Chapter 8.2 & 8.3

1. Chapter 8.2 & 8.3 Displaying & Buying Style

2. Visual Merchandising • Three purposes • Selling merchandise • Projecting image • Educating customers • Creating of window displays and showcases throughout store

3. The Steps • Designing – sketch, list of materials with costs • Building – gathering materials (mannequins), assembling props • Installing – usually takes place after business hours; includes appropriate lighting

4. Fixtures&Signs • Fixtures – furniture/wall units that hold product • Versatile Fixtures – easily changed to meet needs • Signs – stores focusing on convenience will have lots of readable signage

5. Lighting • Task lighting – lights were a tasks needs to be done (i.e. cash registers) • Accent lighting – focuses on specific garments or accessories. • Space lighting – creates store ambiance and provides lighting to move through the store. • Luminaire – complete lamp (including parts to focus lamp, swivel, etc)

6. Buying Style • Buyer – once thought to be glamorous is actually a workhorse job! • Planning! • Merchandise plan – list of current inventory, projected sales, quantity on order, garments still needed • Assortment plan – specific info on sizes, colors, styles, and quantity of each

7. Vendors • Buyers choose vendors with the right styles, price points, levels of quality • Terms of payment – how long buyers have to pay for product (discount?) • Relationships – based on trust and mutual benefit

8. Vendors (cont.) • Differentiation among competitors • Exclusive rights – agreement with a vendor not to sell certain garment to any other store • Product Development • Work with manufacturers or designers to develop exclusive items • Private labels

9. Merchandising • Buyers usually report to Divisional Merchandise Manager and General Merchandise Manager • Defined: obtaining and presenting apparel and accessories for sale to customers. • Evaluated on sales, profit, inventory turnover

10. Merchandising Involves • Financial planning and analysis • Maintaining open-to-buy budgets • Forecasting • Reacting to sales and inventory levels • Assuring ad merchandise is in the store • Identifying and interpreting trends • Transferring merchandise among stores • Presenting reports on strategies/results • Determining markdowns