Buying and Merchandise Planning
Retail Arabia International
Total years of experience :15 years, 7 Months
Oct’14 - Till Date working with RETAIL ARABIA INTERNATIONAL (Dubai) - Brand Planner & Buyer
Independent handling complete business for 4 stand alone retail outlet & 2 shop in shop concept with annual turnover of 10M.
MERCHANDISE BUYING & PLANNING
• Propose seasonal buying budgets, OTB.
• Propose sales promotions and manage markdowns.
• Self-responsible for complete buying / product selection / range development / allocation.
• Improve management of supply chain through focusing on and negotiating with brands.
• % increase in the season end margin for the brand.
• Optimize the merchandise and brand mix and add/remove/replace categories.
• Accurate and on time completion of the allocation plan.
• Effective buying and merchandising strategies (development & implementation).
SALES AND PROFIT
• Providing weekly reports of delivery windows and order status on a regular basis to key depts. including: accounts, logistics, stockroom, store manager.
• Provide sell through data to the business on a weekly basis.
• Develop reports to improve overall performance visibility as required by operating departments.
• Work closely with the different team to develop and control open to buy, margin, markdown spend and gross profit.
• Accountable for achieving profitable growth and financial targets through timely management of open to buy and transfers.
• Product analysis by department, brand, style, color, size to enable accurate feedback for buying and reordering as well as forecasting for budgets and future sales and growth.
• Achieve maximum profit potential.
• Achieve sell thru target percentage.
• Achieve gross margin target percentage.
WAREHOUSE AND LOGISTICS
• Control on logistics costs within planned percentages.
• Coordinate with marketing department regarding stock requirements for events/promotions.
• Monitoring and analysis of sales performance and action plans for liquidating excess stock.
• Timely replenishment of stock in stores.
COMMUNICTAION AND TEAM DEVELOPMENT
• Carryout assignment as directed by line manager.
• Participate in weekly team meetings.
• Taking actions within the deadlines as discussed in meetings.
Responsible for driving performance of Youth Men's wear labels (Splash Youth Man & Being Human) in 12 territories of Middle East & Asia region (across 200 retail stores).
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITY
- Conducting comprehensive sales, stock & performance analysis.
- Preparing budget by category/territory level.
- Execute & develop brand way forward, season/assortment strategy.
- Measuring and ensuring buy within budget and correction if any over/under buying.
- Following shipment status/ GRN at territory level and ensuring on time season launch.
- Forecasting sales & analyzing stock cover. Inter location stock transfer (if needed)
- Markdown management to achieve the sell through target for the season.
- Conducting fortnightly meeting with team/management about brand performance.
- Analyzing top stores of the business and taking feedback.
- Market research to understand competitors' retail in-house and external brands
ACHIEVEMENTS
- Developed detailed process flow-chart for planning/buying.
- Mapping and streamlining existing retail prices across the splash brands.
- Developing a retail plan for new territory of Splash, from budgeting to stock allocation, till store opening for all apparel and accessories categories of Men's & women's wear labels.
Li & Fung is one of the largest global trading/ sourcing company having operations in 40 countries with an annual turnover of USD $20 billion.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITY
- Responsible for handling all the enquiries till order confirmation with the buyer.
- Handled product like Women’s/girls top & bottom, Men’s casual shirt, T-shirt.
- Follow up with the factory and same with the customer on day to day production and on deliveries of the styles.
- Co-ordination with Buyers on day to day basis.
- Responsible for complete development of product.
- Complete co-ordination with supplier to ensure deadlock of any irregularities after order confirmation.
- Working with Buyer on TNA before order confirmation.
- Accounts Worked On: Juicy Couture, Lucky, DKNY & Rocawear.
Shahi Exports is one the largest vertically integrated company in India having operations in across all over India.
1. Production Planning and Inventory Control: Make Loading plan for sewing and finishing based on the delivery dates and fabric and trims flow.
2. Daily follow up on the fabric & accessories with Local Suppliers to ensure timely delivery of goods to the factory.
3. Monitoring production reports & coordinating with the production & quality team on day-to-day basis to ensure timely start up & smooth execution of order to meet the delivery schedule.
4. Co-ordinating with the Import, Shipping & Accounts department for shipping documents/status from supplier, vessel/air booking for orders & on time payments released to suppliers.
TCNS, Gurgaon, Haryana (Jan 2009 - Apr 2009)
Implementation of lean in finishing of garment.
Apparel Internship
WonderBlues, Bangalore, India (May 2008 - Aug 2008)
Projects Undertaken: Implementation of machine and wok station layout to increase the productivity.
Textile Internship
Maral Overseas Ltd, Khargone, M.P, India (June 2007-July 2007)
Project on Dye Lab to bulk reproducibility