Tthe Role of the Fashion Buyer - Essay Example

? Retailing Task: Buyers currently perform several duties. Most importantly, they watch the market and trends for the best products. In addition, they review the existing merchandise for an appropriate balance to a competitive strategy. In this sense, buyers perform roles that directly relate to the commercial aspect of fashion stores. They do this by balancing financially viable merchandise, at competitive prices, for optimum profits. It is essential to note that fashion retailing is a unique aspect that deviates from ordinary retailing. In this perspective, the roles of a merchandiser and a buyer are complementary but deviate to distinct paths. In a traditional aspect, buyers focus on the visual aspects of garments while merchandising focuses on the analytical and numerical aspects of garments (Madaan 2009, p.10). A buyer’s principal objective pertains to identifying market appropriate garments that can as well satisfy the company’s profit requirements. This overall responsibility split into several roles. To begin with, it is crucial to consider types of buying roles in terms of high street and high end perspective. This splits in terms of retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers. In high street fashion, a buyer may be involved with stocking a shop that deals with designer brands. However, high street fashion deals with other garments apart from designer brands. In a multiple retail store, a buyer would concern with a whole process of product development and arranging delivery of finished products. In independent clothes’ retailing, a buyer purchases garments from wholesalers and sell at one’s suitable price. In terms of a multiple retail store, a buyer possesses several specific tasks. To begin with, a buyer should select a range of garments that satisfy an optimum profit plan. Target margin refers to the profit that occurs after deductions of discounts and unsold stock (Jackson & Shaw 2006, p. 113). In this sense, a buyer’s task pertains to maximizing sales, of purchased stock, and minimizing unsold stock. Besides, a buyer should consider specific profit margin for single products. This necessitates that a buyer works with a merchandiser for a proper mix of stock. In addition, they observe trends of other businesses for interpretation to target customers. In addition, a buyer has a task of identifying a reliable supply base. Buyers must be knowledgeable of ineffective suppliers’ effect on sales and eventual profits (Jackson & Shaw 2000, p. 67). More importantly, it is vital for a supplier to consider quality in terms of the cost that the supplier imposes. Furthermore, a buyer should consider the reputation of a manufacturer and supplier in terms of unethical practices. The media are so sensitive that it can pull down a major fashion store because of such an affiliation. After choosing a dependable supplier, a buyer considers the input from entities such as design garment technology and merchandising. This necessitates a process whereby the buyer negotiates of cost prices to supplies. This requires a buyer to possess skills of negotiation in terms of levers. Besides, buyers should evaluate and research on relevant and research market (Entwistle 2009, p. 57). This information is so diverse that it should include future fashion trends, past and current sales. In addition, the buyer should evaluate a consumer’s closest need. Buyers should also check competitor stores for evaluation of garments and prices. Besides, buyers should establish communication channels with the management, suppliers and product teams. For instance, supplier communication is vital for realistic, accurate and realistic about the specific terms of a placed order. Product range entails significant presentation in which creative details are clearly evaluated. In addition, buyers have the mandate of considering supplies within the constraints of a store’s budget. Other parameters include consideration such as historical orientation on sales and color trends. In addition, a buyer should consider the available selling space of a fashion store. In a general sense, a buyer should ensure the cohesion and coordination of a buying team. A buyer is a critical person that observes and evaluates different entities for purchasing merchandise. To begin with, buyers attain vital information from catwalks. Catwalks include information such as color in trends. Buyers highly consider colors, in trends, for relevant selection of garments (Easey 2008, p. 177). For instance, colors such as yellow and green have turned around to become focal choices in fashion stores. In other instances, fashion stores should veer off conventional colors for appeal to high end markets. A relevant instance concerns the case of pilot shirts. Most consumers would prefer unique mix of colors in the same. Designers and buyers consider the pattern of colors that conform to financially viable trends. This is a scientifically intensive process that deserves detailed attention and creative engagement. However, buyers sometimes do not take a cue from designers. In this sense, they would consider products that they would speculate for future trends. Buyers highly consider range plans, in garment choice, in providing the right mix for consumers. There are three types of garment elements that buyers check for a fashion store collection. To begin with, there are core items. These classic items suggest that they are carried forward in every buying year. An example of a classic item pertains to the case of converse sneakers. It refers to the fabric and shape that is always relevant in the fashion market. These core items are vital for a robust brand identity. Notably, pre-collection trends are gaining popularity. This is because consumers fall back to such trends when fashionable clothes fall out of popularity. This means that they form intermediary trends. Apart from core elements, seasonal pieces are essential