Abid Ali

Ownership for full merchandise department (Ladies / Men /Kids) for Nike & Jordan brand in Kuwait region
•Heading merchandise buys for all departments, leveraging regional customer preferences and advancing regional business strategy while preserving brand identity and priorities
•Intimately understand regional customers’ preferences and interests by observing shopping patterns, regularly shopping competitors, and monitoring media platform'
•Controlling each season buys, executing a detailed hindsight / strategic line review process at the department level to inform future strategy and identify changes in trends
•Present weekly selling / business updates as part of a regular review process, evaluating performance, proposing tactical improvements, and consolidating results into a summary to be shared with the Owner
•Monitor & Sign off window design implementation based on Nike / Jordan releases in Market
•Strategically implement different store layout based on Season Buys & working closely with VM

To plan stock/intake requirements to meet the budgeted sales. Manage the range building and selection/buying process of ranges. Maintain gross profit on purchases and net profit on sales in line with overall business expectations.

Key Performance Areas:

• Assist with business planning & ongoing planning of merchandise & forecasting of sales, subsequently accountable for sales & margin measurement.

• Forecast Intakes and monitor stock level for the departments in-order to achieve business plan and maintain adequate stock cover, ensuring maximum stock turn.

• Responsible for the Buying, Pricing and Trading of merchandise from 50 departments of 2 brands in 21 stores in 6 countries.

• Execute business analysis for existing business, highlighting discrepancies and suggesting trading strategies for the day to day running of the business, reporting to Brand Merchandise Manager.

• Identify and manage best selling styles, peak trading periods by product categories and monitor product innovation trends and levels of competitor pricing.

• Created and conducted efficient Training materials and sessions for Product knowledge, Customer Service and Business growth

• Investigate brand P&L reports to find opportunities for development and cost saving

• Planned annual & monthly marketing and promotional calendar and brand management

• Merchandise plans by store by month by department, detailing sales, markdown, receipts & inventory. Reforecast weekly sales, markdowns, inventory, Cash margin in season, on a regular basis.

• Decide product procurement through host brand range reviews or direct negotiation, including in season buys.

• Assess store execution of merchandising plans, recommend optimum space management options (where applicable) based on store trends / category sales performance.

• Recommend retail pricing levels, decide sale lines and mark down percentage strategy.

• Develop relationships with internal/ external contacts, assess appropriate & critical information (where applicable).

• Identify /plan promotional events, deliver in consultation with Operations & VM`s.

• Coach & monitor performance of merchandise team within brand team. Supervise their activities, maintaining brand & latest fashion trend awareness. Supervise 2 Assistant Merchandiser.

• Pro-actively utilize available software, systems & identify improvements / requirements for further action.

• Manage and maintain stock file accuracy on auditable elements.

To work as individual & as a team member, fully follow all operating procedures & provide senior/merchandiser with complete reports on regular basis and maintaining right stock levels in each stores by injecting right amount of delivery at the right time.


Key Performance Areas:

• Produce & analyze reports to determine sales/margin/profit information with recommendations where appropriate

• Assist in the forecasting of orders quantities based on stock & sales information, calculating sizes ratios & monitoring stock levels & movement

• Tracking of invoices & shipments and proactively inform line of deviations

• Assist in pricing strategy, ensuring logic, commercially & within Brand targets for margin

• Ensure information on internal systems is accurate & make recommendations for corrections

• Communicate to store & warehouse information regarding new arrivals, display material, & stock release & returns

• Reporting the Store Manager and to achieve weekly targets and objectives, together ensuring the highest levels of customer service is provided

• Working with different departments to maintain the effective operation of the store and also provided feedback to the store manager, brandteam and area managers regarding visuals and products.

• Was responsible for stock takes and maintaining high standards in stores ensuring the SOP is followed and practiced at its best all time.

• Ensure visual guidelines are followed and the window is appealing and strong according to the current season.

• Planning Rotas.

•Deliver excellent customer service in order to maximize potential sales.
•Seek to optimize store retail standards in both front of house & rear of house in order to maximize turnover.
•Process deliveries & stock transfers in an efficient manner in line with Company Procedures.
•Apply all company Procedures, including the correct use of security measures, vigilance to all areas of risk, & correct completion of all required documentation in order to eliminate stock loss.
•Keep up to date with all available brand specific product knowledge.

Managing And Organizing Exhibitions and Conferences.
Meeting new clients for web designing, modifying layouts for existing customers making sure their requirements.Approaching and targeting companies for IPhone And Android Applications.

Responsible for market research for proposed customers and later promoted to sales department.
• Regular follow ups with existing customers at corperate level.
• Checking for new customers as per sales target.
• Preparing sales plans.
• Preparation Of daily sales calls.