Review of current season sales

 The buyer constantly reviews sales figures, which are available at least once a week,
to be aware of how a garment range is performing.
 The merchandise department usually takes responsibility for compiling a review of
the whole previous season's performance of the range so that the bestsellers and poor
sellers can be identified.
 This review often takes the form of a presentation to the buying team with samples of
garments from the range being shown and analysed. This may be known as a sales
review or range direction meeting.
 The QC department may contribute to the meeting by commenting on any technical
problems which may explain low sales figures, for instance the colour or fit in
production differing from the catalogue photograph of the garment.
 After the review of sales figures, buyers are armed with knowledge of which styles
the customer currently likes and dislikes and a framework of successes to build upon
for the new season, so a rough idea of the new range plan can start to be pencilled in.
 The buyer may instinctively avoid including in the new range a version of a garment
which has previously sold poorly, but this needs to be viewed within the context of
current trends.
 Low sales could also be caused by low quality standards of fabric or garment.
 If a garment has sold particularly well the buyer will probably decide to run one or
more versions of this style in the next season.
 Merchandisers usually plan budgets in conjunction with buyers.
 The framework for the budget is based largely on the last season’s performance as
discussed at the range review, as well as any anticipated developments.
 The buyer should be informed about the type of fashion trend than the merchandising
or finance departments and therefore needs to utilise this information to influence
budget-setting.
 Even before design concepts have been developed it is possible to estimate the total
value of a range by defining the number of styles with provisional quantities.
 The merchandise department may construct the price architecture of the range by
planning the number of styles per retail selling price.

New advancements

The changing dynamics of the fashion

industry since then, such as the fading
of mass production, increase in number of
fashion seasons, and modified structural
characteristics in the supply chain have forced
retailers to desire low cost and
flexibility in design, quality, delivery and
speed to market
The changing dynamics of the fashion
industry since then, such as the fading
of mass production, increase in number of
fashion seasons, and modified structural
characteristics in the supply chain have forced
retailers to desire low cost and
flexibility in design, quality, delivery and
speed to market
The changing dynamics of the fashion
industry since then, such as the fading
of mass production, increase in number of
fashion seasons, and modified structural
characteristics in the supply chain have forced
retailers to desire low cost and
flexibility in design, quality, delivery and
speed to market
The changing dynamics of the fashion
industry since then, such as the fading
of mass production, increase in number of
fashion seasons, and modified structural
characteristics in the supply chain have forced
retailers to desire low cost and
flexibility in design, quality, delivery and
speed to market
The changing dynamics of the fashion
industry since then, such as the fading
of mass production, increase in number of
fashion seasons, and modified structural
characteristics in the supply chain have forced
retailers to desire low cost and
flexibility in design, quality, delivery and
speed to market
The changing dynamics of the fashion industry since then, such as the fading of mass
production, increase in number of fashion seasons, and modified structural
characteristics in the supply chain have forced retailers to desire low cost and
flexibility in design, quality, delivery and speed to market
With the emergence of small collections of merchandise, fashion retailers are
encouraging consumers to visit their stores more frequently with the idea of ‘Here
Today, Gone Tomorrow’.

[Because of the Internet and new software brands and factories can receive real-time
feedback and alerts companies of defects or damaged goods helping the save
money and eliminate waste, helping deliver adequate products at the perfect time.

Some opt for management software like IQMS which serve in manufacturing

monitoring and data collection of your production in real time as parts are being
made and applied to the shop orders.
Today as cloud computing has grown, it lets factories and companies to work
together from many parts of the world at the same time. This can allow them to
access relevant data, facilitating quicker, more productive and clear communication.
In the case of optimizing communication and production with
factories, Techpacker helps streamline and automate this entire process. Their
cloud-based software allows everyone in design teams and factories to learn about
changes in tech packs in real time, eliminating the entire manual process and
emailing, making tech pack 70% faster than traditional methods.
Some labels like Badgley Mischa are already collecting data as soon as the models step
on the runway showing the latest designs. Thanks to a mobile application they
developed for iOs the label solicits feedback from the fashion show attendees to gain
more insight on how customers are reacting to an outfit. This information is
transmitted to retailers that carry their lines, helping custom forecasting,
replenishment of stock and optimize business planning.][2]

[Convert more sales quotes and proposals into orders by providing real-time
Available-To-Promise (ATP) and Capable-To-Promise (CTP) dates on all
standard or custom product configurations.

