Buyer/Category Manager GemCraft Studio

Buyer / Category Manager GemCraft Studio (DIY - Jewelry Making Supplies)

Shop LC is a leading interactive retailer offering jewelry, beauty, fashion, home dcor, and lifestyle products through live television, digital commerce, and mobile platforms. With a mission of Delivering Joy, we combine product discovery, storytelling, and entertainment to create engaging shopping experiences for millions of customers.

About GemCraft Studio

Shop LC is launching GemCraft Studio, an exciting new DIY jewelry-making platform designed for hobbyists, makers, and professional designers. The platform will offer a comprehensive ecosystem of beads, findings, tools, lapidary supplies, and jewelry-making kits, supported by educational content, live demonstrations, and digital tutorials. GemCraft Studio aims to become a leading destination for jewelry creators DIY.

About the Role

We are seeking an entrepreneurial Buyer / Category Manager to build and lead the GemCraft Studio category from the ground up. This is a highly strategic and hands-on role responsible for end-to-end category management, including product sourcing, vendor development, assortment planning, and collaboration with merchandising, production, marketing, and digital teams. The ideal candidate combines strong merchandising expertise with a passion for jewelry making and craft supplies and thrives in building new product categories.

Key Responsibilities

Category Ownership:

• Build and manage the GemCraft Studio DIY jewelry category.
• Develop a comprehensive product assortment strategy.
• Own category revenue, margins, SKU productivity, and inventory planning.
• Identify growth opportunities within the DIY jewelry ecosystem.

Product Sourcing & Vendor Development:

Source and manage products across the DIY jewelry ecosystem:

Category - Product Types

Beads - Gemstone beads, glass beads, specialty beads, freshwater pearl strands

Findings - Clasps, ear wires, jump rings, head pins, eye pins, bails, connectors

Jewelry Components - Cabochons, loose gemstones, charms, pendants, chain components

Tools & Supplies - Jewelry pliers, wire cutters, bead boards, mandrels, jewelry wire, storage systems

Lapidary Supplies - Rough gemstones, gemstone cutting tools, polishing equipment, gemstone tumblers

Product Development:

• Develop DIY jewelry kits and curated bundles for beginners and enthusiasts
• Create exclusive product assortments for TV and digital commerce
• Collaborate with production teams for on-air product demonstrations

Vendor Development & Global Sourcing:

Build and manage vendor partnerships across key global sourcing regions:

• Jaipur gemstones and beads
• Thailand silver findings and components
• China DIY tools and jewelry components
• United States specialty tools and kits

Vendor identification :

• Vendor identification and onboarding
• Negotiation of pricing and terms
• Ensuring quality and supply consistency

Merchandising & Launch Planning:

• Plan product launches across TV, e-commerce, and livestream platforms
• Develop pricing strategies and promotional bundles
• Collaborate with digital teams to create instructional content and tutorials

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• TV Production Teams
• E-commerce Merchandising
• Marketing & Social Commerce
• Inventory Planning
• Product Education & Training Teams

Market & Competitive Analysis:

• Track trends and monitor the competitive landscape
• Identify opportunities for product innovation and differentiation.

Qualifications

Required:

• 5+ years of experience in merchandising, buying, or product sourcing
• Experience in jewelry making, craft supplies, or gemstone sourcing
• Strong vendor negotiation and sourcing expertise
• Knowledge of jewelry components, beads, findings, or gemstones
• Ability to manage product assortment and inventory planning

Preferred:

• Experience in DIY jewelry or craft retail
• Knowledge of lapidary tools and gemstone materials
• Experience working with international suppliers
• Experience in TV retail or live commerce environments

Key Skills Required:

• Product sourcing
• Category management
• Vendor negotiation
• Assortment planning
• DIY jewelry expertise
• Trend analysis
• Cross-functional collaboration

Success Metrics

• Category revenue growth
• Gross margin performance
• SKU productivity
• Vendor development
• Product innovation
• Repeat customer purchase rate

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and in front of a monitor/computer screen.
• Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds at times with reasonable accommodation.

Why Join Shop LC

• This role offers a unique opportunity to build a new DIY jewelry ecosystem from the ground up through GemCraft Studio.
• You will help shape a platform that blends product innovation, TV storytelling, education, and digital commerce, inspiring creators and jewelry makers around the world.

Benefits:

• 100% Company paid, employee-only medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• 4% 401(k) matching
• ME Incentives
• Up to 15 days of PTO & vacation time, maternity/paternity leave, company-covered short-term & long-term disability, paid training time, paid volunteer time, 7 paid holidays
• Corporate discounts, employee sales, Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition reimbursement and scholarship (for dependents going to college)
• A great work environment, where you will learn, be challenged/supported and given projects that reflect your interests, and you can own/take pride in!