Janice Yu Lin Wong
Merchandise Planning Manager
Summary
Detail-oriented and analytical professional with strong background in multi-brand purchasing, planning, vendor management and inventory control at a regional level. Adept with data analysis and application in problem-solving and predicting trends. Values knowledge sharing and staff development. Excellent communication skills with strong commitment to collaboration. Ability to work well both independently and in a team environment. Hardworking, responsible and committed, with a positive attitude. Considered a valuable asset to any team.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages
Work History
Merchandise Planning Manager
MAP Active Pte. Ltd. Singapore (Foot Locker)
07.2023 - Current
- Markets: Singapore, Malaysia
- Points of sales (currently): 12 Brick & Mortar and 2 E-com,
- Pre/ In-season Planning: Create pre-season and forward year division/vendor sales, markdowns, receipts and margin budget plans that support merchandise strategy
- Drive Open to Buy process for Merchandising team by identifying risks and establishing opportunities to drive growth and increase profit through effective inventory management.
- Update MPlan files twice monthly, and whenever there are changes in Management’s direction regarding Sales and Margins during Budgeting period
- Recommend product/ brand actions to key business partners to manage inventory levels (cancellations, vendor allowance support and RTV amounts)
- Weekly preparation of product performance analysis reports by brand, division, store, aging, and franchise. Subsequent reviewing of performance and suggested key actions with Merchandise team
- Core product supply: Review incoming orders and historical performance of carryover/ evergreen styles to recommend new order or re-order to support sales demand. Ensure suggested orders fit within OTB plan
- Markdown and Sale promotions: Fill up multiple templates with required data from COE team for upload into system at sku level, monthly: next month’s expected receipts, last Goods Receiving date, and list of skus in DC that should be excluded from any markdown proposals from Merchandise team
Planner
Foot Locker Asia Pte. Ltd
07.2019 - 06.2023
- Markets: Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau
- Division: All Footwear |Men’s Footwear (from Jul 2021)
- Points of sales: 33 Brick & Mortar and 5 E-com
- Pre/ In-season Planning: Create pre-season department/vendor omnichannel sales, markdowns, receipts and margin plans that support merchandise strategy; Reconcile bottom-up and top-down plans with Senior Director, in line with established financial targets
- Recognize and identify departmental trends to provide the business with accurate weekly sales, markdowns, receipts and margin forecasts
- Drive Open to Buy process for Buyers, clearly identifying opportunities whilst managing inventory levels
- Recommend product/brand actions to key business partners (markdowns, cancellations, VA’s and RTV’s)
- Weekly product performance review with team and identify key actions
- Assortment Planning: - Build omnichannel assortments together with buyer, ensuring distribution of most relevant product to locations, in line with space and financial plans; Ensure input from buying cycle fit within monthly financial plans
- Review product distribution plans prior to intake, adapting to trend shifts and new opportunities
- Attend vendor pre and final lines to align with buyer on product strategies
- Vendor management: Work with Intake Planner in advancing/ delaying purchase orders with vendors to ensure timely and accurate deliveries; Ensure launch and campaign product is delivered on time
- Markdown and Sale promotions: Monthly selection and proposal of skus to be placed on markdown based on sales performance and age; Mid-year and year-end Sale and other retail sale period event proposals
Merchandising Manager
Craftmark (Singapore) Pte. Ltd
07.2017 - 01.2019
- Market: Singapore
- Division: Leather goods
- Points of sales: Ladies – 9 counters, Men – 21 counters
- Stock management: Planning order quantities for new range launches to stores and older season stock removals according to store capacity. Activating in-season price reductions on low sell through merchandise, planning seasonal markdowns to reduce stock holding.
- Sales promotion: working closely with (i) Sales team in selecting and pricing selected merchandise in support of Department store events and promotions, and (ii) Marketing and Ecommerce teams in selecting and pricing selected merchandise for online channels’ e.g. Zalora, Lazada, and Qoo10 events and promotions.
- Pricing Policy and Margin management: Setting clear price structures according to a synergy of both value-based and cost-plus pricing methods, also keeping aware of competitors’ pricing, discount and promotion strategies in order to remain competitive.
- OTB management: Timely maintenance of purchase order information (pre-orders of new ranges and monthly repeat orders of Core merchandise) to keep track of total budget spending.
- Sales and inventory reporting: Monthly reporting and analysis of sales and stock holding by brand, category, sub-category, and class; interpretation of data to assist Product Development team in creating future ranges that both align with historical sales data and fill any present gaps accordingly to increase sales.
