Fashion merchandising and its levels

Fashion merchandising plans the right goods at the right time, place, price and promotion, for the most profit. The merchandiser turns inspiration into design, and plans production, promotion and distribution.

Merchandising works at different levels:

• Manufacturing: advises on fabrics, and the best way to make the item within the price and target market.
• Buying: chooses items for a store, using trend analysis and forecasting.
• Promoting: sells the designer's products to stores, through fashion shows and visual merchandising, and finds the right stores.
• Selling: sells to stores, recommends production, and suggests in-store display.

Merchandising in organisations:

• Retail organisation: internal planning, so that enough stock sells at acceptable prices.
• Buying agency: buys for buyers; finds vendors (suppliers), negotiates costs, and checks quality during production and before shipment.
• Export house: buyer merchandisers link the buyer and the manufacturer (sourcing, sampling, communication); production merchandisers keep production on the buyer's schedule.

Right goods, right time, right place, right price.