Merchandise Planner
Merchandise planners decide how much stock a retailer buys and when, balancing sales, cash flow and shelf space.
- Median salary*
- $92,000
4.0%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 1,500
0.0%vs last year
- Projected growth*
- +2%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Moderate
- automation risk
- Average hours*
- 40/wk
matches all-jobs average
- Shortage status*
- Not in shortage
national
Merchandise planners work alongside buyers and finance teams to set the range, quantities and timing of the stock a retailer carries. They build forecasts and manage open-to-buy budgets so stores hold enough stock without tying up cash in slow sellers, which is what separates the job from a buyer's, where the choice of what to range sits. Most work in head office planning teams at department stores, apparel chains, supermarkets and large online retailers.
How much do merchandise planners earn?
The median full-time salary for a merchandise planner is $92,000 per annum, before tax, up $19,100 since 2018.
Pay depends heavily on the size of the retailer and the complexity of the category, so someone planning a large grocery or department store range usually earns more than a planner on a small specialty range. Roles covering both stores and online, or a national network of stores, tend to sit higher again. Most head office planning jobs are salaried above the retail award, which means annual reviews and bonuses tied to sales and margin are what move pay once you are in the role.
What does a merchandise planner do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Analysing sales history and forecasting demand by category, store and season
- Building range and option plans within open-to-buy budgets
- Setting initial allocations and replenishment parameters for stores and online channels
- Monitoring stock levels, sell-through and markdown performance through the trading week
- Reporting margin, sales and inventory outcomes to buying, supply chain and finance teams
What skills do merchandise planners need?
Employers look for data analysis, financial analysis and modelling, budgeting and forecasting, backed by Microsoft Excel fluency and strong stakeholder management.
Specialist skills
- Data analysis
- Financial analysis and modelling
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Inventory management
- Merchandising and stock presentation
- Supply chain planning
Software and tools
- Microsoft Excel
- Power BI
- SAP Retail
- Anaplan
- Blue Yonder
General skills
- Stakeholder management
Is the job growing?
About 1,500 people work as merchandise planners in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 2% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a merchandise planner?
Here's the path most merchandise planners take, step by step.
- 1Study business, commerce or supply chain
A bachelor degree in business, commerce, supply chain or retail management is the most common way in, and Bachelor degree is the qualification held by 38% of merchandise planners already working. Degrees with an analytics or economics bent fit well, because the job runs on forecasts and budgets.
- 2Or build from a TAFE qualification in retail
Diplomas and advanced diplomas in retail management or logistics and supply chain are a recognised alternative, and many planners move up while working in stores. The route takes longer without a degree and usually starts in a junior planning or allocation role.
- 3Start in an allocation or analyst job
Allocator, merchandise assistant, demand planner and supply chain analyst roles are the usual entry points, and they are paid positions inside a head office planning team. They teach you the stock systems and the retail calendar before you carry a category budget of your own.
- 4Learn the planning systems
Excel is the baseline, with Power BI for reporting and platforms such as SAP Retail, Anaplan or Blue Yonder for range and replenishment planning. Employers expect some familiarity with these before you take on a full planning role, and short courses cover the basics.
- 5Move into a planner role, then across categories
Planners usually start on one category or channel and take on more once their forecasts hold up. Experience across several categories, and across stores and online, is what opens senior planning and category manager roles.
Ready to apply as a merchandise planner?
Whether you're working toward becoming a merchandise planner or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a merchandise planner move to?
Moving into Financial Analyst typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $17,200 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Analyst Merchandise planners work with budgets and sales forecasts, but moving into financial analysis needs a substantial reskill. | +$17,200 | 48% | reskill |
| Supply Chain Analyst Merchandise planners bring forecasting, inventory and supplier coordination skills to supply chain analyst work, though a degree-level reskill is needed. | −$4,600 | 54% | reskill |
| Demand Planner Merchandise planners use demand forecasts to set stock levels, making demand planning a close move with additional reskilling. | −$7,800 | 39% | reskill |
| Retail Buyer Merchandise planners know product ranges and stock budgets, which transfers to retail buying with further reskilling. | −$12,200 | 37% | reskill |
| Category Manager Merchandise planners already manage ranges and supplier performance, so they can step into category management with a short course. | −$13,000 | 50% | short course |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a merchandise planner?
The typical merchandise planner is 37 years old; 62% are women, 90% work full-time, and full-timers average 40 hours a week.
- 37
- Median age
- 62%
- Female share
- 90%
- Full-time
- +0h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a merchandise planner?
