Catgeory Manager
Lifestyle International Pvt Ltd
Total years of experience :14 years, 1 Months
Accountable for the GMV growth and revenue of the category (Footwear, Handbags & Kids Apparel).
*For FY-22-23 Footwear & Travel Accessories Budget Achievement - 110% (36cr against 32.7cr). For current FY-23-24 category is growing by 90%.
- Created a competitive assortment of products utilising planning, buying, and pricing.
- Oversaw content and cataloguing of products at own website and at marketplace (Myntra, Ajio, Tata Cliq & Flipkart)
- Managed category specific call outs to be published on the website/app (real estate) to ensure maximum representation of all key
promotions and categories.
-Managed internal vendors (Buyers) for timely inwards as per seasonal OTB plans.
-Collaborate with digital marketing team for category specific campaigns and app push's.
Category Management - Seasonal Planning and Buying -
• Responsible for putting together the sales plan and derive seasonal OTBs.
• Develop daily sales plan accordingly, the traffic requirements.
• Private label - Evaluating and verification of product-wise selection width and depth as per
the sales plan and OTBs.
• Liaise with the sourcing team for on-time inwards.
• External brand - Liaise with external brand partners to ensure on-time inwards and
replenishment to maintain freshness and stock levels - Indent to PO to GRN to LIVE.
• Responsible to on-board new brands on the portal.
• Co-creating and curating the offering on the platform by sharing sales analysis and working
closely with brand partners to provide the right mix.
Website Operations -
• Lead and manage site merchandising basis market trends, discounts, stock situation etc.
• Develop and deploy appropriate product and urgency tags for banners/widgets and PN’s.
• Manage product ranking algorithm to maximize sales by showcasing the relevant products.
B2B Associations -
• Working on influencer-based lines with Namshi.com to cater to the UAE & KSA markets.
• Launching Koovs PL on Flipkart.com & Ajio.com from SS’22.
• Initiated discussion with Styli.com to launch Koovs PL on their portal.
• Responsible for Creating and driving the Annual Business Plan with the Head E-Commerce
(Sales Budget, GMC%, Returns%, AOV, Basket size, Gross Orders, Conversion, Traffic and
P&L).
PRE-SEASON ALIGNMENT -
• Responsible for preparation of the Sales Plan and Traffic Forecast in collaboration with
Category Management Team.
• Responsible to manage preparation of the OTB plan and finalization of the OTB plan with the
concept finance team.
SEASON LAUNCH ALLOCATION AND CONTENT UPLOAD -
• Ensuring the options photoshoot and Go Live TAT is as per season launches.
• Track on Time in Full Deliveries, Review with Business team Status and take required actions
to address gaps.
• Review and report discrepancies in offline and online stock.
• Review and ensure information on the planned options, quantity and sales targets (at brand,
category and season level) is shared by the Planners within team.
Koovs.com
Planning Head - January’21 - Present
Lifestylestores.com
Manager Planning - April’18 - September’20
MID-SEASON MONITORING -
• Review actions taken by the Planners on the stock inward, allocation, OTB planning,
promotion planning and performance with reference to mid-season and take required
actions.
• Review actual versus budgeted sales and take corrective actions on the deviations.
• Work with the category management and retail operations teams in identifying the fast
moving and slow- moving options and approve appropriate actions like discounting,
consolidating or promoting.
• Create the budgets and plan for the stock build up for website promotions and share the
same with the relevant stakeholders.
• Work with the Planners to ensure performance of the promotions is reviewed and share
feedback.
Managed overall Category Buying and OTB Planning.
• Responsible to increase the category share to 15% from 7%.
• Managed selection of Assortment/Range within each category to support the Season Sales
Plan.
• Responsible for analyzing Returns and taking corrective actions for the same.
• Responsible for updating Rails/Blocks on Homepage and Category Pages.
• Responsible for updating the Ranking of products based on SOH and Promotions.
• Responsible for Liaising with Marketing Team for upcoming Campaigns and Promotions.
• Responsible for Liaising with Content Team for timely Photo-shoot/Upload of the products
and Execution of Promotions/Discounts.
• Execution of Promotions/Discounts.
PRE-SEASON OTB Planning -
• Managed Sales Phasing for Kids, Shoes & Acs for the financial year as per guidance from
Finance.
• Managed OTB Planning to derive Buying Budget.
• Coordinated with the Buying Teams to timely availability of stocks.
IN SEASON MERCHANDISING -
• Handled adjustments to OTB/Sales Plan as per the Season Trending.
• Handled Liaising with Finance Team for additional OTB/Buying Budget within the Season.
• Responsible for ensuring Stock availability of Best Sellers through Replenishment Working.
POST SEASON ANALYSIS
• Handled EOSS Budgeting and Stock working for the same.
• Handled Liaising with Concept Buying Team for Discounted Stocks.
• Responsible to analyze the Category Performance for the Season.
• Responsible to analyze the Category Performance for the Season.
Handled Planning and Merchandising function for Hardlines (Health & Fitness) and Footwear
Category for Sports One.
• Responsible for OTB working for the Season.
• Responsible for assisting the Buyer for finalizing the range and freezing the quantities (for
Domestic and Import Orders).
• Responsible for ensuring adequate merchandise on the floor to support targeted sales.
• Responsible for providing category wise feedback based on Sales, Inventory Turnover Rate,
Forward and Backward Cover, SPSF and to construct action points.
• Responsible for stock consolidation from stores to optimize potential sales. Responsible for
replenishment and allocation of stocks from the warehouse.
• Handled Buying for Impulse Category (Oakley, Camelbak, Go Pro, Ironman, Brand X, Occhiali
and Polar) and increasing their share from 1.2% to 6.5% in 6 months.
Handled Retail Merchandising function for Apparel and Home Department
• Responsible to maintain OTB/Category for every department to determine the requisite
inventory.
• Responsible to prepare Option Plan to arrive at an appropriate product mix.
• Responsible for allocating stocks preceded by Sales and Stock on Hand analysis.
• Responsible for analyzing SPSF for each Counter and Division.
• Responsible for preparing Collection Wise Sell through Reports for proper replenishment and
Collection profitability analysis.
• Coordinating with Logistic team for timely delivery of merchandise to the floor.
Handled Retail Merchandising function for Weekender Kids for Key Accounts (50 Doors).
• Responsible to maintain OTB/Category for every department to determine the requisite
inventory.
• Responsible for allocating stocks preceded by Sales and Stock on Hand analysis.
• Responsible for analyzing SPSF for each Counter and Division.
• Coordinating with Logistic team for timely delivery of merchandise to the floor.
Completed a 2 year On Campus programme from NIFT , Chennai in the year 2007-09. The major subjects studied are - Fashion Marketing Fashion Management Fashion Retail Sales
