Meghan Chilson
New York,NY
Summary
Creative, energetic, and performance-driven professional with over 5 years of experience working in the fast-paced fashion and furniture retail industries. Highly skilled in monitoring trends and capitalizing on emerging opportunities, as well as proficient in all aspects of social media with excellent communication and leadership skills. Eager to collaborate with team members to drive business success and increase bottom line for optimum results.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Inventory Planning Analyst
FULLBEAUTY Brands
08.2022 - Current
- Part of the Intimate Apparel team - Previously managed inventory levels for Plus-Sized Bra department, and currently manages inventory levels for Plus-Sized Panties, Hosiery, Shapewear, & Daywear departments
- Collaborates closely with Supervisor and Cross Functional Partners such as Merchants and Sourcing to determine inventory strategies through products life cycle
- Analyzes and updates demand forecasts using sales history, rate of sales, weeks of supply, safety stock and quality related issues to identify opportunities for improvement
- Supports in managing in-season inventory, balancing sales, margin, markdowns, and sell-through goals
- Manages and interprets weekly reports from Tableau for inventory management
- Performs weekly projections through reviewing and analyzing color and size selling trends, and style return rates to prepare needed reports for analysis of updated inventory needs
- Works with production and merchant departments to issue reorder Purchase Orders
- Reviews top backorder and anticipates backorder items to track shipments through
- Identifies overstocks and makes recommendations for both book and web clearance, and in season web promotions, as well as adjusts retails to improve sell down of overstock inventory
Category Planner
Broad River Retail D/B/A Ashley HomeStore
01.2021 - 08.2022
- Managed Stationary & Motion Upholstery, Occasional Tables, Home Office and Entertainment categories
- Responsible for maintaining efficient flow of inventory through process of creating and generating reports to analyze sales, inventory, delays, and purchase orders to make proper and educated buying decisions
- Authorized purchase orders and consumables through STORIS and Ashley Direct systems
- Evaluated consumer preferences and demographic behaviors, combined with market trends and historical data, to adjust and enhance assortments specific to each store size and location
- Attended High Point Furniture Markets and traveled locally to aid in several new store opening set-ups
- Drove sales growth in all areas to maximize company savings and inventory turns
- Managed and monitored Core Assortment Plans
- Analyzed pricing analysis and successfully executed several cost and retail changes within tight deadlines.
- Partnered with Visual Team to ensure floor plans and showrooms exceed assortment and presentation expectations
- Partnered with Marketing Team to select best assortment and pricing for all marketing and promotional events
- Maintained and communicated all pricing and tag updates, delays, and out of stock product to Order Management and to stores
- Maintained and input pricing for promotional events
- Assisted in successfully opening six new store locations since January 2021
Assistant Buyer III
The Cato Corporation
09.2018 - 11.2020
- Versona Division - Advanced and promoted through training program to achieve AB III level
- Specialized in all areas of Accessories; Handbags, Shoes, Sunglasses, Leg Wear, Hair Accessories, Cold Weather Accessories, Gifts, and Home Decor
- Collaborated with Product Development and Sourcing teams to process and create internal/import merchandise
- Worked directly with Buyers to analyze sales data and weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports to efficiently order merchandise according to sales trends
- Researched and evaluated market trends through online sources, customer feedback, and competitor shopping
- Created and maintained Purchase Orders in to monitor stock levels, verify purchase requisitions and expedite customer orders
- Communicated with 20+ Vendors on daily basis regarding inventory needs and negotiated prices to maintain profit margins
- Managed and trained Merchandise Assistants, as well as mentored new co-workers
- Tracked inventory shipments and prepared spreadsheets detailing item information
- Assisted in merchandising store floor sets and advertising, based on apparel assortment and upcoming trends
- Maintained and organized samples for 100+ SKU's.
- Maintained focus and organization to consistently complete tasks with precision, timeliness and flexibility to accommodate fluctuating assignments and emerging business trends
Education
Bachelor of Science - Fashion Business Management
Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY05.2018
Skills
- Competitor & Sales Analysis
- Vendor/Client Relations & Negotiations
- E-Commerce & Advertising
- Purchase Order Entry
- Retail Management
- Key Performance Indicators
- Microsoft Office Proficient
- Organization
- Active listening
- Self-Motivated
- Time Management
- Strong Written and Verbal Communication Skills
- Team-Building
- Analytical Thinking
Certification
- Certified in JDA Enterprise Planning
- Retail Merchandising System (RMS)
- Retail Price Management (RPM)
- PO Database
- BI Publisher
- STORIS
- Data Warehouse
- Social Media Management
- Tableau
- MainFrame
Timeline
Inventory Planning Analyst
FULLBEAUTY Brands
08.2022 - Current
Category Planner
Broad River Retail D/B/A Ashley HomeStore
01.2021 - 08.2022
Assistant Buyer III
The Cato Corporation
09.2018 - 11.2020
Bachelor of Science - Fashion Business Management
Fashion Institute of Technology