Assortment Planner

Come join our team

Ripple Junction LLC. is seeking a candidate who excels at Assortment Planning strategy, buying, and merchandising strategies for eCommerce businesses, is analytical, a systems and process thinker, and an organized deductive thinker.

This eCommerce Assortment Planner & Buyer opportunity provides a fast paced, fun, collaborative, and rewarding environment in the eCommerce business unit. At Ripple Junction, we pride ourselves on bringing joy to pop culture fans, recognizing our employees, and providing the best service to our customers.

The eCommerce Assortment Planner & Buyer (DTC & Marketplaces) is responsible for selecting, planning, and purchasing merchandise to be sold in our retail, eCommerce, and marketplace business. The ideal candidate will understand market trends, plan the assortment driven by customer data/ insights and leverage analytics, be experienced in forecasting and projections, place buys and replenishment orders, develop and deploying optimal allocation strategy, and make decisions that align with the overall business strategy. The eCommerce Planner & Buyer will take ownership of Retail/ eCommerce Business merchandising, buying, and allocation strategies and is accountable for the business unit’s overall sales growth and profitability.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Market Research & Trends:

• Stay informed about market trends, consumer preferences, and competitor activities.

• Analyze sales data, customer trends and feedback, and competitor data, to identify popular products and potential opportunities for the Retail eCommerce Business.

• Anticipate and respond to changes in consumer trends and preferences.

• Partner closely with customer service team to leverage insights from our eCommerce channels, develop product improvement strategies, and new product plans.

2. Product Selection:

• Evaluate product offerings, work closely with the product management and design teams, develop the product & assortment strategy, and buy merchandise that aligns with the target customer demographic and the retail business objectives.

• Work closely with eCommerce, and product management teams to create a cohesive and appealing product assortment. Ensure product quality standards are met. Meet and exceed customer expectations through selection and pricing.

3. Assortment Planning and Buying:

• Evaluate product offerings, work closely with the product management and design teams, develop the product & assortment strategy, and buy merchandise that aligns with the target customer demographic and the retail business objectives.

• Work closely with eCommerce and product management teams to develop a cohesive and appealing product assortment that’s aligned with the BU’s strategic goals. Ensure product quality standards are met and meet/exceed customer expectations through selection and pricing.

• Define product categories and subcategories based on sales patterns, customer preferences, and market trends.

• Build rolling inventory, open to buy, margin, and turn plan to support revenue targets.

• Develop seasonal assortment plans and buy in alignment with holidays, trends, license events, movie launches, and seasonal demands.

• Manage product life cycles, sell-through metrics, share analysis, and make recommendations for markdowns or promotions.

4. Forecasting:

• Utilize historical sales data and statistical models to forecast future sales for each product category.

• Adjust forecasts based on promotional activities, market dynamics, and other influencing factors, and identify risks and opportunities.

• Oversee development of monthly revenue and margin plans to support company objectives for the Retail Business.

5. Inventory Management:

• Monitor inventory levels and collaborate with demand planning and inventory management team to ensure optimal stock levels.

• Implement inventory turnover strategies and manage stock replenishment.

• Define and deploy optimal allocation strategies on our assortment and manage profitability goals across various eCommerce channels.

6. Budget Management:

• Develop and manage budgets for product categories.

• Maintain budgeted profit margins and OTB for the overall retail business. Monitor and control costs to maximize profitability and achieve financial targets.

7. Collaboration:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including eCommerce, product management, Marketing, Design to align buying decisions with overall business strategies.

• Communicate effectively with internal teams and external partners.

8. Risk Management:

• Assess and mitigate potential risks associated with product selection, supplier relationships, and market dynamics.

• Develop contingency plans for unexpected events affecting the supply chain.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or a related field.

• 3-5 years of proven experience as an assortment planner, buyer in the retail and eCommerce industry.

• Understanding of eCommerce merchandising and digital inputs that influence success online.

• Strong aptitude with numbers and clear understanding of retail math and KPIs.

• Strong analytical skills, critical thinking skills, and proficiency in data analysis tools.

• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret sales data, market trends, and strong problem-solving skills.

• Excellent communication and decision-making skills.

• Creative and forward-thinking approach to product selection.