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Textile and Apparel Merchandising: Order to Shipment

Merchandising is executing an order from receiving to shipment through proper following-up the in-between processes. According to the American Marketing Association, merchandising encompasses "Planning involved in marketing the right merchandise or service at the right place, at the right time, in the right quantities, and at the right price.” 

Merchandising can also be defined as the process of identifying and understanding what target customers want and providing them with the desired textile items or merchandise at a certain price and lead-time by making a communication bridge between the buyer and the vendor. So the merchandising process involves at least three parties namely- 

1. Company: who offers the product to the customer. 
2. Customer: who is targeted by the company with the help of merchandiser or who places the orders. 
3. Merchandiser: who places his/her position between the above two parties.

১ গজ কাপড় কত কেজি অথবা ১ কেজি কাপড়ে কত গজ?

এটা গার্মেন্টস টেক্সটাইল সেক্টরের জন্য অতি প্রয়োজনীয় একটি বিষয়ঃ বুঝে শুনে হিসেবে নিকেশ করা যদিও না বুঝে মুখস্থ করার অভ্যাস অনেক পুরনো। অংক করার আগে অধ্যায়ের শুরুর মুখবন্ধ বুঝে নিলে নিজে নিজে কঠিন অংক সহজে করা যায়। গার্মেন্টস-টেক্সটাইল সেক্টর ও রপ্তানি প্রক্রিয়ায় সম্পৃক্ততার সুবাদে প্রায় কাপড়কে কেজি থেকে গজে কিংবা গজ থেকে কেজিতে কনভার্ট করা লাগে।

Responsibilities of a Merchandiser | Apparel Merchandising

A merchandiser has to deal with all the processes from the receipt of the order to the shipment. But the fundamental responsibilities of a merchandiser are as below: 

1. To identify and analyze what the buyers want and execute accordingly by proper communication with all the department involved. 

2. The prime responsibility of a merchandiser is to ensure the on-time shipment along with the right quality. 

Garment sampling | Garment Sampling Process Flow Chart

Md. Syduzzaman
Assistant Professor,
Department of Textile Engineering Management, BUTEX

Garment sampling is one of the major tasks of a merchandiser. S/He has to develop different kinds of samples at different stages with different requirements to be approved by the buyers. Buyers' approval of each sample allows proceeding to successive processes. Developing and taking approval from buyers to move on is termed as garment sampling process. Though sample requirements vary from buyer to buyer, the samples mentioned below are more or less the same for all the buyers. 

Retail Merchandising | Role of a Retail Merchandiser

Retail merchandising is another type of merchandising beside fashion merchandising and production merchandising. Retail merchandiser usually sells the products in fewer quantities to the ultimate consumers. S/he acts as the bridge between the wholesalers and final consumers.

The role of a retail merchandiser is as below- 

Customer analysis

⬇

Image of the retail store

⬇

Merchandise transaction

⬇

Display

⬇

Promotion activities

⬇

Sales evaluation

A to Z of Apparel Merchandising

Proto sample order enquiry:  This is the first stage in which the buyer will enquire with the Merchant/merchandiser about the new order.

Forwarding tech pack:  When the order enquiry has been done, then the buyer sends a “Tech Pack” or technical specification sheet to the Merchant/ merchandiser. Tech pack includes all the details of a style and which includes the items as follows:

• Product style design
• Measurements
• Fabric
• Style code
• Colour code
• Embellishment details, etc.

লোকাল পণ্যের চেয়ে ইম্পোর্ট করা পণ্যের দাম কম কেন?

মনে করুন আপনি একটি ফ্যাক্টরির মার্চেন্ডাইজিং ডিপার্টমেন্টে আছেন। প্রোডাকশন লাইনের হেড আপনাকে জানাল একটা মেশিনের পার্টস নষ্ট হয়ে যাওয়ায় একটা লাইন বন্ধ আছে। সে আপনাকে এটাও জানাল যে, এই পার্টস আমাদের দেশেও তৈরী হয় কিন্তু চীন থেকে আনালে খরচ কম পড়বে। তখন কি আপনার মনে এই চিন্তা আসবে না যে, লোকাল মার্কেটে খরচ বেশী কিভাবে হয়? বেশী হওয়ার কথাতো ইম্পোর্ট করলে। কারন ইম্পোর্টে অনেকগুলো প্রসেস পার হতে হবে।