for particular periods of the year. Some cuts and fabric suit certain periods of the year. During a season of summer, it would be advisable to include elements such as linen garments. During winter, it is recommendable to include items such as wool and fur. Lastly, directional pieces refer to fashionable trends that make stores stand out (Okonkwo 2007, p. 45). This may pertain to speculated trends or current ones. However, they should make up less than 20 percent of a collection. Social events such as the Football World Cup and London Olympics play a vital role in fashioning certain trends. Additionally, celebrities play a role in giving surprise trends. Range planning is an activity that pertains to selection of financially and creatively viable garments for a store. This takes the form of a list whereby a buyer includes possible garments according to a cost that does not surpass the set budget. In this case, buyers consider consumer behavior, historical sales figures and forecasting trends. A buyer goes through an intricate buying cycle in sale of products. The example, of a brand buyer is vital for illustrating a comprehensive buying cycle (Cheng & Choi 2010, p. 391). To begin with, a buyer engages in budget planning. This means that one estimates costs of purchases according to available finances. This constitutes the overall expenditure of a season. Thereafter, a buyer should visit competitor shops for comparative purposes. This helps with study of prices and favorite trends. Such visits are necessary for covering up loopholes of a fashion store. In close relation to this, buying should entail visit of directional shops. This pertains to study of fashion forward trends. Thereafter, buying should entail going buying appointments. In this case, buyers can engage in negotiation of prices and amounts of orders. Discussion, with brand owners, should entail negotiation for discounts. In the processing of orders, buyers write to brands. Thereafter, they confirm orders in terms delivery dates and terms. A buyer should then monitor deliveries in terms of quality and accuracy of delivery. This means that the brand owners should supply the correct products. Additional duties of a buyer include monitoring sales figures in terms of weekly and daily reviews. This is appropriate for immediate action. The last element in the buying cycle pertains to review of a season’s performance. A buyer works with notable entities in achieving one’s tasks. A vital component, of this structure, is a merchandiser. Merchandisers perform complimentary roles with the buyer. In this sense, they coordinate with buyers in organizing a stock collection according to trend analysis. A merchandiser ensures that a collection achieves the balance of color and style (Harder 2004, p. 241). In this sense, a merchandiser ensures that different sizes are available to all customers. Additionally, they control stock deliveries, allocation and budget. On the other hand, designers have the mandate of producing designs that buyers can select for sales. Designers also accord, a brand, a creative direction. A garment technologist works close to a designer. A garment technologist is responsible for providing technical analysis to products (Hines & Bruce 2012, p. 65). Integration is vital for garment technologists, designers and buyers in a fashion store. In the past, there was an incoherent coordination of the three entities. In the structure, designers existed at the far end. The designers existed at the middle while the garment technologist performed their duties at the far end. Integration is a structure that provides the scenario for all entities to work mutually. This is a method whereby the head of buying would contact the designer or the buyer. There are core reasons for integration. To begin with, integration tackles the challenge of technical and complex requirements of garment making (Moore, Bruce, Birtwistle 2012, p. 15). Therefore, designers work with garment technologists for effective work. In addition, the availability and necessity of several fabrics necessitate close working of designers, buyers and garment technologist. More essentially, integration is appropriate for the highly competitive industry of fashion retailing. It is discernible that buyers perform vital roles in fashion retail businesses. In a general sense, buyers watch the market and identify products that would both appeal to profits and customers. In this sense, they possess both aesthetic and numerical skills. A buyer works with entities such as the merchandiser, the garment technologist and the designer. These duties include identifying suppliers, choice of garments and observation of trends. In this perspective, a buyer engages in range planning. This constitutes to providing a mix of garments that suit customers’ tastes and profit margin. The paper notes of integration. This is essential for a competitive market and high requirements of designing garments. Bibliography Cheng, T, Choi, T, 2010 Innovative quick response programs in logistics and supply chain management, Springer, London. Easey, M 2008, Fashion marketing, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester. Entwistle, J 2009, The aesthetic economy of fashion: markets and value in clothing and modeling, Berg, Oxford. Harder, F 2004, Fashion for profit: from design concept to apparel manufacturing, Frances Harder, Hoboken. Hines, T, Bruce, M, 2012 Fashion marketing, Elsevier, Burlington. Jackson, T, David, S 2000, Mastering fashion buying and merchandising management, Palgrave Macmillan, London. Jackson, T, David, S 2006, The fashion handbook, Routledge, New York. Madaan, B 2009, Fundamentals of retailing, Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi. Moore, C, Bruce, M, Birtwistle, G, 2012 International retail marketing, Routledge, Burlington. Okonkwo, U 2007, Luxury fashion branding: trends, tactics, techniques, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. Read More