisition Team sits between the sales team and the supply chain. When a client needs a product, we find it, price it, and make the sale possible. We're looking for someone who genuinely understands fashion and apparel, not just how to search a supplier website, but how to evaluate whether a product is actually right for the customer asking for it. This is a sourcing role, but product taste and fashion awareness are just as important as operational skills. You will help find garments and products based on client requests, often using just a reference photo. You should be comfortable identifying styles, materials, and key details, then turning those into effective searches. You'll also help check availability and suggest similar options when needed. A background in fashion is a plus, but curiosity and a genuine interest in the industry are just as important. For the right person, this role offers an uncapped opportunity. You will be given the space and guidance to have a tremendous impact on your role.

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