Chapter 10
Fashion Distribution
Fashion Distribution
Buying Fashion
Selling Fashion
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Fashion Distribution
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 nonpersonal selling.
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Fashion Distribution
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
May specialize in a specific category of goods, such as shoes, athletic
wear, handbags, etc.
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Fashion Distribution
The Buying Process
There are three steps in the buying process, also known as
the merchandising cycle: starting with predicting what
customers will purchase.
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Merchandise
Merchandise
Merchandise
BuyingSellingPlanningbuying goods from
exchanging of
Estimating
vendors or
goods for
styles, colors,
manufacturers
money from
sizes and prices
for resale
retailer to
customer
Section 10.1
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Fashion Distribution
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
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
Section 10.1
department store a
retail operation that
carries different kinds of
merchandise and houses
them in separate
sections, or departments
specialty store a retail
operation that offers only
one category or related
categories of fashion
merchandise
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Fashion Distribution
Types of Fashion Retailers
Because the target market for a
boutique is smaller, the buyer must
plan purchases carefully.
 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
Section 10.1
boutique a type of small
specialty store that offers
a more limited selection of
merchandise and may
focus on few-of-a-kind
items
designer store a designermanufacturer retail operation
that owns and operates the
retail store and carries only
its own lines
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Fashion Distribution
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
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
discount store a retail
operation that offers
volume merchandise
and limited service and
sells goods below usual
retail prices
Section 10.1
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Fashion Distribution
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
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Fashion Distribution
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
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Fashion Distribution
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
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Fashion Distribution
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
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Fashion Distribution
Personal Selling
Advertising, sales, promotion, and
publicity are types of nonpersonal
selling.
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
Section 10.2
nonpersonal selling
the type of selling that
does not involve
interaction between
people
personal selling the
type of selling that
involves direct interaction
between sales associates
and potential buyers by
telephone or in person
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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
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Fashion Distribution
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…
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Fashion Distribution
10.1
What
is
the
job
of
the
fashion
buyer?
1.
The fashion buyer is responsible for making sure the merchandise that consumers
want is available in stores. They purchase goods from manufacturers and vendors.
2. What are the three steps of the buying process
or merchandising cycle?
merchandise planning, buying, and selling
3. Compare and contrast at least two different
types of retailers.
Section 10.1
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Fashion Distribution
10.2
4. What are the two types of buying behavior?
rational and emotional buying
5. What are the seven steps in the selling
process?
approach, determine needs, present the product, overcome objections,
close the sale, perform suggestion selling, and follow up.
6. Describe the difference between personal
selling and non-personal selling.
Personal: add on, trading up, more than one, and special offer.
Non-Personal: Advertising, Promotions, Publicity
Section 10.2
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Fashion Distribution
Steps of Selling Role Play:
Groups of 3 at your table. *See page 209-212 in book
Review the Steps of Selling descriptions in the book.
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.
You may bring or make any props you want to go with your skit
Be ready to present role-plays to class Friday
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