What is Fashion Merchandising, and Why Is It So Important?

Posted 2 years ago by Max Komonov

Merchandising refers to听strategies for听the听promotion and听sale of听products. Every retail business relies on听product merchandising. Many of听the听basic principles of听merchandising are consistent across industries. However, some industries present unique challenges and听situations for听merchandisers. One such example is听the听fashion industry.

Fashion merchandising is听uniquely challenging because appearance and听aesthetics are often the听primary considerations for听consumers. This means that merchandising is听tied more strongly to听the听products themselves. As听a听result, fashion merchandising is听an听extremely dynamic and听multifaceted area of听business that relies on听input from a听range of听professionals.

What is听merchandising in听fashion, exactly? And how are its unique challenges dealt with by听manufacturers and听retailers alike? Let鈥檚 take a听look!

What is听Fashion Merchandising?

To听understand fashion merchandising, it鈥檚 important to听first take a听look at听general merchandising. Merchandising typically involves anything relating to听the听promotion and听sales of听products. This includes the听product design itself, as听well as听its presentation in听retail settings, store layouts, promotion, and听more.

Surrounding a听certain item or听brand with a听prominent display in听a听store is听part of听a听merchandising strategy. For online retailers, displaying items on听their website鈥檚 homepage is听a听comparable marketing strategy.

Merchandising is听also cyclical, following . Retailers promote specific items at听certain times of听year when those items will be听in听highest demand. So, for听instance, school items are promoted heavily in听the听late summer, and听holiday items are pushed heavily in听December. Fashion merchandising follows similar trends as听styles come and听go听to听suit each season of听the听year.

Fashion merchandising involves all of听these things, as听well as听considerations specific to听the听fashion industry. This includes researching trends in听fashion, decisions about fabric options and听patterns, and听product pricing. Merchandising is听critical for听all brands, but in听the听fashion industry, the听merchandise often is听the听brand, and听vice versa. As听a听result, 聯fashion merchandising聰 encompasses nearly every aspect of听the听business. As听such, fashion merchandisers are often highly skilled professionals with a听range of听skills.

What is听Fashion Visual Merchandising?

Visual merchandising is听any听aspect of听a听merchandising strategy which uses visual appeal to听attract customers in-store. Fashion visual merchandising is听obviously highly important because visual appeal is听one of听the听primary factors impacting a听customer鈥檚 purchasing decisions.

There are several ways that retailers can use visual merchandising for听fashion items.

Good lighting and听organization are two basics, but highly important practices to听include. Both of听these things help customers find clothing items that look good without difficulty.
Product displays can also be听a听useful visual tool for听fashion merchandisers. Some clothing retailers will set up听branded displays to听distinguish certain brands in听their store. This helps customers identify certain brands which they may be听loyal to. It听also adds a听sense of听prestige to听certain branded items by听creating brand name recognition.
Another important form of听visual merchandising unique to听the听fashion industry is听the听use of听mannequins. Clothing retailers regularly use mannequins to听pair certain fashion items together to听show how they look as听an听outfit or听in听action. Mannequins are a听form of听visual fashion merchandising that enables customers to听envision certain looks for听themselves. This in听turn provides an听emotional response for听customers, associated with those items, making them more likely to听purchase them.

Visual merchandising is听extremely important in听the听fashion industry, and听is听also a听great chance for听retailers to听get creative. If听you run a听retail fashion store, whether at听a听physical location or听online, this is听an听important lesson to听remember. How you present your inventory is听often just as听important as听the听inventory itself.

What is听Fashion Merchandising Management?

Fashion merchandising management involves the听selection and听manufacturing of听fashion products. Like with visual merchandising, fashion merchandising management involves a听wide range of听practices and听ideas.

For instance, a听fashion merchandising manager needs to听have one foot in听the听聯retail聰 section of听their business, and听one foot in听the听聯manufacturing聰 section.

Merchandising management responsibilities include:

Researching among key demographics.
Selecting materials and听manufacturing processes, determining pricing, and听creating promotional content.
General product branding and听marketing.

What is听fashion marketing and听merchandising? Here are some of听the听most important roles relating to听fashion merchandising management.

Various Roles Involved in听Fashion Merchandising Management

When discussing fashion merchandising management, there are several different roles that are all very important. In听many cases, these roles are carried out by听different professionals, rather than all being the听responsibility of听one person. However, in听some small fashion companies, many of听these roles do听fall to听a听single person.

Fashion buying is听one such role, in听which an听individual researches fashion trends and听products and听establishes contacts with manufacturers. Fashion buying is听critical for听securing inventory that is听likely to听be听sold in听high numbers.
Visual merchandising, as听mentioned earlier, is听another critical aspect of听merchandising management. Visual merchandising is听largely responsible for听in-store (or online) visual displays and听arrangements to听drive sales.
Marketing management is听also a听key part of听fashion merchandising. This role involves setting a听marketing plan to听promote brands or听clothing products to听their target demographics.
One last key role in听merchandising management is听the听role of听the听store manager. In听retail settings, the听store manager is听responsible for听overseeing day-to-day operations in听all aspects. This includes fashion merchandising and听product procurement and听sales. But it听also involves things like staffing, customer service, and听employee management.

How Important is听Fashion Merchandising?

Now that you know what fashion merchandising is, you may be听wondering why it听matters. Merchandising in听general has several key benefits. All of听these are amplified in听the听fashion industry because of听how directly tied to听their merchandise most fashion companies are.

Merchandising Benefits

General merchandising is听linked to听increased sales, faster inventory turnaround, and听more satisfied and听loyal customers. Product merchandising makes it听easier for听customers to听identify and听purchase items which they are interested in. Effective merchandising can also increase customer interest in听certain products to听convert more sales. This improved purchasing experience results in听a听better customer experience overall. Thus, customers leave your store or听website feeling more satisfied, and听are more likely to听return.

What Makes Fashion Merchandising Unique?

In听the听fashion industry, there is听no听business without merchandising. Therefore fashion merchandising is听integral to听the听business itself. For example, a听key aspect of听merchandising is听product presentation. Fashion items are predominantly manufactured, bought, and听sold due to听their visual appeal. Merchandising, then, does not just encompass visual presentations in听retail spaces. However, it听is听a听crucial step in听the听manufacturing and听procurement process.

Learn More About Fashion Retail Management

Fashion merchandising is听a听crucial step in听the听process of听operating a听retail fashion business. But it听is听not the听only thing you need to听know about to听run a听successful fashion business. Online fashion stores can be听some of听the听most successful ecommerce businesses with proper management and听resources.

Fashion items are among the听top selling and听fastest growing categories of听items in听online retail in听Worldwide. But that does not mean that entrepreneurs can capitalize on听this market without hard work and听education.

Learn more about how to听successfully sell fashion products online by听following 黑料门. Or听sign up听for听 today to听start building your very own online fashion store.

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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