- Competitor market walk and trend research: sharing of ideas with (i) Product Development team to assist them in future range developments, and with (ii) Management to aid in rebranding or updating the current brand profile to progressively expand the brand’s target audience.
Regional Merchandising Manager
F J Benjamin (Singapore) Pte. Ltd
03.2017 - 06.2017
- Markets: Singapore/ Malaysia/ Indonesia
- Division: Guess? Womenswear (Singapore) Menswear (Singapore/ Malaysia/ Indonesia)
- Team: 1 Regional Planner and 2 local planners in Malaysia and Indonesia
- Stock management: Ensure Planners execute weekly inter-store stock consolidations timely with particular focus on categories of concern for the week, activating in-season price reductions on low sell through merchandise, planning category and seasonal promotions to reduce stock holding, tracking of shipments and planning stock launches to stores and older season stock removals according to store capacity
- Pricing Policy and Margin management: Setting clear price structures, contemplating and reacting to current market conditions and in accordance with Company policy to maximize profit; Identifying opportunities, driving sales through value promotions and current stock positions; activating regular price reductions of low sell through in-season merchandise to minimize inventory build-up, which would ultimately have ended up being discounted and therefore affecting overall margin
- OTB management: Accurate Buy information maintenance (seasonal pre-orders and Immediate stock offers from Principal) to keep track of total budget spent and available to spend versus sales projection i.e. Supply versus forecasted demand
- Sales reporting: Weekly/ monthly/ quarterly reporting and analysis of category sales and stock holding, submission of these reports to Principal and proposal to Regional General Manager on category/ seasonal promotions, or contacting Principal for stock requests on high sell through but low inventory stock situation
- Weekly store visits: to ensure consolidations have been executed, and checking that top selling merchandise have been given prime display space to maximize sales, assessing space for future launches and how it will sit with current merchandise on floor
Senior Merchandising Manager
Known Group Pte. Ltd
09.2015 - 01.2017
- Markets: (i) SEEK – Singapore/ Thailand/ Indonesia (ii) Cumulus Nimbus – Singapore
- Divisions: (i) SEEK – Sports lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories (ii) Cumulus Nimbus – Lifestyle accessories
- Team: 2 Managers and 1 Executive
- Inventory management: Ensure stock master files and product information in system is properly maintained, stores are not under/ over stocked, timely orders are placed with suppliers, and appropriate inventory clearance/ flush-out mechanisms are executed
- Sales promotion: working closely with Marketing department in conceptualizing and planning of activities in line with/ driven by inventory management objectives
- OTB management: Planning and monitoring budget plans and estimates for each brand based on display space allocated for each brand in store, and current sales trend; Setting and updating detailed sales and buy estimates by brand and category
- Sales reporting: monthly and quarterly reporting of detailed sales by brand/ category/ class/ sku to Directors, as well as weekly/ monthly reports are sent to selected brands
- Pricing Policy: Adhering to brands’ clear price structures and discount cadences, and in accordance with Company policy to maximize sales and profitability
- Relationship management: working very closely with all brand (including Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Reebok, Asics, Herschel, Nixon, Timex etc.) principals/ distributors to get the right products in for Known Group’s retail concepts, as well as internal cooperation with Marketing/ Retail/ Finance Departments to ensure cohesive business decisions are made and timely executed
- People management/ Development: Imparting of merchandising knowledge acquired over the years to current team members who have no merchandising experience
- Visual merchandising: ad-hoc changing/ touch up of in-store VM, working closely with external party VM team on appropriate products to highlight in store in order to maximize sales
Buying Manager
Marks & Spencer Singapore
05.2015 - 09.2015
- Market: Singapore
- Division: Womens wear| Menswear| Childrenswear
- Team: 2 Buyers and 1 Buying Assistant
- Stock management: Managing stock commitment effectively to maximize sales and profitability
- Sales promotion: managing stock and catalogue commitment in line with agreed promotional activities; Initiating ideas on selling and promotional activities and advertising programs
- Profit management: Strategizing and execute budget plans and estimates for Buying fair and in-season estimates; Setting and updating detailed sales estimates by range and product within category budget; Reviewing budget proposals throughout the season, initiating, and taking appropriate action where necessary
- Catalogue Management: implement seasonal buying and cataloguing plans based on sales estimates, sales floor layout and the principle of proportionate display; Manage catalogue planning to ensure catalogues meet customers profiles and reflects the correct range of product mix to fully maximize on market opportunities
- Pricing Policy: Setting clear price structures, contemplating and reacting to current market conditions and in accordance with Company policy to maximize profit; Identifying opportunities, driving sales through value promotions and current stock positions; Calculating cost of reductions and manage end-of-season stocks to meet agreed targets; Ensuring competitive price structure that is understandable to customers which reflects the relative value of merchandise
- People management/ Development: Enhancing effective teamwork through open communication and involvement of team members
Country Merchandise Manager
Esprit Retail Pte. Ltd.
