🔔 Sound on for this rhyme revelation 🔔

an original Merchandise Planning rap

written by Susan Martin, performed by expert USA rap artist, Gee Smiff.

Merchandise Planning

Applying practical experience and knowledge gained through careers with leading, global retailers, we offer specialist insights and tailored solutions ... bringing together the art and the science of Merchandise Planning.

Our objective is simple ... maximise sales and profit through optimising inventory. Therein lies the competitive edge.

 

Merchandise Planning is a niche skill set, in short supply globally and in the Australian market.

SMART IN PLANNING® is a Merchandise Planning Company that provides solutions in this highly specialised, business critical field.

We are practitioners, not theorists.   Our team has honed their skills across senior roles spanning fast fashion, hard goods, seasonal, branded, online, FMCG and discount variety sectors.

Our Clients are located across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, regional areas in Australia, as well as internationally; we can offer support in almost any location.

We provide award winning Services | Solutions | Support

“Susan Martin did an exceptional job with limited resources. Susan is a strategic, creative manager with attention to detail.”
— Eric Elliott: Director at Global IT Services P/L
 

How we help

SMART IN PLANNING® services are tailored solutions,

based on an assessment of each Client’s specific circumstances and needs.

 
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Our Clients enjoy significant benefits across People, Process and Systems, through the leveraging power of our team of Planning professionals.

As an external resource, we bring both capability & capacity to work on the business, enabling the Client to stay focused on the daily operational demands of a fast paced retail environment.

Our model affords great flexibility, adding value in large organisations and small businesses . 

Outsourcing is a SMART option for SME Clients to secure the Planning expertise they need, without necessarily requiring a full in-house Planning team.

Training in Merchandise Planning is available in formats suitable for both businesses and Individuals.

 

We specialise in Merchandise Planning

Planning Management | Planning System and Process Implementation | Building Teams and Developing People | Fashion Apparel, Footwear, Homewares, Discount Variety | Multi Brand | Small Business to Corporate | International | High Growth | Strategic Planning | Leadership | Demand Planning | Multi-Channel Retail | Wholesale

 
 
 
 

Susan has 25 years experience in Merchandise Planning in the Retail sector.  Building on a foundation of leading practice with the Foschini Group in South Africa, the past 20 years have been invested in establishing Merchandise Planning across well known Australian retailers.  This includes, but is not limited to, Best & Less and retail giant, the Cotton On Group, where she spent 3 years as Group Planning Manager across their 8 businesses trading in over 15 countries.

Key accomplishments in her role with the Cotton On Group role include:

  • driving typical Planning KPIs, resulting in a 4-7 week reduction in stock cover across all brands, without compromising comparative sales growth, and while building margin

  • the introduction and establishment of Planning as an integral part of the business

  • the successful implementation and adoption of a Planning software system

  • growing the Planning team size from 25 to 100 people, and

  • the creation, roll-out and delivery of a technical stream for Merchandise Planning, within the Cotton On University.

 
“I would highly recommend Susan to any business
that is wanting to nurture and develop talent within Merchandise Planning.
She is exceptional!”
— Beth Hall: Head of Group Learning at Cotton On Group

A seasoned Executive, over the course of her career, Susan has gained extensive experience at the General Manager level, developing, integrating and managing the Planning function, in established businesses and more dynamic environments.

She is known for her collaborative style and people skills, evidenced through a strong track record in attracting and retaining highly skilled Planning professionals; often through volatility, where she brings a stabilising influence and collaboration across functions.

SMART IN PLANNING® is the culmination of Susan Martin's planning career to date.  It's all in the name...

SMART IN PLANNING

     SM ART IN PLANNING

          S MARTIN PLANNING

               Susan Martin – LinkedIN

 
 

The SMART IN PLANNING ® Team is comprised of a number of highly sought after Planning professionals, specifically selected for their experience and skill in areas such as:

  • Merchandise Planning – broad and practical experience across a variety of Retailers

  • Excel proficiency and superior skills in data and analytics

  • Planning systems experience (eg Arthur / JDA Enterprise / Blue Yonder; Maple Lake / TXT / Aptos; Foresight Retail; MI9 / Just Enough) and many others, including system (re)implementations

  • Multi Channel expertise across Retail, Online / eCommerce and Wholesale environments

  • Fashion, Branded, Discount Variety, Big Box, Own Label, Consumables, Homewares

  • Large corporate structures, Startups, Small business

With over 125 years combined experience in Merchandise Planning, our team is well equipped to meet any Planning need.

Merchandise Planning typically intersects with Buying, Production, Supply Chain, Finance, IT and Operations. As Merchandise Planners are highly analytical, numerate, computer literate people with a talent for problem solving, we are well positioned to offer support across a broader scope than pure Merchandise Planning, and tend to engage and influence cross functionally, rather than operating in isolation.