Buying Seasons and Their Significance in Product Planning

Buying seasons and their

significance in product planning

Timing The Purchase• Traditional Retailers : Subscribe to “fashion- first”

concept. :They try to have latest

merchandise in the beginning of the year. :They go for early purchase to

ensure early delivery. :This requires purchasing as early

as six months in case of domestic markets and one year in case of overseas purchases.

:This early purchasing goes with the risk of vagaries of fashion cycles and whims of fashion consuming public.

Timing The Purchase

• Traditional Retailers : Retailers not with fashion orientation do not need to buy early.

:This reduces the risks associated with early buying.

• Off Price Retailers : They do not plan the timings of purchase.

:They scout the market just about everyday looking for bargains and close-outs.

Seasonal Factors

• New ranges are introduced at certain time of the year assuming that weather will be as normal.

• Clothing producers have often found that their merchandise is subject to vagaries of nature. Summer/winter have either arrived too early or lasted longer or even appear not to have arrived at all.

• This leads to loss of profits either due to shortage of stock or heavy discounting to get rid of left over end of season stock.

• It is necessary to look at several years together to avoid the extreme vagaries of nature.

Seasonal Factors

• Different part of year are suitable for different type of merchandise. For e.g.

• October/November for clothing• April/may for school clothing• October-December for Gifts• Marriage season for Jewellery• May June for holiday merchandise

Seasons

• Autumn/Winter or Fall / Winter

• Spring/Summer

• Monsoon

• Mid-season ranges

Retail Buying Sequence(Autumn and winter Season)

Early September : Analysis of last year’s range, to identify good and bad sellers based on performance and average weeks' cover.

Average week’ cover is an indication of the rate at which a merchandise is selling and the number of weeks it would take to sell out completely at this rate.

The analysis will be by style, fabric, colour and price points.


• Early September : Supplier’s performance will be analysed by line(rate of sale, prices, profitability), quality and reliability.

Forward trends in terms of new ideas, colours, fabrics etc. are analysed with the help of in house design studio staff and colour and fashion forecasters.

The actual plan will be built up around improvements in existing range, addition to existing product lines and incorporation of new products into the range.


Late September :• Initial presentations of range ideas for basic

approval.• Alteration cycle begins.• Further research for concept development.• Initial buyer-supplier meetings to exchange

ideas and determine direction• Sampling & alteration process begins.


October :

Second stage screening is conducted.

Product development continues.

Visits are made to fabric fairs

Supplier development continues


November to the end of January :• Product development is finalised.• Test marketing of proposed new range is planned.• Sampling, negotiations with suppliers culminating in

agreement on prices. • Range meetings with top management for approval of

final ranges.• Sealed samples are taken.• Work begins on accurate buying figures and phasing of

deliveries.


November to the end of January :• Since range plan at this stage will feature

certain styles as experiments or test lines, they may carry more risk.

• Flexibility should therefore be built into range plan to purchase more of them if they prove to be successful .


February :

• Prices are finalised.

• Liaison on contract preparation begins

• Development of in-store and other promotional ideas.


April-May-June :• Chasing Production• Quality checks• Monitoring progress Feedback from above is used in continual

review process.


July-August :

• The first phase of range is launched in stores.

• Phases of delivery according to preplanning is set (Usually at every six to eight weeks)

Preplanning Checklist

• Sales History• Emerging Trends• Pricing• Competitors• Balance, cohesion and synchronisation

Documents

Buying Seasons and Their Significance in Product Planning