BUYING CYCLES AND TOOLS OF MERCHANDISING

Fashion Buying
Multifaceted job involving:

fashion forecasting range planning order sourcing budgeting and marketing.

Refers to key events and processes involved in

developing a garment range for a retail or mail ordering company. and events etc.

Driven by a fixed calendar of trade fairs, fashion shows

 Traditionally splits into two main seasons:

Spring/ Summer(Feb to Jul) and Autumn Winter (Aug to Jan).

Length of the cycle varies between the companies but usually takes a

year.

 Season
FALL

Order Confirmation
December January February March April May June July August September October November

Order Delivery
March April May June July August September October November December January February

HOLIDAY

SPRING SUMMER

An example of the buying cycle for phase 1 Autumn/Winter10 range

Task Review of current seasons sales Budget planning Comparative shopping September09 Directional shopping (Fabric sourcing) Range planning Garment sourcing Price negotiation with suppliers Final range selection Placing orders for ranging (Product development- samples, testing etc.) April10 Bulk garment manufacture Delivery of products to retailer IN STORES Approximate date early August09 mid- August09 August August October09 October09 October November09 November09 November December09 mid December09 December January January April July10 August10 August October10

Buying Process
Buyer is always working on two seasons ranges simultaneously.
i.e. while planning a range for the autumn winter season, the buyer

simultaneously works on the garment fittings, fabric sample and quality approval of the range for spring summer season.

 Review of current seasons sale:

The available sales figures reviewed by the buyer to know

garment's performance.

The merchandising department compiles a review of previous

seasons performance of the range to identify the best sellers and the poor sellers. meeting.

The review is known as sales review or range direction

Budget Planning:
Planned by merchandiser. Based largely on last seasons performance as well as any

anticipated developments. department.

Buyer needs to be far more informed than any other

Fast Fashion
A business strategy aimed to reduce processes in buying cycle and

lead time for getting new fashion products into stores in order to satisfy consumer demand at its peak.
Aims at the more fashion conscious younger end of the market. Buying cycle is usually much shorter than a year. The response time has to be very quick.

 The concept has become mainstay of the UK fashion industry. The fashion retailers usually introduce new ranges to stores at least

once a month.
The bestsellers are retained while the phases are introduced

frequently to the stores.

Such ranges, also known as transitional help in filling the gap

between one season and next.

This makes the fashion buying environment extremely challenging

as the workload for two or three seasons overlaps, leaving no time to pause in between new ranges.

Directional Shopping
Directional Shopping - trips to gain inspiration for design concepts

for a new season.

Depending on the product type & the companys travel budget,

designers & buying teams visit major fashion cities.

Stores of most influential designers & retailers, usually in a higher

price bracket than the market they design for are visited.
They return with bought samples (notes, sketches & garments)

for inspiration.

 London, Paris & New York are destinations popular with

designers for most product types & market levels.

Milan is often visited by lingerie designers. Childrenswear designers may find more inspiration in Tokyo. In London, designers usually aim for the major fashion

departmental stores like Harrods, Harvey Nichols & Selfridges.

In Paris, the main department stores which stock fashion designer

wear are Galeries Lafayette & Au Printemps.

 A directional shopping trip to New York usually includes visits to

Macys, Bloomingdales & Henri Bendel in Manhattan.

In Milan, La Rinascente is the key department store which is visited.

 Buying team visits stores stocking merchandise following different

trends.
Most stores visited stock designer ready-to-wear ranges.
They may also visit mass market stores which are aimed at a younger

market & or are more expensive than their own range.

Basically the buying team makes notes on shapes, details, colours &

fabrics for reference

After this entire exercise a picture can be formed of the key trends

which are coming through.

 Buying teams are usually given a budget to buy garments during

directional shopping trips.

These are generally referred to as bought samples, which typify the

trends.

Comparative Shopping
Comparative Shopping is often referred to as Comp. Shop. Usually undertaken several times each season by the

buying/design teams.
Involves observing the current merchandise in the stores of

competitors which sell comparable ranges (similar product types & prices).
The aim of Comparative Shopping is not to copy competing

retailers products.

 It is conducted to be aware of the choice of merchandise on offer to

target customer to ensure that the company offers consumer value for money & is aware of developments.
Report - sketches & a grid with descriptions of products compared with

prices, fabrics & colours of similar merchandise from competing stores.

This report concludes by analysing how competitors ranges compare

with each other & noting any important trends or styles which are missing from the companys range.

Range Planning & Selection

 Range Planning is the stage when buyers define the detail of the range

that is to be offered to the customer in terms of styling, fabric, design details, suppliers and prices.
Final Range Selection involves contacting suppliers, amendments to be

made, renegotiating prices and writing range plan

Initial orders are sent and New Line sheets are generated by buyers

Importance
To increase sales To offer existing customers new products To attract new customers To offer choice and variety of product To replace products which are not selling well

To build on the success of good selling products

To differentiate the range from the competition To be in line with seasonal trends To utilize new raw materials, new techniques, or new technology