যেমনঃ এক্সপোর্ট, ইম্পোর্টের অনুমোদন পাওয়া, কাস্টমসের ফর্মালিটি, শিপিং কস্ট ইত্যাদি। সেই হিসাবে লোকাল মার্কেটে যে জিনিসের দাম ১০০টাকা হওয়ার কথা বাইরে থেকে ইম্পোর্ট করতে গেলে সেই প্রোডাক্টের দাম মিনিমাম ১৫০ তো হওয়া উচিৎ। তাই নয় কি?

Apparel Merchandising | The Role of a Fashion Merchandiser

Apparel Merchandising The process of executing an apparel order from receiving to shipment through proper following-up all the in-between processes. Merchandiser in the apparel industry is the person who is involved in managing the buyers and their orders by taking care of the garment business in his/her concern. Merchandisers should take care of every single stage from receiving of order to shipment. S/he has to deal with quality, quantity and most importantly time. Merchandisers must have sharp eyes on each and every supply chain involved.

According to the theory on merchandising, Myer defines merchandising as “Careful planning, capable styling and production or selecting and buying, and effective selling”.

In general, the merchandisers or the merchandising activity in the apparel industry can be classified into three broad categories as shown below-

Apparel Merchandisers

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⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤⏤

↓                                                  ↓                                                 ↓

Fashion Merchandiser         Production Merchandiser                  Retail Merchandiser

Merchandising | The Role of Apparel Merchandiser

Apparel Merchandising The process of executing an apparel order from receiving to shipment through proper following-up all the in-between processes. Merchandiser in the apparel industry is the person who is involved in managing the buyers and their orders by taking care of the garment business in his/her concern. Merchandisers should take care of every single stage from receiving of order to shipment. S/he has to deal with quality, quantity and most importantly time. Merchandisers must have sharp eyes on each and every supply chain involved.

Merchandising: Role & Responsibility of an apparel merchandiser

The activity of trying to sell goods or services by advertising them or displaying them attractively.

or

According to American Marketing Association, merchandising encompasses "planning involved in marketing the right merchandise or service at the right place, at the right time, in the right quantities, and at the right price.”

or 

The planning and promotion of sales by presenting a product to the right market at the proper time, by carrying out organized, skillful advertising, using attractive displays, etc.

or 

Merchandising is executing an order from receiving to shipment through proper following-up the in-between processes.

or 

The process of identifying and understanding what target customers want and providing their desired textile products to them in a certain price and lead-time by making a communication bridge between the customer and the company. 

So merchandising process involve of at least three parties: 

1. Company/Supplier/Vendor: who are making the products for buyers. 
2. Customer/Buyer: Who place the order to the vendors or who are targeted by company with the help of merchandiser. 
3. Merchandiser: merchandiser places his position between the above two parties.

Merchandising Teams:

Merchandising can be structured in numerous ways but more commonly, it is structured on the basis of -

1. Customers 

2. Products 

3. Geography

On the Basis of Customers: 

Merchandisers are supposed to retain the customers and they are their representatives, so the division based on customers is very logical from this point of view. 

• Merchandiser A: taking care of “IKEA” 
• Merchandiser B: Taking care of “WALMART” 
• Merchandiser C: Taking care of “LI &FUNGs” 
• Merchandiser D: Taking care of “TESCO”

On the basis of Products:

• Yarn Team,
• Fabric Team,
• Production Execution Team. 

or 

• Kids wear Team,
• Girls Wear Team,
• Boys wear Team, 
• Ladies wear Team,
• Mens wear Team,
• etc.

On the basis of Geography:

• European Buyers' Team,
• USA Buyers' Team,
• Asian Buyers' Team,
• etc.

Merchandising Functions?

