1. Chapter 10
Fashion Distribution
Buying Fashion
Selling Fashion

2. Chapter Objectives Explain the role of the fashion buyer.
Discuss the steps in the buying process or merchandising cycle.
Identify the types of fashion retailers.
Discuss buying motives.
Identify the difference between personal and non-personal selling.

3. Fashion Buyer’s Job
Buyers make sure merchandise consumers want is available in stores
Buyers purchase goods from vendors
Must be able to predict what consumers want six months to a year before the goods reach stores
Monitor styles and trends and which items are selling – like those featured in Vogue and Bazaar
Read trade publications like Women’s Wear Daily
Must have good fashion sense and keen business skills

4. Merchandise Planning-
The Buying Process
There are three steps in the buying process, also known as the merchandising cycle: starting with predicting what customers will purchase. 3 2 1
Merchandise Planning-
Estimating
styles, colors,
sizes and prices
Merchandise Buying-
buying goods from
vendors or
manufacturers
for resale
Merchandise Selling-
exchanging of
goods for
money from
retailer to
customer
Section 10.1

5. Types of Fashion Retailers
Macy’s is an example of a large department store.
Dept. stores employ at least 25 people
Sell apparel/accessories, home furnishings, and household linens
department store a retail operation that carries different kinds of merchandise and houses them in separate sections, or departments
A specialty store will generally emphasize a certain style, such as classic or trendy.
It targets its merchandising to specific age groups and price ranges.
Examples: PacSun, Claire’s
specialty store a retail operation that offers only one category or related categories of fashion merchandise
Section 10.1

6. Types of Fashion Retailers
Because the target market for a boutique is smaller, the buyer must plan purchases carefully.
boutique a type of small specialty store that offers a more limited selection of merchandise and may focus on few-of-a-kind items
Apparel and accessories carried by boutiques tend to be more trendy. Example: Main St. shops in Clinton
The designer store concept is called vertical retailing.
By selling directly to the consumer, designer stores earn bigger profits.
Examples: Gucci, Guess, Coach, Talbots
designer store a designer-manufacturer retail operation that owns and operates the retail store and carries only its own lines
Section 10.1

7. Types of Fashion Retailers
The goods offered at an outlet may be overruns, damaged items, or leftovers from a prior season.
Another term for outlet is off-price retailer
outlet a discount store that is owned by a manufacturer that sells its own merchandise in the store
discount store a retail operation that offers volume merchandise and limited service and sells goods below usual retail prices
A discount store operates like a department store, but offers discount prices
purchases manufacturer overruns and end-of-season goods.
special deals from manufacturers because of large quantities purchased
Examples: Marshalls, Target, Walmart
Section 10.1

8. Types of Fashion Retailers
Mail-order, or direct-mail, marketing is a type of retail operation in which a business sells merchandise in a catalog and sends it by mail to consumers who purchase it.
People use catalogs because of convenience.
Online shopping, or Internet shopping, is a fast-growing trend. Customers are able to shop at any time of the day or night, seven days a week, and have the merchandise shipped directly to their homes.
Some retailers offer discounts for online shopping
Section 10.1

9. Why People Buy Fashion
Cultural, social, and psychological factors affect buying behavior.
buying behavior the way consumers react to satisfying a need or want when making a purchase
Buying behavior can be rational or emotional.
Which type of behavior do you think marketing is trying to influence?
Section 10.2

10. Buyer’s Questions:
What problems occur when fashion buyers make inaccurate predictions?
Do you think it is difficult for buyers to separate their personal likes and dislikes from the trends and consumer desires they need to purchase?
What recent fashion item do you think would be a wrong choice because it may be about to go out of style?
Do you like stores with sales associates or ones with no help? Do you find most are trained and helpful? What is important to you?
Describe some of your online purchase experiences

11. Influences on Fashion
The role of fashion in popular culture has a significant impact on people’s lives and the purchases they make.
People are influenced by:
Television
Films
Magazines
Street fashions
Section 10.2

12. Personal Selling
Advertising, sales, promotion, and publicity are types of nonpersonal selling.
nonpersonal selling the type of selling that does not involve interaction between people
The selling process occurs when sales associates communicate through personal selling. (see page 212)
Suggestion selling techniques:
Add-on
Trading up
More than one
Special offer
personal selling the type of selling that involves direct interaction between sales associates and potential buyers by telephone or in person
Section 10.2

13. Successful sales associates
The Steps of Selling-see p. 209
Successful sales associates
use the
Steps of Selling
Follow Up
Perform Suggestion Selling
Close the Sale
Overcome Objections
Present the Product
Determine Needs
Approach
Section 10.2 13

14. Selling Questions:
Do you think the media is an important influence on fashion?
Loaded Question: In what ways can sales people be similar to teachers?
How can a sales associate best determine a customer’s needs?
What selling step do you think is most important? Why?
What new or emerging technology can a sales staff use to improve and increase business
What does “closing the sale” meaning
Describe a situation in which you made additional purchases because the sales associate made suggestions to do so…

15. Steps of Selling Role Play:
Get into groups of 3 or 4. *See page in book
First, do the 6 chapter packet questions together.
Now assume you are being sent to Chicago for a sales training seminar. Your are a salesperson who gets commission. You are going to role play the 7 steps of selling in your groups.
Think of 3 open ended questions that would help you learn about your customers preference.
Then outline and write down scripts for all the 7 steps of the selling process, assuming you are selling a particular item to a client.
You may use the fashion item you presented last week or pick a new one.
Be ready to present role-plays to class

16. What is the job of the fashion buyer?
10.1
What is the job of the fashion buyer?
What are the three steps of the buying process or merchandising cycle?
Compare and contrast at least two different types of retailers. 1. 2.
Quick Check Answers
The fashion buyer is responsible for making sure the merchandise that consumers want is available in stores. They purchase goods from manufacturers and vendors.
merchandise planning, buying, and selling
Advantages of online shopping include being able to shop 24/7; merchandise is shipped directly to buyers’ homes; and some retailers offer discounts for Internet purchases. 3.
Section 10.1

17. What are the two types of buying behavior?
10.2 4.
What are the two types of buying behavior?
What are the seven steps in the selling process?
Describe the difference between personal selling and nonpersonal selling. 5.
Quick Check Answers
rational and emotional buying
approach, determine needs, present the product, overcome objections, close the sale, perform suggestion selling, and follow up.
add on, trading up, more than one, and special offer. 6.
Section 10.2