How to Improve Your Merchandising Skills [Part-1]

It was long since Arman Mahmud has published his last article on apparelmakers.org blog. Last few months the writer was busy with his regular desk work with his apparel merchandising jobs. There was lots of thing he had to do to organize his desk. In his recent experience, he felt that - to do well in merchandising job as well enjoying the life, one has to improve in certain areas of doing work (or process). So, his new writing is about "how to improve merchandising skills." This is the first part of five part series.

How to improve Merchandising Skills?

Apparel industry is the largest export earning industry in Bangladesh. A huge number of people are working as merchandiser and now-a-days it is one of the best job in Bangladesh. The job pays well, challenging too. Merchandisers are the heart of a Garments or Textiles. A good merchandiser can even change the fate of a garments factory or garments trading company. But if we analyze, we will find at least 70% of top position in this industry is grabbed by foreign managers. It doesn’t mean that we don’t have quality merchandisers or merchandising managers. The real scenario is our merchandisers are lacking few criteria. What I mean is there is some opportunity for improvements. Now these improvements can be done with academic knowledge or by skills development with individual’s hard work. Here I won’t talk about academic things. What I believe is academic degree or course will only help one to get a merchandising job, but for further improvements, one has to develop his/her own individual (personal) skills

Let's see the improvement points, those are -

• Developing Vision 
• Get updated about the market everyday
• Get idea of cost accounting
• Organize thyself
• Personal developments
• Positive mentality to technology

Developing Vision: At least 80% of the merchandisers working in this trade are not from textile background or degree, no degree from any textile college or textile university. I am not telling this is not suitable trade for them. What I wanted to say is - of those 80%, most of the merchandisers came into this industry, as they did not get any chance to be a doctor, engineer, pilot, or a banker. In most of our child hood, we have learned to dream about those careers only. So from the day they got the opportunity to be a merchandiser, they try to switch to a different job in another track where there is more comfort. But, working in this trade kept them busy, because of the less organized working structure in the industry. So it takes more effort and time from merchandisers to get the job done.If in first three or four years, this merchandiser don’t get any opportunity to switch the job, they stay, but meantime they have already lost important learning period.

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Do you really agree with the writer? 

Don't forget to tell us what you think about this article? In the next part, the writer will discuss about those points... So, don't miss it. Tell us what do you want to know about merchandising. 

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Who is a GOOD Merchandiser?

Who is a good Merchandiser? What are the qualities that can make you good? What can make you sustain in this challenging profession? To be a good merchandiser all those question need to be  answered. In our 50th post on 10.10.10 we have focused our readers that merchandisers are the driving force to keep the process in order along with others working in this apparel industry. Written by Arman Mahmud, an experienced merchandiser working in an well reputed garments manufacturer in Bangladesh. 

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In the apparel industry, merchandisers are the BRIDGE between the management (or industry) and the buyers. He/she builds up the relationship with the buyers, and acts as a seller. Merchandiser plays a vital role in an apparel business in a sense that they bear more responsibility than others in regard to the execution of an order.

Merchandiser has to look after every job, such as - buying the raw materials (required to produce the products), making the garments, finishing it, documenting (over all views) all the relevant papers and records, finally shipping out the goods.

Merchandisers are the responsible person to make the products.

See what Wikipedia says about merchandising -- 

Merchandising is the methods, practices, and operations used to promote and sustain certain categories of commercial activity.[1]  In the broadest sense, merchandising is any practice which contributes to the sale of products to a retail consumer. At a retail in-store level, merchandising refers to the variety of products available for sale and the display of those products in such a way that it stimulates interest and entices customers to make a purchase.

Image (C) myfashionmarketingcareers.com

In my view, the merchandiser is who creates a good relationship between exporters & buyers. The responsibilities that Merchandiser bears on the jobs -

• Represents as a buyer to the factory
• Represents as a seller to the buyers
• Looking into the business to flourish more in future
• Offer the deal in a more competitive mode without compromising the Quality
• To satisfy the buyers to progress more of the future business.

Merchandises aim is to impress the buyers by means of –  

1. Right product
2. Right quality
3. Right quantities
4. Schedule time

Required inner quality needed for a good Merchandiser:

Forecasting Ability

While more methodical than fortune telling, merchandising does require forecasting ability in many sense. A thorough knowledge of trends of the previous season and an awareness of current industry developments will serve you well in a merchandising career.

