Showroom Buying
A Step By Step Guide
As with most things in life, a clear vision is crucial in showroom purchasing. Retailers should have a clear idea of their store concept, target market and seasonal budget. You must know who you are buying for before you can make the right brand choices – whether luxury brands or more affordable items.
Those new to the fashion industry may be unsure of the target group or store concept and should, reach out to experienced companies with wholesale knowledge. This consultation can help you make successful choices. Once you have your brand assortment in hand, you can then set up meetings with showrooms.
It is important to have a gameplan when first entering a showroom. Retailers should prepare a portfolio and be prepared to present their business in the best light. This portfolio should include:
Store photos (professional-quality, please!)
This presentation is your ticket to high-quality showrooms. As a new retailer, a business plan is required. The assistance of an experienced fashion industry consultant is invaluable in creating a great presentation. The unwritten rules of any business require years to master, and fashion is no different.
During Fashion Week, the fashion world goes a little crazy. Everyone is running from show to showroom, placing orders. Again, speak with experienced industry players to learn the best way to best manage your schedule. The pace of activity makes is absolutely necessary to set up appointments well in advance of Fashion Week itself.
Showrooms normally launch their sales campaigns one month before Fashion Week. For example, for the Fall/Winter (F/W) collection, showrooms begin receiving the new collection in mid January. The second week of January through the second week of February is a great time for you to coordinate with showrooms.
The sales account manager will be your guide in the showroom. You will first be given a short introduction to the new collection. As the retailer, you then begin putting together your order based on the available selection and your own needs.
Every brand has its own unique ordering rules. These include:
The sales account manager will complete the order sheet for the retailer’s selection. After the order has been made, the retailer will receive confirmation on the chosen pieces.
Yes, bargaining is possible. But this also depends on the quantity of your order. Having a chaperone who knows local showroom managers and owners can greatly improve your chance of getting deals and discounts, so partner up with a knowledgeable local buyer or business to get ahead of the competition.
30% downpayment to enter production
Which is better: multi-brand or mono-brand showrooms?
Most multi brand showrooms work as brand sales agents. Since sales agents are restricted to a specific, assigned territory, it is important to work with the agent responsible for your store location.
Multi-brand showrooms give retailers more bargaining power, since the revenue of a multi-brand showroom is earned from commissions on retailer’s orders. Such showrooms will push brands for better deals for a powerful retailer. Their bargaining power comes from their high-volume orders made on behalf of their broad customer base.
By contrast, most mono-brand showrooms are managed directly by brands. Retailers therefore have less bargaining power when dealing directly with brands.In a multi-brand showroom, you will have much greater choice across different brands. If you are a multi-brand store owner, a multi-brand showroom will provide you with more inspiration and offer you a wide selection of products. However, this amount of temptation can also lead you to wrack up high costs. So always keep an eye on your budget when faced with several fantastic lines.
A mono-brand showroom both forces and allows you to focus on a specific brand. A sales account manager will certainly understand the collection in greater depth – both in terms of brand philosophy and familiarity with best-selling items. If your store has a very specific target client group, selecting one or two lines for in-depth development will always benefit your clients and your business.
From a logistical point of view, it is always better to have a sales account manager to take care of all of your orders. However, it is also true that you will visit more than one showroom during your ordering process. It is a difficult job to follow-up with every single showroom to manage logistics. In this case, an experienced consultant would help. They possess in-depth understanding at every level of the process, meaning you only need one point of contact ensure your products are delivered on-time.
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