Buying Assistant – Womenswear Accessories

Job Purpose:

To assist the Buying Manager (Women’s Wear) to maintain a balanced merchandise assortment for the Galeries Lafayette India stores based on luxury market trends & consumer preference, while upholding GL's brand image. The ideal merchandise mix for GL luxury retail stores based on exclusivity & brand identity should complement the superior customer service to maximize full price sell-through at stores and strengthen clientele relationships.

Key Result Areas:

Assortment Planning & Mix (Accessories)

• Collaborate with the Buying Manager to develop a well-balanced accessories assortment across handbags, SLGs, sunglasses, etc and associated sub-categories—optimizing style, size, color, material, price point, and brand mix.
• Conduct market research & trend analysis (runway, brand lookbooks, influencer signals, street style, global luxury benchmarks) to ensure relevance to the Indian luxury customer.
• Set assortment goals and make data-driven brand & product selections aligned with GL’s luxury image and the Indian market’s tastes.
• Monitor weekly performance to identify top/underperformers at style/brand/category level; recommend reorders, express buys, pullbacks, and markdowns as needed.
• Partner with VM & Store teams to maintain a cohesive, high-impact presentation and ensure sku-option depth is right-sized per category and store.
• Create and maintain buying plans per category in line with sales targets; Update Order Master regularly.

Buying Operations & OTB Management

• Create Purchase Orders (POs), review Order Confirmations (OCs), and track on-time delivery; manage in-season express orders as required.
• Set ARP targets (Assortment Retail Price) by category; build Option Plans and conduct depth analysis.
• Formulate Stock-to-Sales plans for each season (BOM/EOM), ensuring optimum cover.
• Run OTB calculation and tracking; recommend strategic reallocation based on sell-through and trend shifts.

Brand/Vendor Collaboration

• Build and nurture relationships with international and local luxury accessory brands; negotiate terms & prices, payment schedules, delivery timelines to enhance profitability.
• Ensure selected merchandise adheres to quality, exclusivity, ethical sourcing, and brand integrity standards.
• Proactively monitor brand/vendor performance, resolving supply chain issues swiftly to maintain availability.
• Secure exclusive capsules/limited editions to differentiate GL’s offer.
• Remain current on market trends, innovations, and competitive movements, curating brands/vendors that fit GL’s luxury positioning.
• Own Order Confirmation management and communication cadence with brands.

Stock Tracking & Store Movement

• Plan, monitor, and maintain ideal stock cover per accessory category and store.
• Plan inter-store transfers to optimize AMM and reduce missed sales.
• Manage fill rate, ensuring timely online availability (ecommerce readiness: images, copy, UDA attributes).
• Control Dormancy and Pullback within agreed norms; initiate Photo Sell-Through reports for visual tracking of bests.
• Create weekly Excel sell-through reports with action flags (retain/reorder/markdown/pullback).

Inventory Optimization

• Monitor inventory levels to balance availability vs. working capital.
• Analyze sell-through, stock turns, and coverage to drive replenishments, express buys, and exits.
• Implement tactics to reduce excess inventory and stockouts while controlling holding costs.
• Collaborate with Planning on demand forecasting and open-to-buy governance.
• Work with Senior Buyer on markdowns/clearance for slow movers or seasonal exits.

Pricing Strategy (Luxury Accessories)

• Assist in developing pricing strategies that maintain luxury perception while being market-competitive.
• Monitor price elasticity and run pricing analyses to determine optimum price points by segment (e.g., handbags vs. SLGs vs. jewelry).
• Collaborate on promotional pricing & markdown windows for events and season-end, safeguarding margin.
• Track FX rates and import costs/duties impacting landed pricing of imported accessories.
• Conduct regular pricing benchmarks vs. luxury competitors to stay competitive while preserving premium positioning.

