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Buying and Beyond
Welcome to the Buying & Beyond podcast, the podcast for all things Retail Buying...and more!
Join us, Kate & Lyns, buyers and best friends, each week for industry insights, stories and expertise from real people in retail.
Enjoy honest stories and conversations, retail therapy and learn bite-sized tips from us and our guests from across the industry.
- Season 1 starts with Becoming a Buyer - the background to how we started in the industry, what exactly is a Buyer, working your way up the ladder and the main meetings and tasks working in Buying
- Season 2 is all about Being a Buyer - leading a team, coordinating trips, working with suppliers, product & personal development and sustainability
- Season 3 takes us beyond just the direct Buying team - we introduce merchandisers, talk about designers and new trends, burnout & life coaching.
- Season 4 is where we are joined by more Retail Buyers and have also invited Retail Businesses to tell us their stories
- Season 5 continues with a fantastic assortment of Retail Buyers and Retail Businesses. We find out how they got started and what inspires & excites them about retail - plus we lift the lid on what Brands need and Buyers expect!
We are your modern day mentors; prepping Buyers of the future and empowering current Buyers. Our insights for retail businesses and entrepreneurs will shine a light on how to to build, grow, scale and pitch like a pro!
If you like listening to this podcast, please rate, follow and share - you can also find us on instagram @buyingandbeyond
Come behind the scenes with Buying and Beyond
Episodes
69 episodes
Retail Reflections 24th October 2025: Brands, Bans, and Bingham’s
After a brief hiatus, we're back with a fast-paced download of the latest happenings in retail, brand news, and industry trends.Temu Controversy: Discussion on Temu's ongoing issues with product and image copying, the impact ...
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Season 6
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Episode 8
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17:27
S6 E8: 'Just Buy Nice Things!' with Glenn Gallagher Scott Ex Arcadia, Next & Primark Buyer and founder of DEN Loungewear
This week, we’re joined by the brilliant Glenn, Founder of DEN Loungewear — and a true retail all-rounder who’s spent years shaping menswear for some of the UK’s biggest high-street names, including Primark, Arcadia, and Next
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Season 6
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Episode 8
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59:04
S6 E7: Podcast LIVE: with Rosie Head of Range and E-commerce at Not On The High Street
This episode was recorded LIVE at Top Drawer in September 2025. Top Drawer is the UK's leading design-led trade show for buyers and retailers to discover, connect, and purchase lifestyle products across sectors like Home, Gift, Fashion, and Sta...
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Season 6
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Episode 7
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49:02
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S6 E6: Why wine buying is the dream job with Emma Robinson
In this episode of Buying and Beyond, we sit down with Emma Robinson, a consultant wine buyer whose career is as rich and layered as the wines she sources. From studying science to stepping into the world of fine wines, Emma has...
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Season 6
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Episode 6
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53:04
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S6 E5: Retail runways and trade shows
In this week’s episode, we sit down for a lively catch-up - no guest, just an honest, in-depth chat about the trends, trade shows, and inspirations shaping fashion and retail right now.We kick things off with the joys of autumn fashion: ...
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Season 6
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Episode 5
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40:53
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Retail Reflections 26th September: Power Moves, Price Wars & Green Dreams
This week, we dive into the latest movements and shake-ups in the retail world, with a special focus on leadership changes, store strategies, and sustainability efforts.In this episode:Leadership Changes at M&S:...
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Season 6
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Episode 4
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19:34
S6 E4: Inside Fashion retail training with Louis from the Fashion Retail Academy
In this episode of Buying and Beyond, we sit down with Louis Clark, Head of Strategic Program Development at the Fashion Retail Academy (FRA) and the Education for Industry Group. Louis takes us inside the innovative ways FRA is transf...
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Season 6
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Episode 4
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48:00
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Retail Reflections 19th September: New Trends, New Stores, New Energy
In this episode of Retail Reflections, your hosts dive into the latest happenings in the world of fashion and retail for the week ending September 19th, 2025. Despite a few real-life interruptions (tree surgeons and lingering colds!), the conve...
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Season 6
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Episode 3
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16:23
S6 E3: From Fashion to Fencing with Rebecca Thompson, Category Manager for Jewsons
In this episode, we sit down with Rebecca Thompson, an experienced Product Category Manager at Jewsons, who has built an impressive career spanning fashion, sports retail, appliances, and now building products. Rebecca’s journey is a fascinatin...
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Season 6
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Episode 3
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45:44
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Retail reflections 12th September 2025: TV Channels, Loyalty, Marketplaces & Collaborations
We may be a little croaky this week (autumn bugs have caught us!), but there’s far too much happening in retail to skip an episode. So, grab a cuppa and join us for a whistle-stop tour of the latest industry moves, headlines, and a few surprise...
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Season 6
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Episode 7
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18:50
S6 E2: Finding a Path in Fashion Buying with Yasmin Parkin, Buying & Merchandising Degree student at The Fashion Retail Academy
In this episode, we welcome Yasmin Parkin, a Buying and Merchandising student at the Fashion Retail Academy in London. Yasmin takes us through her journey of discovering her passion for fashion during school and how that interest eventually led...