Analytical Ability

Problem solving and analytical ability also comes in handy in this field. A good sense of style would be an obvious help. However, a merchandiser must also determine how things fit into a budget, and whether they meet the functional needs of consumers. Other criteria may also influence merchandising decisions, so a merchandiser will need to be able to analyze a complex set of issues and stand behind his/her choices.

Communication Skills

Merchandising also requires good communication skills. From negotiating with manufacturers to getting your marketing message out to customers, there is ample opportunity to exercise the power of communication in the merchandising field - 

• Good command over English and an adequate knowledge of technical terms (we will publish a docs for the terms) for accurate and efficient communication. Especially good command in the language where the merchandise will be shipped. Now Japan is the most potential customer for Bangladesh, not only for apparel exports but also for other goods such as leather goods, shoes etc. So, right now, learning Japanese language would be the wisest and trendy decision in this trade.

• Good knowledge of Fiber, Yarn. Fabric, Dyeing, Printing, Finishing, Dyes and chemicals, Colorfastness, Garments production, etc. This knowledge can be acquired through both reading and practical experience. Apparel Makers’ blog would be your good choice for current industry news and information.

• You should have clear conception of the usual potential quality problems in the garments manufacturing.

• Good knowledge of the usual raw materials inspection systems & garments inspection systems. Relationship with the testing authority working in Bangladesh and knowing their process can be a definite advantage.

• Knowledge of the quota system used in each of the producing countries', duty rates, customs regulations, shipping and banking documentation etc.

That’s only a short description in which we have given you an idea who is good merchandisers for the industry. Our apparel industry needs you to be more skilled and capable in managing things well. This sector earns us more then 76% (appx.) of our foreign earnings and you are in the driving force to keep this process up. It is you, not the production who faces the buyers and meets their requirements with good customer service attitude in mind.

As merchandisers you need to develop yourself as well you need to march your company forward to meet its goal. You may have different opinion or suggestions, even some good experience to share with our readers’, let us know. We want to listen to you, just put your opinion into the comments box, and let’s have a discussion.

You can start discussing the same in our facebook community space at facebook.com/apparelmakers.

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Role of Merchandisers in Garments Industry (Part-1)

In our continuous effort to tell you the Apparel Makers' Story in Bangladesh here is our first post of the merchandisers series. In which Arman Mahmud tells you the Role of Merchandisers in Garments Industry. He is working as a Senior Merchandiser in a 100 % export oriented Knit Composite  Garments Manufacturer in Bangladesh.  
 

The textile and garment industry is booming in Bangladesh The main competitors of Bangladesh are countries like China, Korea, Pakistan, India  and Sri-Lanka.

The Bangladesh garment industry is gaining ground in the world market at breakneck speed, but still not flourished at its fullest extent. The key factors behind this are low technological development, lower output, cut throat competition, high raw material cost, inadequate infrastructure, traditional productivity, unfavorable regulatory policies, and globalization impact. However, there is a fair list of the producers, suppliers, and exporters that are fully acknowledged with regulatory policies and formalities, international marketing policies and procedures. The only concern is in executing their productivity initiatives, and meeting with order deadlines.

Cost of production is increasing day by day in Bangladesh, which was an added advantage when the wages and yarn price were low in Bangladesh. So, now to have the orders and to make money the only way is to better management of the order. And better management is possible with quality merchandising.

Now days, major companies are adopting merchandising concepts, which comply with all procedures to execute and on time shipment, considering quality, cost and time. Merchandisers are serious in the success of any garment retail business. They provide the right products at the right time, enabling a company to match with latest market trends and meet the market demand. In the merchandising concept, time management is the key to manage one's time properly, so he can focus on value adding actions.

Today's garment merchandisers have to move with frequent changes in demand and the developing technologies utilized in manufacturing and production. To find out customer requirements, they regularly visit retail outlets, and come up with latest updates from frontline staff. In order to keep an eye on developments in sourcing, site visits are made every week to mainland factories to meet suppliers and study production.

In garment merchandising, there is no specific rule, so it's important to be able to think on one's feet.

This is the end of this part. Click here to read Part-2 

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Other article by Arman Mahmud: 

• Importance of Quality Sample in Apparel Industry. 
• Role of Merchandisers in Garments Industry (Part-2)

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