Information & Data Management

• Timely update brand catalogues.
• Update UDA & BNF in style masters; maintain clean product master data (material, metal/stone details, sizes, lens specs, care, warranty where applicable).
• Update brand sell-through reports and create top/bottom seller reports.
• Prepare sell-through reviews and department reviews with insights & actions.
• Maintain Order Master, PO/OC trackers, delivery trackers, and pricing files with high accuracy.

Monthly Targeting & Reviews

• Provide inputs for Monthly target setting per accessory category.
• Break down targets (category/brand/store/price band) and track Target vs Achievement.
• Publish Merchandise Plan report; run Product Performance L2L (Like-to-Like) analyses.
• Present weekly/monthly business reviews with clear recommendations (reorder, VM change, price action, exit plan).

Market Research

• Stay updated on global and local fashion trends, attending fashion shows, trade events, and keeping a close eye on industry publications and social media to remain informed.
• Analyze competitor offerings and customer reviews to identify gaps in the market and opportunities for differentiation.
• Conduct regular customer surveys and feedback analysis to understand changing preferences and gather insights for assortment adjustments.
• Collaborate with the Senior Buyer to evaluate the performance of women's wear products in the market, identifying areas for improvement or expansion.
• Translate market insights into actionable buying decisions, such as selecting products that align with current trends and customer demands.

Visual Merchandising Support

• Work closely with the Visual Merchandising team to ensure that women's wear products are displayed effectively and aesthetically, aligning with the overall store's visual merchandising guidelines and luxury image.
• Provide input and recommendations on how women's wear products should be presented in the store, including coordinating product groupings, mannequin displays, and window displays to create an enticing and coherent shopping experience.
• Collaborate with Visual Merchandisers to align product displays with seasonal themes and emerging fashion trends, ensuring that the visual presentation remains fresh and relevant to customers.
• Work with the Visual Merchandising team to coordinate the rotation of inventory and placement of new arrivals, ensuring that the most appealing and seasonally appropriate products are prominently featured.
• Understand customer behavior and shopping patterns to recommend visual merchandising strategies that enhance customer engagement and drive sales, ultimately contributing to the store's overall success.

Sales Analysis

• Analyze the sales performance of women's wear products, regularly reviewing sales data, including revenue, units sold, and margins, to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Collect and analyze customer feedback, reviews, and comments related to women's wear products, using this information to gauge customer satisfaction and identify areas for enhancement.
• Collaborate with the Senior Buyer to assess the performance of specific products, styles, and brands within the women's wear category, determining which items are top performers and which may require adjustments.
• Assist in the creation of sales forecasts and demand projections for women's wear, leveraging historical sales data and market trends to refine sales expectations and optimize inventory planning.
• Provide data-driven recommendations for assortment adjustments, including product additions, exclusions, or modifications, to improve sales performance and better meet customer demand.

Market Intelligence

• New launches (competition product / window / schemes)
• Competition Mapping
• Training (Merchandise, Product & VM related)

Track the Core Business Contribution

• Monitoring to enhance the category contribution % of total business of LTL basis
• Identifying new designs to be added to this category

Help in creation of Retail Design Brief

• Designing a retail brief to design – option grid & learning of past season

Integrated Go To Market (IGTM)

• Planning for a successful IGTM story along with VM and design
• Dressing up one key store for the look
• Roll – out across stores

Integration with space planning

• Working in close co-ordination with retail planner to closely monitor returns from space allocated

Collaboration with Internal Team

• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including the Buying Manager, Visual Merchandising, Planning, and Marketing, to align women's wear buying strategies with overall business objectives.
• Maintain open lines of communication with vendors and suppliers, sharing relevant information with the procurement team to ensure timely deliveries and smooth inventory management.
• Share sales data, customer feedback, and market insights with cross-functional teams to inform merchandise planning, visual merchandising, and marketing strategies.
• Collaborate with the Marketing team to coordinate promotional activities and sales events, ensuring that marketing efforts align with women's wear assortments and customer interests.
• Work closely with the Operations team to facilitate efficient stock movements, replenishments, and inventory control, ensuring that women's wear products are readily available for customers while optimizing stock levels.