Role Overview
The Buying & Merchandising Consultant will act as a strategic advisor to drive profitable growth through data-backed assortment planning, effective product selection, and optimized pricing strategies.
This role focuses on recommending the right product mix, ensuring alignment with market trends and customer demand, while enabling commercial success through structured pricing frameworks and margin optimization.
The consultant will collaborate closely with internal teams and vendors to enhance category performance, improve inventory efficiency, and strengthen overall merchandising effectiveness.
Key Responsibilities
1. Assortment Planning & Strategy
- Recommend and design category-wise assortment strategies aligned with business goals and target customer segments
- Advise on optimal depth and width of assortment across price points, styles, and categories
- Identify gaps in current assortment and propose actionable improvements
- Ensure a balanced mix between trend-driven and core products
- Guide seasonal and event-based assortment planning
2. Product Selection & Curation
- Provide strategic inputs on product selection based on market trends, customer insights, and sales data
- Evaluate product performance and recommend continuation, expansion, or discontinuation
- Collaborate with buying teams to ensure high-conversion, demand-led product curation
- Benchmark against competitors to ensure differentiation and relevance
- Support in building a strong, scalable product portfolio
3. Pricing Strategy & Margin Optimization
- Develop and recommend pricing frameworks aligned with market positioning and customer willingness to pay
- Advise on initial pricing, discounting strategy, and promotional pricing
- Ensure optimal balance between competitiveness and profitability
- Analyze margin structures and recommend improvements in cost and pricing
- Support creation of pricing ladders across categories
4. Merchandise Planning & Inventory Advisory
- Provide inputs on buy quantities, inventory mix (SOR vs upfront), and replenishment planning
- Recommend strategies to improve inventory turnover and reduce dead stock
- Guide planning of product drops based on demand cycles and trends
- Identify risks related to overstocking or stock-outs and suggest corrective measures
5. Performance Analysis & Insights
- Analyze category performance across GMV, sell-through, margins, and inventory metrics
- Provide actionable insights to improve category productivity and SKU efficiency
- Identify slow-moving inventory and recommend corrective actions
- Prepare periodic reports with strategic recommendations for leadership
6. Vendor & Market Advisory
- Recommend onboarding of relevant brands and vendors based on assortment gaps
- Provide inputs on commercial negotiations and margin structures
- Benchmark vendor performance and suggest optimization strategies
7. Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with marketing, operations, and styling teams to align product strategy with campaigns
- Support teams with product prioritization and storytelling inputs
- Ensure all recommendations are commercially viable and execution-ready
Key KPIs
- Assortment Efficiency (Sell-through %, SKU productivity)
- Category GMV Growth
- Gross & Contribution Margin Improvement
- Inventory Turnover & Stock Optimization
- Pricing Realization & Markdown Reduction
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Fashion, Merchandising, Business, or related field
- 6–10 years of experience in Buying, Merchandising, or Category Consulting
- Strong experience in assortment planning, product strategy, and pricing
- Exposure to fashion, lifestyle, or e-commerce preferred
- Strong analytical and commercial acumen
Key Competencies
- Strategic thinking with a consultative approach
- Strong understanding of consumer behavior and market trends
- Data-driven decision-making
- Pricing and margin optimization expertise
- Stakeholder management and influencing skills
Pay: ₹700,000.00 - ₹1,200,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Cell phone reimbursement
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Leave encashment
- Provident Fund
Work Location: In person
