Seth Marks on inventory management
From Big Deals, Big Wins -- The Extreme Value at Big Lots: Interview w/ Seth Marks, Big Lots Stores, Inc. · · ASD MARKET WEEK
“Our inventory is working harder for us. We had credit constraints going into this, but now we're seeing amazing trends in food and consumables, with nearly half a billion dollars turning through that category.”
On , Seth Marks, Senior Vice President of Extreme Value Sourcing at BIG LOTS INC, spoke about inventory management during Big Deals, Big Wins -- The Extreme Value at Big Lots: Interview w/ Seth Marks, Big Lots Stores, Inc. on ASD MARKET WEEK.
About Seth Marks
Seth Marks, Senior Vice President of Extreme Value Sourcing at Big Lots, has been discussing the company's turnaround efforts and his personal philosophy in a series of interviews and social media posts. In a December 2024 interview, Marks stated that Big Lots had announced 70% of its stores were four-wall profitable and that the company had hired an investment bank to find potential acquirers, with Nexus Capital Management as a partner. He described the company as "merchant-led" and said the inventory was "working harder" for the company, particularly in food and consumables. Marks also commented on the resilience of closeout merchants, noting that during the pandemic "the government had to legislate pricing because merchants like us were chasing down masks and hand sanitizer aggressively." He expressed concern that tariffs could "hurt the math" for the closeout industry. In a February 2026 Instagram series titled "Note 2 Younger Self," Marks shared personal reflections, stating that "if you know what you want to do, go into that sector and that business — college is a waste of time" and that he had "tried to turn around a company called Big Lots and it didn't make it," leading him to join a liquidation firm. He also discussed his marriage to Meredith Marks, a cast member of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City," noting in a 2024 podcast that they had been together for 30 years and that she was approached by television producers for the show. In a 2022 family interview, Marks expressed pride in his children and said he wanted to split his time between New York, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and travel.