Lim Yin Yen

As product manager in E commerce company which sell sofa cover in United State

• Work closely with China fabric suppliers and manufacturers to ensure design feasibility and quality
• Oversee the entire product development process from concept to launch
• Organize and oversee user research, focus groups, and usability testing to inform product decisions
• Develop and execute a comprehensive product strategy, aligning with business goals
• Monitor product launch performance, track KPIs, and iterate based on data-driven insights.
• Work out BIP and inventory costing tracking

As Head of Merchandising in new set up supermarket that have around 3000 SKUs include grocery, household, beverage, chill & frozen, fruits and vegetables.

• Connect with distributors and direct suppliers and get support with at least 1 month payment term and some with returnable term.
• Collaborate with IT or relevant departments to implement and set up the Panda system effectively.
• Ensure accurate data entry and maintenance of the item master to reflect current inventory, pricing and vendor information.
• Recruit and train a competent merchandising team ( 5 team members) capable of managing inventory, procurement, and product placement effectively.
• Establish clear processes for replenishing stock to minimize out-of-stock situations while avoiding overstocking.
• Organize products into logical categories to facilitate shopping for customers.
• Develop planograms (diagrams illustrating how and where products should be displayed) to optimize shelf space and maximize sales.
• Research potential suppliers and negotiate favorable terms and pricing agreements.
• Build strong relationships with key suppliers to ensure reliable and timely deliveries.
• Collaborate with marketing and advertising teams to develop strategies for increasing brand awareness.
• Plan and execute promotions and marketing campaigns to attract customers and drive sales.
• Utilize sales data and analytics tools to assess the performance of individual SKUs.
• Identify top-performing products and those with low margins or slow sales to make informed decisions about inventory management and pricing.
• Continuously evaluate supplier relationships and explore opportunities to improve terms or find alternative suppliers.
• Stay informed about market trends and industry developments to identify new suppliers or negotiate better deals.

As Merchandising Manager for Food & Durable in baking ingredients for WM and EM.

• Managed SKU item master transition from Panda to SAP, overseeing the migration process. Push the migration process to go live on time which have drag for 1 year.
• Established and led an item master team ( 6 team members) to maintain and update product data and purchase orders in SAP. Improve data, pricing and balance stocks accuracy.
• Designed processes for replenishment, both local and import, including forecasting to minimize stockouts and overstocks, and set up and implemented Vector replenishment system for inventory management. Improve OOS from 35% to below 10 %.
• Handled dealings with overseas suppliers for importing raw materials and managed relationships with shipping companies and forwarders for import shipments. Connect with forwarder to get 3% lower shipping cost and 90 days payment term.
• Sourced new product ranges and alternatives to maximize margins, negotiated trading terms and costs with suppliers, and managed category management to optimize shelf space.
• Developed over 100 OEM brands SKU, overseeing sourcing, quality management, cost control, packaging design, market research, testing, and development plans. Achieved 4% growth of total company margin with OEM SKUs, especially on Dairy products.
• Developed strategies for stock liquidation, margin improvement, and sales enhancement, including promotion plans with suppliers aligned with marketing strategies.
• Rebuild merchandising team with 14 team members and provided guidance and leadership to the merchandising team to achieve company strategies and targets.
• Stayed abreast of market trends through market surveys, exhibitions, and supplier interactions, ensuring alignment with selling market trend products.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to create new owned brand products or baking applications to drive market trends.
• Collaborated with warehouse team on suppliers' delivery schedules and product storage conditions. Improve and save storage cost.
• Managed stock allocations to outlets, including new product launches and promotional items, and was involved in inbound and outbound supply chain processes and delivery schedules.
• Ordered and sourced packaging materials for production usage and ensured quality, health, safety, and environmental standards in production and OEM product quality.

As OEM Merchandising Manager for Non Food category in Hunan China Hypermarket with more than 200 outlets.

• Develop and launch 300 SKUs for non-food products such as stationary, towels, slippers, bed liner, household items (hanger, pail), extension sockets, battery luggage bags, disposable products (garbage bags, aluminum foil, paper cup, cling film). Uplift Non-food department sales by 12% and margin 15%.
• Conduct market surveys, attend exhibitions, and gather information from suppliers to ensure the selection of trending products for product development.
• Analyze market trends to identify which products have potential for OEM development.
• Develop designs for product packaging to enhance product appeal and marketability.
• Develop strategies to improve margins and increase sales for OEM products.
• Manage replenishment of stocks and allocate them to outlets based on demand and sales trends.
• Negotiate and deal with suppliers to secure favorable trading terms and pricing agreements.
• Visit supplier factories to gain insights into product quality and production processes, ensuring adherence to quality standards.
• Provide guidance and leadership to the team ( 8 team members) to align with company strategies and achieve targets. Achieved target in continuous 2 years and get highest tier incentive.

As category buyer for Milk & creams category

• Responsible to source products and negotiate for lowest cost from suppliers to ensure the company meet the targeted gross margin and sales generated from the products.
• Involved in monitoring & observing customers' needs by paying regular visits to stores & competitors to deliver best value offer to customers in making sure the company increase its market share, to maintain leadership & competitiveness in the market.
• Able to achieve every month buying income.

As Senior Category Manager for Grocery and Sundry

• Negotiate and finalize trading terms with suppliers. Average increase trading term back margin by 0.5%- 1 % from each suppliers.
• Deal and connect with MNC suppliers, Nestle, Coca Cola, Lam Soon, P&G, Unilever, Pepsico, DKSH and etc.
• Lead and mentor team members (12 team members) to achieve company goals and targets.
• Provide guidance and training to buyers for securing promotion deals with suppliers and addressing operational issues.
• Monitor the progress of buyers' tasks to ensure alignment with company strategy and requirements.
• Delegate assignments to buyers to meet company deadlines and objectives.
• Establish and uphold effective margin and price control measures to maximize company profits.

As Asst Category Manager for RTD, Beverage , Breakfast & Cleaning Category.

• Source products and negotiate with suppliers to ensure the company meets targeted gross margins.
• Deal and connect with MNC suppliers, Nestle, Coca Cola, Lam Soon, P&G, Unilever, Pepsico, DKSH and etc.
• Monitor customer needs by visiting stores and competitors regularly to offer the best value and increase market share.
• Assist the Senior Category Manager in establishing effective margin and price controls to maximize profits.
• Manage product assortments, pricing, and promotions to achieve company targets.
• Negotiate with suppliers for better terms, rebates, and advertising support to benefit the company.
• Cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers for long-term strategic partnerships.
• Utilize merchandise management systems to manage sales, profits, and costs effectively.
• Manage stock levels in both warehouses and stores to meet company targets.
• Coordinate with operations to execute planned promotions efficiently and achieve sales targets.
• Forecast stock needs to prevent stockouts at store level.
• Propose promotion mechanics to suppliers to boost sales.

As Senior Category Manager for Departmental Dept- Electrical, Household, Stationery, Baby, Softline, Textile, China Import

• Join as management trainee handle sundry, snacks, confectionary, beverage, liquor category.
• Outspoken and outstanding negotiation skill and promoted as Senior category manager in 1 year period . Achieve a groundbreaking milestone by surpassing Econsave's HR record with a promotion within 1 year, structured under a two-tier hierarchy.
• Acquire valuable import process skills and expertise, while simultaneously fostering strong relationships with shipping forwarders, as an integral aspect of this role.

• Search new customers and deal with customers
• Follow up services
• Deal with suppliers to fulfill customers demand and requirements
• Source for new suppliers to offer best quality and price to customer.