• Merchandise means goods bought and sold; and trading of

goods. Merchandising is an activity of selling and promoting the

goods.
Merchandiser is a person who interacts with the buyer and seller,
and also puts efforts into proper relation between buying offices/
buying agents/ agency and seller/ exporter in terms of executing an
order.
A garment export unit generally has many departments like stores,
cutting, production, packing, checking etc. Merchandising
department is the star of the department among all the working
departments in the Export concern, because Merchandising is the
only department having maximum control over the departments
and total responsible for Profit and loss of the company.
• Objects of Merchandising
Merchandising denotes all the planned activities to execute and dispatch
the merchandise on time, taking into consideration of the 4 Rs to
replenish the customer.
•
Right Quantity: To dispatch right quantity of product what buyer ordered.
•
Right Quality: It should be with right quality as accepted both parties.
•
Right Cost: Everybody wants more from what they are paid.
•
Right Time: No one wants to wait idle even in a Restaurant. Keeping
delivery schedule is mandatory.
 Qualities of Merchandiser

• Planning Capability: Merchandiser should be capable of planning, based on the planning the order is to be
followed. If the planning is not done properly it will directly affect the delivery time of the order.

• Decision making: For a Merchandiser, decision making power is most important. He should think about the
decision to be taken and to act in a right way.
•
Communication Skill: The communication is very much important to promote the business activity. The
merchandiser should remember that communication must be lurid and should having face to face conversation
with the buyer.
•
Loyalty: Loyalty is an essential character of human beings. Especially for the business people like merchandiser it
is a must.
•
Knowledge about the field: Merchandiser should have adequate knowledge about the garments, Computer
knowledge, and technical knowledge to communicate with different people in the business is a must.
•
Co-ordinate & Co-operate: Merchandiser is the person who is actually co-ordinate with the number of
departments. To Co-ordinate with different people in the industry he should be co- operative.
•
Monitoring ability: Merchandiser should monitor to expedite the orders.
•
Other qualities: Education, Experience, Situational Management, Ability to Evaluate, Dedication, Knowledge of
expediting procedures.
 Function of Merchandisers
• Developing new samples, execute sample orders
• Costing
• Programming
• Raw materials / Accessories arrangement
• Production scheduling (or) route card drafting
• Approval of various Process, Pattern and size set
• Pre production follow up
• Meet Inspection Agencies
• Production controlling
• Identifying shortages and make arrangement for the shortages
• Following quality assurance procedures, quality control procedures
• Monitoring the in-house, sub-contractors and junior activities
• Buyer communication
• Communication with sub-contractors, processing units & other 3rd parties
• Proper reporting
• Highlighting to the management
• Record maintenance
• Developing samples
• Placement of orders to suppliers
• Taking measures for consistent production
• Taking preventive action to maintain the targeted performance in all areas of activities
• Attending meeting with superiors and furnishing the required details about merchandising
 Purchase order (PO) is received from
the buyer which includes:
•
PO no/date
• Buyer/Consignee
• Garment no
• Measurement
• The description of the garment
• L/C date
• Last date within which shipment to be reach the destination.
• Sign and seal
• Order validity date
• After receiving PO from the buyer merchandiser issues PO for the fabric
unit, buttons, thread, dyeing unit, printing, embroidery and other raw
materials. These raw materials’ are checked and color, quality and size
approved by the merchandiser.
• Merchandising is a specialized management
functions within the fashion industry. It is the
business that moves the world fashion from
designers showroom to retail sales floor and
in to the hands of consumers. It is the internal
planning that takes place within a retail
organization in order ensures adequate
amount of merchandise are on hand to be
sold at prices that the consumers are willing to
pay to ensure a profitable operation
 Following are the responsibilities of
merchandisers which gives importance to them
• Internal & external communication,
• Sampling,
• Lab dips,
• Accessories & trims,
• Preparing internal order sheets,
• Preparing purchase orders,
• Advising and assisting production,
• Advising quality department about quality level,
• Mediating production and quality departments,
• Giving shipping instructions and following shipping,
• Helping documentation department,
• Taking responsibility for inspections and
• Following shipment.
3. TYPES OF MERCHANDISERS:
 FASHION MERCHANDISER
• Fashion merchandising involves all the activities starting from the
fashion forecasting, design and product development till to retail
sales and this also include production merchandising and retail
merchandising. This will be taken care by the buyer’s part. Fashion
merchandise includes items of retail merchandise which have
decorative value either with or without also having functional value.
Fashion merchandise includes mostly item of apparel since they can
all be decorative and functional.
Fashion merchandising refers to all the planning and activities
involved in bringing the right fashion merchandising at the right
place at the right time with right quantity at the right price and with
right sales promotion. The fashion apparel world exists between the
designer and the retail customer. The field of fashion merchandising
exists to service the designer –customer relationship.
FASHION MERCHANDISER
 APPAREL EXPORT MERCHANDISING
• Apparel export merchandising may be defined as ‘all the planning & activities involved right from the
buyer communication & order receiving till the execution or shipment of the order by fulfilling the following
factors (Six Rights):

•
Right Merchandise: Retailers must fill their shelves with the merchandise that customer wants.
•
Right Place: The location of the merchandise is of prime importance since it decides the accessibility. Much
merchandise is seasonal in nature and must be on hand when it is most needed.
•
Right Time: Much merchandise is seasonal in nature and must be on hand when it is most needed.

•
Right Quantity: A profitable balance between volume of sales and amount of inventory is the desired goal.

•
Right Price: Merchandiser must arrive at a price that is high enough to give the store profit and yet low enough to
meet the competition and customers expectations.
Right Promotion: Right balance between the investment and the appeal created for the customers.
APPAREL EXPORT MERCHANDISING
 APPAREL RETAIL MERCHANDISER:

• The word ‘Retailer’ is originated from the French word ‘retailen’

which means ‘to cut again’. Retail business involves cutting off a
smaller part from a big or large good or product and selling it to the
end users.
• Retail merchandising involves all the activities related to direct
selling of products or services to the ultimate consumers or users of
the product for personal, non-business purpose.
• Retail merchandiser sells products in less quantities and they act as
an inter mediator between the ultimate consumers and
wholesalers.
• A retailer is both a marketer and a customer and he creates place,
time and facilities to sell the goods. It is difficult, time consuming
and expensive, hence the retailer takes risks through ownership.
Functions of a retail merchandiser
They provide personal services to all consumers.
• They give two way information; from producer to consumer and
vice versa.
• They facilitate standardization and grading of goods.
• They undertake physical movement and storage of goods.
• They assemble goods from different suppliers and wholesalers.
• They keep ready stock of goods to supply to consumers.
• They extend credit facilities to the consumers.
• They create demand by presenting window display, events etc.
• They also undertake sales promotional activities.
• They assume risk by stocking and providing goods to the
consumers.
ORGANISATION STRUCTURE OF A
RETAIL ORGANIZATION
Apparel Retail Merchandising Process