Merchandising Analyst  

Merchandising Analyst

Position Overview: The Merchandising Analyst plays a crucial role by analyzing sales trends, inventory levels, and customer preferences to optimize product assortment and maximize profitability. This role involves collaborating with cross-functional teams to develop data-driven strategies that align with the company's goals and enhance the customer shopping experience.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Sales Analysis:
   • Analyze sales data to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for improvement.
   • Monitor product performance, category-wise sales, and regional variations.
   • Generate sales reports and present insights to merchandising and management teams.
2. Inventory Management:
   • Collaborate with inventory planners to ensure optimal stock levels, reducing stockouts and overstocks.
   • Make recommendations for replenishments, markdowns, and clearance strategies based on inventory analysis.
   • Assist in developing inventory forecasts to guide purchasing decisions.
3. Assortment Planning:
   • Contribute to the development of seasonal assortment plans based on market trends, historical data, and customer preferences.
   • Work with merchandising teams to identify gaps in the product range and suggest new product opportunities.
   • Recommend assortment adjustments based on sales performance and market feedback.
4. Competitive Analysis:
   • Research competitors' product offerings, pricing strategies, and promotional activities.
   • Provide insights on competitive market trends and suggest strategies to maintain a competitive edge.
5. Pricing and Promotion:
   • Analyze pricing strategies and promotional effectiveness to optimize pricing structures.
   • Collaborate with pricing teams to set initial pricing and markdown strategies for products.
6. Data Analytics:
   • Utilize data analytics tools to create data visualizations and dashboards that convey actionable insights to stakeholders.
   • Conduct A/B testing and data-driven experiments to evaluate the impact of merchandising strategies.
7. Cross-Functional Collaboration:
   • Work closely with the buying, marketing, and retail operations teams to align merchandising strategies with broader business objectives.
   • Communicate findings and recommendations effectively to non-technical stakeholders.
8. Forecasting and Planning:
   • Assist in the creation of sales forecasts and demand plans for upcoming seasons and promotional events.
   • Evaluate the accuracy of forecasts and make adjustments as necessary.
9. Vendor Relationships:
   • Collaborate with vendors to negotiate terms, monitor delivery schedules, and ensure product quality.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in business, fashion merchandising, statistics, economics, accountancy or a related field.
• Proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools using MS Excel.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data.
• Knowledge of retail math, inventory management, and merchandising principles.
• Familiarity with fashion industry trends, consumer behavior, and market dynamics.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to convey insights.
• Attention to detail and the ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Prior experience in retail merchandising, data analysis, or business analytics is preferred.
• This is an onsite work (face-to-face only)