07.2014 - 04.2015
- Markets: Singapore & Malaysia
- Divisions: Men Casual| Men EDC| Men Collection| Kids|
- Review of monthly edited styles, quantities and allocation prepared by HQ in Germany, and providing input/ feedback on any amendments necessary
- Ensure product pricing on tags match with system, and are competitive vs competition
- Weekly preparation and review of both regions’ sales reports and planning strategies to improve sales at stores that are down vs planned sales
- Sell through reports analysis by category and style to assist in future seasons’ buys
- Marketing plan (with Marketing Manager) for retail stores to optimize sales and increase membership recruitment - from merchandising aspect
- Planning and execution of promotions/ markdowns for slow selling and past season inventory
- Weekly store visits to gather feedback and ensure products are merchandised and displayed well
- Work closely with Logistics to ensure timely receiving and delivery of merchandise to stores
- Selection and preparation of style information to external online consignment party, and subsequent monitoring of their sales
Brand Executive
Trendz 360 Pte Ltd
03.2012 - 07.2014
- Markets: Singapore| Malaysia| Thailand| Philippines| Indonesia| Hong Kong| Taiwan
- Footwear brands handled: Ccilu| Patagonia Footwear| Ralph Lauren Kids| Guess Kids| DKNY Kids|
- Sales forecast for brand (SG) and review of regional teams’ forecasted numbers
- Set local and monitor regions’ product pricing
- Marketing plan (with Marketing Manager)
- Visual merchandising concept and ideas (with VM personnel)
- Merchandise launch/ assortment plan to stores for upcoming season’s products
- Conduct brand and product trainings to retail team
- Preparation for and conducting sell-ins to existing and potential customers
- Sell through reports analysis to assist in future seasons’ buys
- Planning and execution of promotions/ markdowns for non-saleable and past season inventory
- Monthly review of regions’ sales reports and their upcoming sales plans
- Planning of next season’s buy quantity
Senior Merchandise Executive II
Chomel Pte Ltd
07.2003 - 03.2012
- Monitoring of inventory holding levels at stores and warehouse - Product allocation to stores - Pricing of new merchandise - Maintenance of company’s visual display and merchandising standards at outlets
- Designing apparel for Madame Butterfly and Chomel apparel line (product line ceased) on ad-hoc basis
- Setting of monthly sales targets for Madame Butterfly shops
- Training of sales staff on required product knowledge, replenishment procedures and display methods
- Planning and execution of new outlets (from product selection to props allocation, merchandise layout, etc.)
- Developing promotional strategies (GWP, PWP etc.)
- Selection of stock and styling of annual corporate photo shoot (for boutique light boxes and marketing peripherals)
Education
BBA - Business (Business Administration, Marketing)
RMIT University
Singapore Institute Of Mangement 01.2000 - 12.2002
Skills
Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Timeline
Merchandise Planning Manager
MAP Active Pte. Ltd. Singapore (Foot Locker)
07.2023 - Current
Planner
Foot Locker Asia Pte. Ltd
07.2019 - 06.2023
Merchandising Manager
Craftmark (Singapore) Pte. Ltd
07.2017 - 01.2019
Regional Merchandising Manager
F J Benjamin (Singapore) Pte. Ltd
03.2017 - 06.2017
Senior Merchandising Manager
Known Group Pte. Ltd
09.2015 - 01.2017
Buying Manager
Marks & Spencer Singapore
05.2015 - 09.2015
Country Merchandise Manager
Esprit Retail Pte. Ltd.
07.2014 - 04.2015
Brand Executive
Trendz 360 Pte Ltd
03.2012 - 07.2014
Senior Merchandise Executive II
Chomel Pte Ltd
07.2003 - 03.2012
BBA - Business (Business Administration, Marketing)
RMIT University
01.2000 - 12.2002
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