• Study of fashion trend and fashion forecast in association with fashion designer; 
• Studying potential target customer; 
• Sourcing information about the customer and his profile; 
• Sourcing information about the product, its categories, styles, specifications, assortments, size details etc. ; 
• Sourcing foreign buyer; 
• Negotiating orders, cost calculation, pricing, securing orders through master LC; 
• Sourcing fabrics, trims and accessories; 
• Placing order for the fabrics, trims and accessories materials and making regular follow-up; 
• Getting samples made, making costing and pricing of the same; 
• Rectifying samples if necessary; 
• Completing the whole sampling procedure as per customer requirement; 
• Getting buyer approval of the sample; 
• Estimating lead time; 
• Production and shipment planning; 
• Keeping track of raw material arrival, production cycle, and organizing inspections;
• Monitoring production and product quality; 
• Making regular liaison with the customer and keeping him update on order & production status; 
• Follow up of customer instruction in respect of packing and packaging; 
• Arranging product delivery on time; 
• Follow up with the customer in respect of shipment and informing him shipment details; 
• Coordinate with shipping/ export department; 
• Arranging payment against export order; 
• Quick response follow up in respect of any of the buyer’s query. 

Role and Responsibility of Merchandiser?

• Securing order, sourcing materials and constant follow-up with the customer; 
• Coordinate with all the concerned departments of manufacturing factory, supplier organization and the buyer. 
• Needs to cut a balance between quality, lead time, delivery schedule and price of the merchandise; 
• Organize the purchase of materials, follow-up of production, costing, quality & delivery schedule under tight deadlines. 

Textile Testing Lab

Testing 

To evaluate how something works under certain established methods or test standards. Textile testing is to check its properties under certain conditions in a standard environment prescribed as per Test standards. 

Types of Testing?

Destructive testing: The testing which breaks the test specimen and goes as waste after testing is called destructive testing. For example, tensile test, compression test, bending test etc. 

Nondestructive testing: The testing in which test materials do not go as waste after testing is called non-destructive testing method. For example, thermal and electrical conductivity testing.

Why testing?

- To check the quality and suitability of raw material;

- To monitor the production (process control);

- To assess the quality of final product;

- To investigate the faulty materials;

- To set standards or benchmarks;

- For R&D (research and development) purpose;

- For new product development.

Testing laboratories play an indispensable role in the execution of a garment order. Various types of standardized testing are required by the customers in every stage of product development like the yarn stage, fabric stage, garment stage, etc. In addition, quality executives carry out various tests at each level to ensure the quality of the material. These labs are divided into the following three categories from the point of functionality.

1. In-house Lab

2. Buying house Lab

3. 3rd Party Testing Lab

In-house Lab: 

Every manufacturing plant has the testing laboratory facilities along with the production unit. The main function of this type of lab is to ensure the right quality of the items like yarn, fabric, garments etc. Yarn count, composition, hairiness, twist factor etc. are tested and maintained to a standard limit for the yarn manufacturing plant. Fabric structure, dimensional stability, weight, spirality, standard shade and colourfastness properties, etc. are tested for the fabric manufacturing plant and the testing lab at garments check the quality of stitches, seams, and different measurements, etc.

Buying house Lab: 

This is actually the customer nominated lab up to their standards. Fabric technologist working at the buying house execute various types of test sought by the ultimate buyers. The vendors send the items to the buying house for approval and of course, they send after doing the in-house tests. Despite that buying house lab test is to ensure everything is as per the standards as mentioned in the PO or other technical package. After testing, checking and evaluating, buying-house gives approval to the vendors to proceed. Sometimes, items should be sent to the original buyers for approval for special issues. 

3rd Party Lab: 

Sometimes, customers do not have the testing setup and they then nominate some well-recognized and standard laboratory to work on behalf of the customers. These labs are termed as the 3rd Party Lab. This type of lab is designed only to test and providing certificates. While issuing an order, customers seek some standard tests done at every stage along with the products from vendors. Yarn count, fabric structure, weight, spirality, colourfastness, presence of hazardous materials, embellishment durability test, overall appearance test of the garments are the most common tests done in the 3rd party testing lab. Another very important function is doing an inspection after the production and they issue gate pass to ship the items to the customers. SGS, Intertek, TUVSUD, Bureau Veritas are some of the most renowned and reliable 3rd party testing labs.
Reference: A Practical Guide to Textile Testing by K. Amutha (Woodhead Publishing)