Retail Merchandise Planner & Visual Merchandising

KRISHNA GUPTA

Merchandise Planner Visual Merchandising Retail Analytics

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India • +91-626******* • ****************@*****.*** PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Results-driven retail professional with 3+ years of experience in visual merchandising, inventory management, and commercial product placement across premium fashion brands. Adept at analyzing merchandise performance, optimizing floor layouts to drive sell-through, and coordinating cross-functional teams including buying, sourcing, and store operations. Skilled at translating market trends and customer demand into compelling merchandise strategies that maximize sales, minimize stock-outs, and improve inventory turnover. Seeking to leverage retail analytics, category management, and planning expertise in a Merchandise Planner role.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Merchandise Planning & Inventory Mgmt Retail Analytics & Sales Forecasting Category Management Visual Merchandising Standards Vendor & Stakeholder Management Seasonal Assortment Planning MIS Reporting & Advanced Excel Promotion & Markdown Planning Stock Allocation & Sell-Through Communication & Negotiation Skills Commercial Acumen & Problem Solving Team Leadership & Mentoring PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Visual Merchandising Associate 2025 – 2026 (6 Months) Archies Gallery & Abhinandan Decor — Bhopal, MP

n Planned and executed decorative product display strategies for major festive promotions, aligning merchandise placement with seasonal assortment goals and promotional calendars. n Monitored customer engagement and foot traffic patterns to optimize product placement, contributing to improved sell-through rates across key categories.

n Coordinated daily with internal store operations teams to maintain display layout continuity and ensure stock allocation was aligned with promotional priorities.

n Identified slow-moving inventory and recommended thematic arrangement adjustments to accelerate stock turnover and minimize excess inventory.

Visual Merchandiser (Store VM-Champ) 2023 – 2025 (2.5 Years) Tommy Hilfiger — Bhopal, MP

n Executed premium seasonal window displays and in-store VM layouts in strict alignment with global brand standards, ensuring visual consistency across all merchandise categories. n Restructured floor layouts and product architectures based on sales performance data to strategically improve customer flow, product visibility, and conversion rates.

n Partnered with sales divisions to optimize product placement in alignment with promotional calendars and sales targets, directly supporting sell-through improvement.

n Conducted routine visual floor audits to assess stock levels and presentation metrics; coordinated with operations to resolve stock-outs and replenishment needs.

n Styled advanced mannequin focal points and curated thematic retail storytelling concepts for key marketing campaigns, reinforcing seasonal assortment narratives.

Studio Manager 2020 – 2021

Finger Tips Studio — Bhopal, MP

n Directed daily studio business workflows including master pipeline scheduling, vendor communications, and material procurement timelines — building strong vendor and stakeholder management capabilities. n Supervised localized supply chains and coordinated with external vendors to ensure timely stock availability and delivery for commercial assignments.

n Assisted in creative styling curation and visual presentation frameworks, developing commercial acumen in product presentation and client-facing negotiation.

PROJECTS & INDUSTRY EXPOSURE

Costume Design Workshop — Professional Training

Advanced commercial styling under expert guidance (Ashley Rebello); applied trend interpretation, color curation, and assortment planning principles to merchandise presentation.

Denim Fest — Dainik Bhaskar Industry Exhibition

Developed progressive visual installations for an industry fashion showcase; managed merchandise display planning and category zone allocation for multiple product segments.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) — Fashion Design 2021 – 2025 Medhavi Skills University (#NIF)

Senior Secondary (Class XII) — CBSE 2017 – 2018

Sardar Patel Public School, Bhopal

Secondary (Class X) — CBSE 2015 – 2016

Green Bells Public School, Bhopal

SKILLS & LANGUAGES

Planning & Analytics Merchandise Planning & Inventory Management, Sales Forecasting, Retail Analytics, Sell-Through Analysis, Stock Turnover Monitoring, Margin Performance Tracking, Stock Allocation Across Stores, Demand Forecasting.

Merchandising Category Management, Seasonal Assortment Planning, Promotion & Markdown Planning, Visual Merchandising Standards, Space Planning, Planogram Interpretation, Trend Forecasting, Color Curation. Operations MIS Reporting & Business Performance Reviews, Advanced Excel, Vendor Management, Buying & Sourcing Coordination, Supply Chain & Store Operations Liaison, Team Leadership & Mentoring. Soft Skills Strong Communication & Negotiation, Commercial Acumen, Problem Solving, Stakeholder Management, Cross-functional Collaboration.

Languages English (Professional Proficiency) Hindi (Native Speaker)

Contact this candidate