Category: APPAREL

         SR. MERCHANDISING AUDIENCE LEAD MICROSOFT US ONLINE STORE       Summary     Sr. E-commerce Merchandiser specializing in audience program development and targeted marketing campaigns. Extensive knowledge in omni-channel retail buying, planning, product development and marketing.       Highlights          Business analysis  Online branding  Purchase funnel optimization  Retail marketing      Retail systems  Retail buying  Competitive analysis  Program development            Experience      Sr. Merchandising Audience Lead Microsoft US Online Store     Oct 2012   to   Current      Company Name   -   City  ,   State     Sr. Merchandiser/Audience Marketing Lead for Microsoftstore.com representing a combined annual revenue of $96M   Grew EDU audience revenue +400% YoY within the first year by launching an evergreen offer across multiple categories  Spearheaded business development opportunities, partnering with Microsoft product management groups to create and execute meaningful targeted campaigns resulting in increased brand awareness, customer acquisition, and sales revenue   Drove site optimization through A/B and multivariate testing across site and through purchase funnel increasing conversion, revenue, and improving customer experience    End to end product management: documenting business requirements, presenting to stake-holders, engineering,  UX teams, creative reviews, QA, production and deployment on live site  Category lead for email marketing campaigns, content, targeting, SEO, SEM and internal search term optimization            Merchandiser Women's Direct Apparel     Apr 2007   to   Jul 2010      Company Name   -   City  ,   State     Merchandising/Category Management women's separates apparel in direct catalog and E-commerce divisions  Drove promotional strategies in print catalogs, email campaigns, and online to achieve and exceed sales and margin targets  Partnered with design team to develop a compelling and brand right assortment, managed the sourcing and production process, and negotiated costing  Directed creative content and imagery with multiple creative teams to develop a consistent branded experience across both catalog and online  Utilized Web analytics and customer service feedback to inform changes and increase conversion and revenue for both channels  Successfully managed multiple categories with a combined $70M in revenue and 20K skus annually  Consistently met or exceeded margin and sales goals despite a difficult retail environment  Developed and executed business strategies supported by detailed competitive trend analysis and strong creative brand identity   Created and launched new online denim category on eddiebauer.com with new multi-shot photography feature, enhanced user experience, customer-centric product detail page content,  and recommended product suggestions resulting in a +$8M YoY category comp         Assistant Buyer/Buyer     Aug 2004   to   Apr 2007      Company Name   -   City  ,   State     Launched Endless.com website, Amazon.com's first separate E-commerce brand that exclusively offered a boutique shopping experience for footwear and handbags  Built the retail apparel store from the ground up which included implementing QA policies, detail page and imaging standards, developing receiving/shipping materials, warranty policies, and tools to accommodate the needs of the new category  Developed strong relationships with +110 vendors including: account management, payment terms, costs, returns, damage allowance, free shipping, inventory management, and co-op  Responsible for competitive product and pricing analysis and improving pricing tools to facilitate competitive monitoring as well as determine markdown schedule and liquidation of overstock  Initiated and managed website improvements to facilitate navigation and merchandising to maximize traffic, revenue, and conversion  Forecasted assortment selection and sales plan including unit sales and revenue, margins, and profit across all sub-categories  Experience in multiple category management for Intimate Apparel, Sleepwear, Men's Sportswear, Women's Sportswear, Infant, Swimwear, Outerwear, Handbags, and Women's Footwear  Teamed with the fulfillment center to create and execute receiving and shipping processes for inventory within each new category  Grew apparel into a $10M business within the first year         Assistant Buyer     Jan 2001   to   Jan 2004      Company Name   -   City  ,   State     Experience in buying, managing inventory, and negotiating with vendors  Managed the process to maximize sales and margin objectives through the development and implementation of markdown strategies and inventory flow in reaction to sales trends  Managed sales volume, gross margin, and turnover through control of mark-ups and markdown allowances, sales promotions, vendor returns and shrinkage  Executed division marketing plans and worked closely with advertising to create a meaningful and succinct message through print and radio         Group Sales Manager     Jan 2000   to   Jan 2001      Company Name   -   City  ,   State     Managed women's shoes, watches, and jewelry departments in the downtown flagship Bon Marche store  Successfully managed and motivated over 40 sales associates         Store Manager     Jan 1998   to   Jan 2000      Company Name   -   City  ,   State     Managed a staff of 10 in a leading international retail shoe store Responsible for sales, inventory, staffing, visual, and store maintenance   Consistently exceeded store sales goals and company expectations   Opened the first retail store in the state, including; recruiting, visual set up  Trained six managers and over twenty-five employees         Education      BA  ,   Liberal Studies Society, Ethics, and Human Behavior   2001, 2011     UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON   -   City  ,   State      GPA:   Dean's list winter quarter 2000    Dean's list winter quarter 2000        Skills     20+ years in Retail management, buying, marketing, and merchandising  Successful in fostering productive cross-group collaboration  Passionate about creating a customer-centric shopping experience