Manufacturers who are the quickest at delivering complete quotes are the ones
winning the most deals. Providing ATP and CTP dates on every quote requires real-
time integration between quoting, selling and manufacturing systems that scale
across a company’s entire product line.
With real-time ATP and CTP embedded in each quote regardless of the product
configuration, customers have the information they need to make a purchasing
decision.][3]

[Brands are exploring how 3D printing can help them produce goods on-demand and create new
avenues for customization. 
Another one is EFI Optitex which greatly improve the expensive and lengthy process of finding an
adequate fit by taking essential components of the designs like flat sketches and technical patterns
which morphed to simulated 3D renderings, which allow to cut, loosen the fit and make all necessary
adjustments in real time.
From Adidas’ 3D printed shoes to apparel brand Ministry of Supply, which uses an in-store 3D
printer that creates customized knitwear on the spot. In addition printing garments on demand
reduces fabric waste by about 35%.
Digital knitting is also changing the apparel industry, making great strides. It is not only showing
incredible advancements in the 3D printing sector but offering another entire range of customization
possibilities. For example brands like Australia based fashion label Shima Seiki can turn cones of yarn
into a full, seamless garment in less than one hour, while Ze-Nit is creating digitally knitted urban
wear allowing for functionalities and benefits to be placed where the body needs it most.][2]

Budget Planning
All successful buyers begin the Buying-Selling Cycle by developing a realistic,
workable plan that may be easily adjusted based on future current happenings in the
retail store. This stage begins with planning, estimating, and budgeting or conducting
an analysis of numerical data. It consists of analyzing actual information and
happenings of the previous year, the same season, for which the seasonal plan is being
created. Based upon the findings, the buyer estimates figures that are practical and
attainable for developing a successful Six Month Merchandise Plan/Budget (i.e.,
departmental plan with estimated monthly inventory levels, sales, reductions, and
purchases).
Also, in this stage, the buyer scrutinizes and evaluates the effectiveness of the Sales
Promotion Division’s (i.e., advertising; publicity; special events, including fashion
activities; and visual merchandising) activities for that same season of the previous
year. This information becomes the basis of the seasonal marketing plan. A large
amount of the buyer’s daily work consists of planning or analyzing and crunching
figures as well as developing unique promotional plans that create an exciting retail
environment with fun-filled activities for the target consumer. The other major job
activities in this stage include evaluating, anticipating, and forecasting fashion trends
that meet the wants and desires of the target consumer. Although the buyer has access
to many innovative sources of fashion trend information through the media, at market,
and from the store’s.
Major vendors, many of those trends are not appropriate for the store’s target
consumer, the store’s geographical location or its fashion and store image. Frequently,
the buyer must select trends that can be adapted to the fashion level (i.e., degree of
design innovation inherent to the merchandise) of the consumers’ preference and that
are saleable in the geographic location of the store. The buyer has many resources
from which fashion trend information is collected. A tool for correlating fashion trend
information into the merchandising process is the Buying-Selling Curve. This curve
relates a) the fashion level of the product to its position in the Product Life Cycle, to
b) the target consumer, to c) merchandise type, to d) buying techniques, and to e)
marketing techniques.][1]
New advancement
 [Through the data of previous season which is gathered through AI machine
learning ,the budget planning has become much more easier.
 A recent Retail Vision Study report stated that 70% of retail decision makers
globally are ready to adopt the Internet of Things to improve customer
experiences. Apparel items will have digital capabilities that open
communication between retailer and customer – such as NADI X, yoga pants
 with built-in sensors that users into alignment by vibrating they move through
the various yoga poses.][4]

Comparative Shopping
 Comparative shopping is usually undertaken at the beginning of each season by the
buying and/or design teams.
 This means looking at current merchandise in the stores of competitors which sell
comparable ranges (similar product types and prices).
 The report is sent which may include some sketches and often takes the form of a grid
with descriptions of products compared with prices, fabrics and colours of similar
merchandise from competing stores.
 A conclusion may be added analysing how the competitors’ ranges compare with each
other and noting any important trends or styles which are missing from the buyer's
range so that this may be acted upon quickly.

1.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232964904_Fast_fashion_Response_to_changes_in_th
e_fashion_industry/link/00b49528279ff793b6000000/download

2. https://www.techpacker.com/blog/manufacturing/5-top-trends-in-fashion-manufacturing-
technology/

3. https://erpblog.iqms.com/10-ways-data-revolutionizing-manufacturing/

4. https://thenextweb.com/contributors/2018/08/14/how-technology-is-changing-the-fashion-
industry/