Author: Nick Scheffers
Date of publishing: 1 July 2026
Ten years ago, the role of Merchandise Planners was turned totally upside down. Today it’s all happening again, but for very different reasons.
I recently had an in-depth conversation with Thunderstock’s Linda Jager, reflecting on her experiences as a Head of Merchandise during one of the most transformative periods for fashion retail.
This newsletter distills the most valuable experiences and learnings from the previous 10+ years, to understand how roles and toolsets have evolved, and how they will continue changing in the coming years.
Most importantly, we’ll chart a course for how you can prepare for the next phase.
The challenges of merchandising: now vs. a decade ago
The role of a Merchandise Planner was very different a decade ago. In many ways, it was in its infancy.
For example:
- Buyers led procurement, using siloed KPIs to guide decisions
- Procurement decisions were made every half year for almost the whole assortment
- The economy was more forgiving; with robust consumer demand and lower costs
- Fast Fashion was just emerging; market pressure was lower
- ‘Nearshoring’ was a small part of your supplier portfolio.
Back then, a big part of the job was just handling and managing data, as the available toolsets were much more limited.
Data had to be manually put into spreadsheets from Word documents or PDFs, and spreadsheets needed constant attention.
It was normal for Merchandise Planners to spend their Sundays getting all that data in order, in preparation for Monday’s presentation.
In fact, the role was much more administrative, with little attention paid to optimization or strategy.
The results weren’t always perfect, but that mattered less. Costs were low, and consumer demand was strong. This changed very quickly, however as soon as the ‘Fast Fashion’ trend really took hold.
Changing market = new priorities
To begin with, overstock wasn’t seen as a big problem. Sharp discounts were normal, and leftover stock was usually quite minimal, due to robust demand.
But then, it all changed.
The global economy took a nosedive, and the sovereign debt crisis eroded consumer confidence over an extended period. As the Euro’s purchasing power plunged by ~30%, the cost of inventory (and the risk) went up.
Suddenly, overstock was no longer a minor issue. It was a hot topic, and everyone in the industry started to focus on how to solve it.
Fast Fashion kicks the market into action
Then, a second wave hit: Fast Fashion really started to pick up pace.
After years of quiet growth, giants like Zara and H&M really started taking things to the next level. Competing with this business model would require rewriting the rule book.
Procurement needed to be on shorter cycles to match collections to new trends, and sales performance had to be precisely measured.
This is when ‘real planning’ came into existence.
And, of course, spreadsheets couldn’t handle the complexity of this challenge. Purchasing and allocation was more fragmented now, and the risks of getting it wrong increased substantially.
Without ready-made tools, many retailers set up their own systems and redistributed roles and responsibilities.
It took some time, but everything became much more structured and aligned.
Emerging opportunities today
That, in a nutshell, is how Merchandise Planning went from a relatively background role to one that held a lot of responsibility for a retailer’s P&L.
Retailers that adapted to those challenges in the past have emerged stronger. They have better systems and businesses that can respond quickly to new market demands.
Today, there’s another major shift already in motion: AI.
These are the major changes we can expect from AI in retail:
From data analysis to decision-making: AI can perform data analysis now. This means planners will shift towards formulating and executing commercial strategy instead.
From manual work to continuous optimization: AI tools can take over many key (time-consuming) tasks, and this accelerates Merchandise Planners’ work. Decisions are faster, and iterative optimization is much easier.
From forecasting to commercial execution: AI can uncover all kinds of hidden patterns and deep insights (plus it never gets tired of it). This creates new commercial opportunities by accurately meeting consumer demand with timely actions.
From unmanageable complexity to data stewardship: Data is crucial. New roles will need to cover data stewardship; deciding which data to ingest, how to structure it appropriately, and how to maintain data quality. An API-first and MCP oriented IT architecture is also essential.
Let’s get ready for the next big change
The landscape has changed, but the role of Merchandise Planners has remained. If anything, it has only grown in importance and responsibility.
The next phase will continue to elevate this role. With an array of expert AI agents by your side, you can take actions and make decisions based on instant advice and deeper insights.
By embracing the inevitable shifts in this role, Merchandise Planners can put themselves at the center of operations, optimize performance, and take their job to the next level.
I believe that the next generation of Merchandise Planners won't be measured by how well they build spreadsheets. Instead, they'll be measured by how well they make commercial decisions.
In other words, AI won't replace planners. It will amplify the best ones.
Until the next edition!
Nick.
Quote: I believe that the next generation of Merchandise Planners won't be measured by how well they build spreadsheets. Instead, they'll be measured by how well they make commercial decisions