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Season 6
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Episode 2
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36:37
Retail Reflections 5th September: Second-hand Spotlight & Brand Evolutions
Welcome to another episode of Friday Retail Reflections! This week, we’re diving into the latest trends and stories shaping the retail landscape.We kick things off with Amazon’s Second Chance Deal Days - the retailer’s fi...
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21:23
Season 6 Episode 1: Sewing, Style & Slow Fashion with Christine Lindebak founder of Sewing and the City and Lindy Lindy
In this inspiring episode, we welcome Christine Lindebak – designer, fashion industry veteran, and founder of both the ethical loungewear brand Lindy Lindy and the sewing education platform Sewing in the City. Christine shares how h...
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Season 6
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Episode 1
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1:02:24
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Retail Reflections 29th August 2025: Thrifted trends, M&S moves, and robot dog deliveries
Welcome to the fifth episode of Retail Reflections! This week, our hosts are joined by Yassin, who brings fresh insights from their work experience and adds a new perspective to the conversation.We kick things off with Pinter...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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19:31
Retail Reflections 22nd August 2025 - Comebacks, Collaborations & Controversies
Welcome back to another Friday episode of Retail Reflections! This week, we’re diving into five hot topics that are shaping the retail landscape right now.We kick off with the much-anticipated return of Topshop. After mon...
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22:07
Retail Reflections 15th August 2025 - Loyalty, Legacy Brands & The Endless Runway
Welcome to another lively Friday morning catch-up! In this discussion, we dive into the latest happenings in the retail world, sharing personal stories, industry insights, and thoughtful opinions.We kick things off with an update on Rive...
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20:54
Retail Reflections 8th August 2025 - Manchester Rising: Retail’s New Hotspot & Industry Shakeups
In this week’s summer series episode, Katy and Lynsey dive into the latest headlines shaping the UK retail landscape. They begin with an update on River Island’s ongoing financial challenges, including a postponed court decision and a critical ...
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19:03
Retail Reflections 1st August 2025 - Experiential retail, brand strategies and AI developments
Welcome! This is the start of our retail reflections, our weekly Friday morning catch up on all that's been going on in retail. While we're taking a break from main podcast this summer, we thought actually, you know what, we chat a lot ab...
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17:33
S5 E10: Building a career in Buying with Lucy Smith, Senior Buyer for Womenswear and Accessories for Jigsaw
In this episode, we’re joined by Lucy Smith, Senior Buyer for Womenswear and Accessories at Jigsaw. It’s a nostalgic one as we all began our buying careers together on the bags team at Accessorize a real full-circle moment for us ex-Accessorize...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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1:07:26
S5 Ep9: Secrets to social media success
In this episode, we sit down with Hannah Robb, founder of Han Social, a marketing consultancy dedicated to empowering businesses to connect with their ideal customers and build sustainable growth without burning out. With over 15 years of exper...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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50:47
S5 Ep8: 'Sprinkling that Merchandising magic' with over 20 years of experience for major UK fashion retailers Anna provides valuable insights into merchandising and business strategy
In this episode, we speak with Anna Youngston, founder of Majury Merchandising and former merchandising professional at Accessorize, about her transition from a long-standing career in retail to establishing her own consultancy. With over 20 ye...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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55:55
S5 Ep7: Retail doing the right thing - We discuss circularity, re-sale & big shifts ahead with more brands stepping up to do the right thing
In this episode, we dive into the powerful wave of change sweeping across the retail world as more brands step up to do the right thing. From circular business models and resale platforms to thoughtful retail strategies and new legisla...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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45:17
S5 Ep6: Orange and Green should always be seen! We talk with the designers at The Outdoor Edit, a bold new Scottish brand reimagining how we design and enjoy our outdoor spaces.
In this vibrant episode, we sit down with Caitlin and Claire, the designers behind The Outdoor Edit, a bold new Scottish brand reimagining how we design and enjoy our outdoor spaces. With a mission to treat outdoor areas as an extension of the ...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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54:09
S5 Ep5: Comp Shop, not Copy Shop! It's essential for staying inspired, spotting trends, and growing creatively in retail
Welcome to another episode of Buying and Beyond! In this episode it's just us! We’re taking a small break from our guest spots, as we dive into the world of Comp Shops, discussing why they’re essential for staying inspired, spotting trends, and...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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53:53
S5 Ep4: 'Always striving for what's next!' Rosie Platt, Head of E-commerce & Range, shares how moving retailers can really help you find whats really important to you. From carefully created collections to fast fashion trading floors
Today we’re joined by Rosie Platt, Head of Range & Ecommerce at NOTH. Rosie has a huge amount of retail buying experience working for a wide variety of UK retailers, including Principles, Debenhams, Oasis, Jaeger, River Island, BBC Children...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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1:07:38
