Yu-Heng (Howard) Chen is an accomplished sports product merchandise planning professional. He has over many years of experience in the industry and a unique perspective on global markets due to implementing merchandising inventory strategies across Asia, North America, South America, and the Pacific. Yu-Heng melds his passion for sports products and innovation with his ability to connect with consumers’ perspectives.
“I have successfully managed merchandising operations across four continents, providing me with a nuanced understanding of diverse markets and consumer behaviors. This global outlook allows me to tailor strategies that resonate with varied audiences while achieving business objectives,” Yu-Heng explains.
Data-Driven Expertise
Yu-Heng’s analytical rigor and passion for sports product innovation have driven his success. His decisions are data-driven and implementable, and he has consistently delivered profitable growth for the companies where he has worked. While at Nike Asia Pacific Latin America (APLA) Men’s Sports Merchandising, he created data-driven merchandising strategies contributing to long-term growth.
Yu-Heng was instrumental in a new framework that analyzed consumer behavioral patterns and pinpointed consumer preferences for each region, which is now a standard tool for the merchandising team. He utilized retail metrics such as sell-through, margin, and full-price realization. He managed multiple seasons and product lines at APLA, including Kobe and NBA Apparel collections.
“Sport Product Merchandising is not just art and science, it is also about how you understand your consumer and market,” Yu-Heng says.
When devising his strategies, Yu-Heng considers macro factors (market and trend) and micro factors (consumer and style). He also thinks about every aspect of a consumer’s appearance (even accessories), where they live, and how the market and trends affect their buying choices.
Versatility Across Roles
Yu-Heng has held various positions and utilized his abilities in diverse roles. He has launched new stores, led multi-channel buying, and conducted market research and trend analysis, to name a few of his many tasks. His ability to strategically plan and implement cost-saving measures and boost sales growth has been a defining feature of his many achievements.
For Adidas Taiwan Limited, Yu-Heng led the launch of 6 new stores across Taiwan and oversaw their ongoing management. Under his leadership, the stores achieved 20% month-over-month sales growth and surpassed their sales targets, generating $377k in revenue.
Yu-Heng also performed data-intensive merchandising roles for Nike North America NDCC Merchandising. He resolved the problem of price discrepancies in the stores to ensure prices were correct and created a “seamless consumer experience.” He also managed 6000 SKUs for seasonal wear, ensuring price accuracy across the online and physical stores.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Yu-Heng has won high praise from those he has worked alongside. His expertise and skill have made him a valued lead member of teams, and his work is considered to be an exceptional value.
“I thrive in collaborative environments, working effectively with teams across product creation, planning, and sales to deliver impactful results. My ability to influence end-to-end product offerings ensures alignment with market needs and company goals,” Yu-Heng shares.
Yu-Heng looks forward to the future and keeps abreast of the latest insight strategies or tools for the market as trends rapidly change due to the influence of technology and social media.
