Introduction
Production Merchandising is a function of multiple
activities performed by a person which are either parallel or inter connected.
Some of them are interdependent and others are independent of each other.
Merchandising involves planning and execution of the export order with the
right place, at the right time, in the right quantities, at the right price. It
is concerned with all the activities necessary to provide buyers with the
merchandise they want to buy and when and where they want it and at prices they
can afford and are willing to pay. Hence it involves making execution plans,
understanding the buyers need regarding quality and cost, follow up of running
order, effective communication with buyer. The term ‘Merchandising’ has always
been a magic word and hot pick of the cake in the field of apparel and fashion
merchandising. Most of the persons who want to pursue a career in the apparel
field want to become a merchandiser. What makes this so much attractive and
important is—reputation, responsibility and career growth.
Functions of production merchandiser
1. Product development
Product development is the business policy of the
organization which includes the development of the new designs and styles
within the organization. This activity brings the more business to
organization, by showing pro-activeness in design development buyer also
impress. The role of production merchandiser in this activity plays very
important role. Production merchandiser must keep update to buyer time to time
about the product development done by organization. Motivate the buyer to give
the design development to the organization instead of doing themselves.
Whenever buyer visits to the organization, presentation of new color, prints,
embroidery patterns and desk loom developments is done by production
merchandiser. To present new designs developed by product development
department. Try to convince the buyer to select the designs from
presentation. A very good presentation
and convincing ability of production merchandiser brings more business to the
organization.
2. Sampling
Sampling is one of the main processes in Garment
manufacturing and it plays vital role in attracting buyers and confirming the
order, as the buyers generally places the order once satisfied with the quality
and responsiveness of the sampling. Sampling is the most crucial and most
important stage of fashion merchandising. Sampling department makes samples on
the basis of the specification and requirement by the buyer. Sampling in
merchandising may be defined as “The concept, perception and ideas of fashion
designer developed into product samples, in systematic stages of product
development, with technical and quality clarity in a development.” The role of
merchandiser plays the crucial role as the follow up of the samples is
important aspect. Buyer passes some comments to the merchandiser after
submitting the sample. These comments are needed to understand and communicate
with the sampling department. Get changes from the sampling and resubmit to
buyer. Follow up with buyer to get approvals of the sample.
3. Costing
Costing is the very dynamic process, and it is the most
important function performed by merchandiser. Merchandiser should have
knowledge of costing and it’s calculations. While calculating the cost of the
garment merchandiser keeps following things in mind.
Fabric consumption
Trims
CMT
Value added services: printing, embroidery, washing,
applique
Testing
Transportation and logistics cost
Profit of the manufacturing organization
Currency exchange rate
The role of merchandiser does not end only after calculating
the cost, but after quoting the cost merchandiser need to negotiate with buyer
on cost of the garment.
4. Planning (Time and action calendar)
Production merchandising is an interdependent activity.
Successful merchandising is outcome of effective preparation and follows up of
time and action calendar by all departments. Time and Action Calendar or TNA, a
most important jargon used in fashion merchandising, it is an effective way of
coordination and following up of important milestones in preproduction
processes to ensure timely delivery within stipulated delivery date. Despite
claims of being practically in use by most buying and manufacturing organizations,
the follow-up of orders/styles during the pre-production processes are not fool
proof and there are several myths which need to be redressed claims. Production
merchandiser prepares the TNA by keeping things in mind like production
capacity, lead time of buyer, holidays etc.
5. Communication
Communication is a most important aspect of any export order
process. In production merchandising there are various tools used to
communicate with buyers in order to proceed further in export order like
quality manual, purchase order, packing list, color way communication, style
no. tech pack. Buyer communicates each and every aspect of on-going and future
style with merchandiser only. Merchandiser must be able to communicate with
buyer and with internal departments effectively to process the export order effectively.
There are several modes of communication like telephone, email, actual
meetings, fax etc. merchandiser must aware of etiquettes to use these modes of
communication.
6. Coordination
Coordination is the major aspect of fashion merchandising,
one need to coordinate with all the departments within the organization and
outside the organization in order to run the export order successfully.
Coordinating with other department is the one of the major responsibility of a
production merchandiser. A production merchandiser has to coordinate with the
other departments so as to complete its job and to following the production
activities. Factory merchandiser uses different formats and documents to
coordinate within the factory like BOM, production file, tech pack. Some of
them are need to create by factory merchandiser some of them are provides by
buyer. This type of coordination referred to as internal coordination.
Production merchandiser needs to coordinate with buyer as buyer also takes the
follow up from merchandiser. Merchandiser provides the formats to the buyer
like production status report, packing list, TNA etc.
7. Sourcing
For garment export house fabric and trims are the raw material which needs to be outsourced. Sourcing is basically determining the most cost efficient vendor of materials, production, or finished goods at the specified quality and service level. It is closely associated and an important part of apparel merchandiser’s responsibility. Materials basically include piece goods that will be cut and converted into the garments. Not only does the fabric have to be appropriate and suited to the garment design and end use but it must also be made available at the precise time when it is needed. Thus, lead times play an important role in the sourcing and placing orders for the materials required for the production. Lead times required from a supplier can vary from as little as two weeks to as much as nine months. Trims are all the materials other than the piece goods that are required to make up a garment. Findings require the same careful planning as the piece goods. As soon as the fabric is in the stores, then only the sourcing of the threads start because the color of the thread must match the buyer’s requirements. The ordering of the threads must be complete by the time fabric is cut ready to be feeded to the sewing lines. Sourcing department along with apparel merchandiser plays the vital role to execute and shipment of export order successfully. Merchandiser must make sure that all approvals related to fabric and trims should be coordinated with the sourcing department in given timeframe.
