Full-Time
Assistant Buyer
Loungewear and Headwear
Posted on 9/5/2025
Hot Topic
5,001-10,000 employees
Retailer of music-inspired fashion and collectibles
Compensation Overview
$23.50 - $28/hr
City of Industry, CA, USA
Hybrid
This role operates on a hybrid schedule and will require to work from our HQ located in the City of Industry, CA, three days a week.
 Product (1) |
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- Associates Degree or higher preferred, or equivalent work experience
- At least 1 year progressive experience as an Assistant Buyer and the ability to travel up to 20% of the time
- Product Development or Merchandising knowledge is helpful. The more you know about product life cycle, the better!
- Strong knowledge of pop culture and fashion trends with a passion for our product!
- Deep analytical skills and quantitative abilities. You can crunch numbers and aren't afraid of the words: analysis & Microsoft Excel
- Availability to regularly attend conventions and events to remain keen on current trends, and innovations regarding pop culture.
- Support your team in achieving sales and margin objectives for seasonal buy plans
- Assist your Buyer in the development, selection and purchase of product from vendors to augment planned assortments based on trend data. You'll have a hand in everything from vendor meetings and sample management to trend analysis and analytics
- Partner with vendors and provide an amazing experience with our brand
- Be a team player; you'll work closely with a broad array of business groups. You'll do a great job of maintaining solid relationships with our stores, vendors, distribution centers and planning teams
- Anything else that might come up!
- Associates Degree or higher preferred, or equivalent work experience
Hot Topic sells music and pop culture–inspired fashion and accessories to teens and young adults through online and physical stores. Their products include clothing, accessories, and collectibles like exclusive Funko Pop! figures, refreshed frequently with new arrivals and limited items. Customers shop online or in stores and can choose direct delivery or free in-store pickup; exclusive items and limited releases drive appeal. What sets Hot Topic apart is its focus on exclusive, trend-driven items tied to music and media, delivered through both online and brick-and-mortar channels. The goal is to serve a young, fashionable audience with fan-focused products while growing direct sales across channels.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
null
Founded
1989
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Crunchyroll Ani-May 2026 partnership launches exclusive anime merch nationwide.
- Xochitl Gomez as Social Collision Chief Style Officer debuts punk collections spring 2024.
- Thrilljoy exclusive deal distributes premium collectibles to stores in 2026.
What critics are saying
- Shein and Temu undercut band T-shirts with 80% lower prices via TikTok.
- Sacramento store closure accelerates mall lease terminations nationwide by 2027.
- Crunchyroll direct store diverts anime merch sales from Hot Topic within 6 months.
What makes Hot Topic unique
- Hot Topic specializes in counterculture apparel for alternative music, anime, and gaming fans.
- Targets teens and young adults with licensed band T-shirts driving 40% of historical revenue.
- Operates 600+ mall stores plus BoxLunch and Her Universe subdivisions since 1989.
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Benefits
Hybrid Work Options
Flexible Work Hours
Company News
Hot Topic is closing Sacramento-area clothing store with 'final sale.'
Chicago (February 11, 2025) - - AllCampus, a leader in education benefit management, today announced a new partnership with Hot Topic Inc., the leading retail destination for music, entertainment, and pop culture merchandise.
Walgreens Boots Alliance and Sycamore Partners are reportedly discussing a deal that would see Walgreens sold to the private equity firm.A deal could be completed early next year, although the talks could fall apart first, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday (Dec. 10), citing unnamed sources.Reached by PYMNTS, a Walgreens spokesperson said the company does not comment on rumors or speculation about its business.Sycamore Partners declined to comment on the report.Walgreens, which operates more than 12,000 stores in the United States, Latin America and Europe, has been under pressure because of its acquisition of Alliance Boots and challenges facing the pharmacy business, according to the report.The firm’s shares have been heading downward for nearly a decade, and its market value has fallen from over $100 billion in 2015 to about $7.5 billion today, the report said.Sycamore Partners specializes in retail and consumer investments, per the report. One of its major deals was its $7 billion acquisition of Staples in 2017. Its current investments include clothing brands Hot Topic, Ann Taylor and Chico’s.Walgreens and other retail pharmacies face challenges to their traditional business models as consumer preferences turn to digital solutions and telehealth services, PYMNTS reported in October.A challenging consumer spending environment served as a main theme during Walgreens’ fourth-quarter earnings call Oct. 15.“The consumer may get stronger, but you wouldn’t count on it right now,” Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Tim Wentworth said during the call. “We’ve been realistic about the consumer.”The company’s footprint optimization program includes the closure of about 1,200 underperforming Walgreens stores in the next three years, with around 500 expected in the second half of fiscal 2025
Through an exclusive partnership with retail industry giants, Hot Topic and BoxLunch, Thrilljoy will launch its premium series of upscale, fan-first collectibles to select stores nationwide.
Hot Topic has unveiled a new addition to their Funko POP!