The job runs on the retail calendar: weekly trade reviews, seasonal range sign-offs and markdown periods all set the pace, so there is a steady cycle of analysis followed by a decision. It suits people who like numbers but want to see the result of them, since a good plan shows up as full shelves and a clean margin. The pressure comes from the same source, because forecasts are made months before the sales they predict.
What people like
- Your plan shows up in stores. A range plan that works is visible in what customers find on the shelf, so the feedback on your numbers arrives quickly and concretely.
- You see the whole retail picture. Planners sit between buyers, supply chain and finance, which means you learn how stock, margin and cash flow fit together.
- The work has a clear rhythm. Weekly trade meetings and seasonal sign-offs give the year a shape, rather than a queue of unrelated projects.
- There is real problem solving in it. Getting quantities right for hundreds of lines across dozens of stores is a puzzle with a measurable answer.
What people find hard
- Peak planning periods collide. Range sign-off, markdown planning and the Christmas build often land in the same quarter, so the hours stretch during those weeks.
- You often carry the awkward message. Cutting an order or marking down a range is a call you have to explain to buyers, suppliers and store teams.
- Forecasts are wrong in ways you cannot control. Weather, supply delays and a product that simply does not sell can undo a well-built plan, and you will be asked to explain the gap.
- The detail is relentless. Thousands of lines by store by week have to be checked and reconciled, and much of that still happens in spreadsheets.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ merchandise planners?
Department stores employs the largest share of merchandise planners, followed by Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing.
Top employing industries
- 1Department stores
- 2Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing
- 3Supermarket and grocery stores
- 4Furniture, homewares and appliance retailing
- 5Online retailing
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Bachelor degree | 38% | |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 24% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 20% | |
| Postgraduate | 10% | |
| Other | 8% |
Will AI replace merchandise planners?
Merchandise planning sits in the middle of AI's reach. The forecasting, replenishment suggestions and reporting that fill much of the week are increasingly automated by platforms such as Anaplan, Blue Yonder and SAP Retail, which shifts the planner's time from building the numbers to questioning them and deciding what to do. The judgement calls about ranges, markdown timing and supplier negotiation remain with the person.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Building demand forecasts by category, store and channelPlanning platforms now produce base forecasts from sales history and seasonality, leaving planners to adjust for promotions, weather and new ranges.30%high
- Setting open-to-buy budgets and range plansSoftware can model the budget options, but deciding which ranges get the money depends on strategy, supplier terms and how the season is expected to trade.25%moderate
- Running weekly trade meetings and negotiating stock movesAgreeing markdowns, stock transfers and order cuts with buyers, suppliers and store teams relies on judgement and relationships that sit outside the systems.25%low
- Analysing sales history and sell-throughReporting tools such as Power BI pull sell-through and markdown data together automatically, so the analysis is quicker but still needs someone to read what it means for the next range.20%high
Common questions about becoming a merchandise planner
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do merchandise planners earn?
Merchandise planners earn a median of $92,000 per year before tax. The figure moves with the size of the retailer and the complexity of the category, with national grocery, department store and large online retailers at the higher end and smaller specialty chains paying less.
How do you become a merchandise planner?
Most merchandise planners start with a degree in business, commerce or supply chain, then spend a few years as an allocator, merchandise assistant or demand planner before taking on a category budget. A TAFE diploma in retail management or logistics and supply chain is a common alternative, particularly for people already working in stores.
Are merchandise planners in demand?
Merchandise planners are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 2% over the decade to 2035. It is a small occupation, with about 1,500 people working in it, so openings mostly appear as planners move on or retailers build new planning teams rather than through steady volume hiring.
Will AI replace merchandise planners?
Much of the forecasting and reporting has already moved to planning platforms such as Anaplan and Blue Yonder, which generate demand forecasts and replenishment suggestions from sales history. What stays with the planner is the decision: which lines to back, where to hold stock and how to react when a range trades below plan.
What can merchandise planners move into?
Category manager is one move planners make, because planners already manage ranges and watch supplier performance, and it typically pays $13,000 less. Moving into financial analysis pays $17,200 more and takes a substantial reskill, since the modelling and reporting standards there are different.
What is the difference between a merchandise planner and a buyer?
A buyer chooses what the retailer ranges: the product, the supplier and the price. A merchandise planner decides how much of it to buy and when, working within the budget that range has to fit.
Related roles
Not sure this is you? Take the career quiz and get a ranked shortlist of roles that fit how you like to work.