At Lowe’s, it’s our goal for every customer to walk out with high-quality products that make home feel like home. From the selection on our shelves to the broad array available online, Lowe’s Merchandising associates are responsible for envisioning our customer needs and striving to exceed them – season after season. If you’re looking for a career that combines business savvy, creativity, and a deep interest in consumer behavior, Merchandising at Lowe’s may be a great match for you.
Merchandising is organized into three divisions: Core & Global, Online, and Field Merchandising – with diverse roles and career paths available across each. Merchandising associates come to Lowe’s from a wide range of backgrounds. There’s no one-size-fits all formula for what creates a successful Merchant. Rather, it’s a passion for the customer, the support of a great team, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment that makes the role a great fit for a candidate.
Below, hear from three Merchandising associates about their Lowe’s experience and what life as a Lowe’s merchant might look like for you.
Nate Wolejsza, Product Development Merchant, Global Sourcing
Nate has spent three years with Lowe’s Global Sourcing, driving private brand product development for patio furniture and hardware. As a company, private brand (or direct import) growth is a top priority. Working directly with manufacturers helps Lowe’s continuously innovate in our product assortment and react quickly to customer needs.
One perk of the job? Nate’s “office” literally spans the globe. In a normal year, Nate’s team takes at least one overseas buying trip – spending 10 to 14 days visiting factories and meeting vendors in Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, China, and more.
“We’re working long days,” Nate says. “But we get to experience so much on these trips. We see firsthand how Lowe’s products are being made – from raw materials to packaging. But we also get to eat some amazing local cuisine.”
Nate began his career in replenishment and core merchandising for a large national grocery chain. When the opportunity arose with Lowe’s, he found the prospect of direct import and product development immediately compelling.
“It’s fascinating to be able to work with these factory partners on truly developing the products we’re putting into stores,” Nate says. “When something is a private brand, we’re in the driver’s seat.”
Nate explains how customer feedback helps refine Lowe’s products over time. “If the customers are telling us on Lowe’s.com that X, Y, and Z that could improve an item, that’s our opportunity to take the customer experience from good to great,” Nate says.
For anyone interested in joining the Global Sourcing team, Nate stresses the fast pace and the cross-functional nature of the job. His team works hand in hand with Lowe’s sourcing offices in China, India, and Mexico, as well as with quality assurance and supply chain. From managing product development and vendor relationships, to tracking global trade and keeping an eye on the competition, no two days are the same.
“There’s so much that has to come together to support a product making it to our shelves,” Nate says. “It’s incredibly fast-paced, and always evolving. No Groundhog Day effect here.”
Paige Nelson, Senior Merchant, Flooring
Paige first came to Lowe’s Merchandising after working in apparel with a large department store in New York. When it was time for a change (and time to escape the cold winters), she found the home décor division to be a natural fit.
“People don’t think of home improvement as particularly trend-driven (as they do with fashion), but it is,” Paige says. “We have to really stay on top of the trend reports and trade shows, gathering intel on what’s next.”
For Paige, her role as a merchant offers an intriguing window into the mind her customers.
“No matter what category you’re in, being a merchant is a ton of fun,” Paige explains. “It’s so interesting to see your selections come to life in the stores, tracking performance, and seeing if customers have the same opinions that you did.”
As with the Global Sourcing team, Paige’s team usually spends a few weeks every year traveling. Recent years have included international trade shows in Italy and Spain, as well as domestic shows in cities like Las Vegas and New Orleans. Paige might also spend a few days each month in a different state, visiting local markets to do competitive shopping, connect with store managers, and hold presentations on new product lines.
Paige describes the team culture within Core Merchandising as open and collaborative.
“Ultimately, a lot of the individual categories overlap,” Paige explained. “There needs to be a lot of cross-communication. When you think of a home project, all these categories have to work together.”
If you’re considering a career in merchandising at Lowe’s, Paige again emphasizes the benefits of her role’s collaborative nature.
“Even beyond merchandising, there's so much opportunity to get exposure to other areas and cross-functional teams,” she says. “There's a great landscape of additional paths where your career with Lowe's could go."
Keesha Craig-Mourillon, Online Merchant, Appliances
As an online merchant in appliances, Keesha’s day veers many different directions. As with core merchants, online merchants are tasked with onboarding vendors, planning assortments, and tracking financial performance in their category. The extra layer for Keesha is understanding the technical components of the website.
“As an online merchant, we learn so much about how the site works,” Keesha says. “We are in daily communication with our tech partners — updating the site, coming up with new ideas for organizing our category, understanding how social ads impacts sales, and so much more. My role is really a combination of tech and merchandising. Our goal is for the customer to have the same experience online as they would in the store.”
Keesha explains that part of what makes online merchandising roles unique is the “endless aisle” capability.
“We have so much more room for new vendors,” Keesha says. “There’s so much possibility in terms of what we can offer customers.”
Keesha worked in nonprofit accounting for five years before making a career switch and moving into Merchandising.
“I’ve always loved style,” she says. “And as soon as I understood what a buyer was, I wanted to do that. I love being able to influence the market in that way.”
Part of what attracted Keesha to Online Merchandising was the chance to build a platform and culture from the ground up. The team was newly formed when Keesha joined Lowe’s, and had a startup-like atmosphere that she found exciting.
“Everyone brings a really different perspective to our work,” Keesha reflects. “We have so much potential and room to grow right now. One thing that I would tell people about our organization is that across the board — from smaller things within the work to broader issues like diversity — we can call it out to leadership if we're not going in the right direction. You will be heard."
Join Our Team
No matter what career path you may choose as a Merchant at Lowe’s, you’ll play a key role in ensuring we’re providing every customer with the right products, at the right price — however they choose to shop with us. To learn more about the role of each division and explore open opportunities, visit our Merchandising Careers page.