Athulya Vijay
Dubai,UAE
Summary
Experienced Footwear Buyer with a proven ability to negotiate effectively, manage vendor relationships, and drive product performance. Adept at using interpersonal skills, cross-functional collaboration, and analytical thinking to solve challenges and deliver consistent results. Highly organized, combining hard work with smart planning to meet company goals through strategic buying, strong prioritization, and a focus on high-quality execution.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Buyer
Shoemart & Shoexpress
Dubai
10.2024 - Current
- Regular trips to Hong Kong & China to explore retailers & street fashion to know emerging fashion trends in the global market. Analyze trends to make buying decisions for the next season.
- Travels to Quanzhou/Jinjiang - Visits key Sports footwear suppliers (existing & new) to discuss upcoming season CADs - regarding the style, colors and materials.
- Visits production, outsole making factories and material market to understand the newness in the market.
- Travels to Guangzhou to attend Canton Fair, a global footwear trade exhibition to identify the new emerging trends and new suppliers to uncover the latest fashion styles for the upcoming seasons.
- 2 months prior to China trip, the inspirations are sourced from Global trends websites & portals and shared with suppliers to create the CADs that fits our market.
- Managing Budgets/OTB Negotiate prices with vendors to ensure profitability and customer satisfaction.
- Ensure OTB is secured to place repeats/best sellers based on the performance of styles in stores.
- Proactively monitor global fashion trends and consumer behaviour and ensure latest trend are included.
- Relationship with Suppliers - Maintains professional relationships with suppliers to ensure high-quality styles are delivered to our customers and ensure timely delivery of the stocks into the stores.
- Managing Inventory - Ensure that stock levels are maintained (as per the overall concept/company requirement).
- Liaising with Marketing, ECOM & Visual Merchandising Teams - Collaborating with all stakeholders of the company guarantees that we share our initiatives for the season and they're in line with it and work towards the sales.
- Store Visits, Market & Competitor Analysis Conducts weekly store visits & monthly competitor analysis to understand emerging trends in the market and to analyze where our business is positioned when compared to other offerings in the market.
Assistant Buyer
Shoemart, Landmark Group (Dubai)
10.2023 - 09.2024
- Monitored market trends and consumer preferences through regular analysis of competitor analysis and store visits. Insights are shared with the buying team to inform strategic business and product decisions.
- Reviewed weekly and monthly style performance reports, identifying bestsellers, slow/poor sellers, and opportunities for in-season and repeat buys.
- Collaborated closely with regional territory teams to gather insights on preferences, sales feedback, and trend direction to ensure product alignment across markets.
- Supported the Head in CAD development by sharing trend direction and market feedback with suppliers during the early design phase.
- Prepared buy plans, assortment reviews, and recap decks for internal reviews, contributing to accurate forecasting and planning.
- Assisted in price negotiations by benchmarking competitive pricing and aligning margins with budget targets.
Buying Coordinator
Shoemart, Landmark Group (Dubai)
04.2018 - 09.2023
- Assists the Head of Buying-Sports in developing the Sports footwear range based on the USP/WGSN/Global trend.
- Securing the buy with the vendors, negotiating the costs, follow up on QA comments, ensure the range is approved by the Brands, feedbacks the Head on the orders in the system and follow up on the shipments and delay with the logistics team.
- Coordinate with ECOM, Marketing and Visual Merchandising teams in shoots, in-stores and social media to see the brand DNA is being shot/advertised and conveyed to the customers in all platforms.
- Weekly follow ups with territory teams to ensure the products have launched.
- Track the performance of the styles and feedbacks to the Head to make decisions in the next season range.
Education
MBA - GLOBAL MANAGEMENT
Swiss School of Management
07.2023 - 10.2024
Fashion Buying - FASHION BUYING
Lamode College of Fashion
01.2023 -
ACCA - ACCA
Phoenix Institute Financial Training
07.2017 - 03.2022
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance
Birla Institute of Technology, Ras Al Khaimah
09.2014 - 06.2017
The Indian High School, Dubai - Commerce with Economics & Marketing in Grade 11 & 12
The Indian High School, Dubai
04.2000 - 03.2014
Skills
- MS Powerpoint / MS Word / MS Excel
- Interpersonal skills
- Open to Buy (OTB) planning
- Price negotiations
- Trend forecasting
- Teamwork and Adaptability
- Problem solving
- Time Management
- Positive attitude
- Arabic Typing
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HOBBIES & PASSION
REFERENCE
Available on request
Timeline
Buyer
Shoemart & Shoexpress
10.2024 - Current
Assistant Buyer
Shoemart, Landmark Group (Dubai)
10.2023 - 09.2024
MBA - GLOBAL MANAGEMENT
Swiss School of Management
07.2023 - 10.2024
Fashion Buying - FASHION BUYING
Lamode College of Fashion
01.2023 -
Buying Coordinator
Shoemart, Landmark Group (Dubai)
04.2018 - 09.2023
ACCA - ACCA
Phoenix Institute Financial Training
07.2017 - 03.2022
Bachelor of Commerce - Finance
Birla Institute of Technology, Ras Al Khaimah
09.2014 - 06.2017
The Indian High School, Dubai - Commerce with Economics & Marketing in Grade 11 & 12
The Indian High School, Dubai
04.2000 - 03.2014
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