Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This core textbook provides a detailed overview of the role of the fashion merchandiser and outlines their activities and responsibilities as part of the fashion value chain. This overview is situated within the broader context of the fashion industry, highlighting the relevance of the merchandiser role and comparing it to the role of the fashion buyer. This textbook also considers the contemporary challenges facing the wider industry, such as corporate social responsibility, sustainability, globalisation and multi-channel distribution, and the impact these have on the role of the merchandiser.Offering valuable insight into the merchandiser role and emphasising how it can add value to a fashion business, this is an ideal textbook for aspiring merchandisers. It is suitable for students studying at undergraduate and postgraduate level and practitioners seeking to progress their careers in this exciting and multi-faceted industry.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• List of Figures (p. xi)
• List of Tables (p. xii)
• List of Case Studies, Focus Points and Profiles (p. xv)
• Preface (p. xvii)
• Acknowledgements (p. xviii)
• Abbreviations (p. xix)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• Introduction to Part One (p. 3)
• 1 A Review of the Fashion Industry (p. 5)
• Introduction (p. 5)
• A Brief Industry Review (p. 6)
• From Consumption to Consumerism (p. 8)
• Industry Deregulation (p. 11)
• The Changing Players in the Retail Market (p. 13)
• Supply-Chain Developments (p. 15)
• Seeking Competitive Advantage (p. 17)
• Summary (p. 20)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 20)
• Further Reading (p. 20)
• Bibliography (p. 21)
• 2 Fashion, Business and Product (p. 23)
• Introduction (p. 23)
• Fashion Business - A Paradox? (p. 24)
• The Role of Product Within a Fashion Business (p. 25)
• Balanced Product Ranges (p. 26)
• Balanced Budgets (p. 30)
• Working Together - Buying and Merchandising (p. 32)
• The Concept-To-Carrier Bag Model (p. 33)
• An Introduction to the Buyer and Merchandiser Roles (p. 36)
• Summary (p. 41)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 41)
• Further Reading (p. 42)
• Bibliography (p. 42)
• 3 The Roles of Buyer and Merchandiser (p. 43)
• Introduction (p. 43)
• Buying and Merchandising Review (p. 43)
• The Role of the Fashion Buyer (p. 44)
• The Skill Set of Good Fashion Buyers (p. 47)
• Fashion Merchandising - The Rationale for the Role (p. 48)
• The Role of the Fashion Merchandiser (p. 49)
• The Skill Set of Good Fashion Merchandisers (p. 52)
• Own-Label Versus Branded Buying and Merchandising (p. 54)
• The Fashion Buyer and Merchandiser Job Descriptions (p. 56)
• Planning the Product Range (p. 57)
• Trading the Product Range (p. 59)
• Retail and Earner Bag (p. 60)
• Managing the Buying and Merchandising Team (p. 61)
• Summary (p. 61)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 62)
• Further Reading (p. 62)
• Bibliography (p. 62)
• 4 Organizing the Buying and Merchandising Function (p. 63)
• Introduction (p. 63)
• The Value Chain (p. 63)
• The Structure of Buying and Merchandising Departments (p. 67)
• Assistant Buyer (p. 68)
• Buying Administration Assistant (Baa) (p. 70)
• Assistant Merchandiser (p. 71)
• Allocator (p. 72)
• Reorganizing B&Y Stricture (p. 73)
• The Buyer and their Key Contacts (p. 75)
• The Merchandiser and their Key Contacts (p. 77)
• Meeting Schedules - How B&M Work With Other Activities in the Value Chain (p. 79)
• Chapter and Part One Summary (p. 87)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 83)
• Further Reading (p. 83)
• Bibliography (p. 83)
• Introduction to Part Two (p. 85)
• 5 Fashion Merchandising: The Prentice Day Case Study (p. 87)
• Introduction (p. 87)
• Prentice Day Menswear Case Study (p. 88)
• Initial Approaches to Understanding a Business (p. 91)
• Understanding the Macro Environment (p. 94)
• Identifying a Planning Strategy (p. 95)
• Summary (p. 96)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 97)
• Further Reading (p. 97)
• 6 Fashion Merchandising: Research and Analysis (p. 99)
• Introduction (p. 99)
• Retail Mathematics Versus Commercial Acumen (p. 100)
• Budget Analysis (p. 101)
• Product Analysis (p. 108)
• Setting a Budgeting Strategy (p. 116)
• Summary (p. 117)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 118)
• Further Reading (p. 118)
• 7 Fashion Merchandising: Budgeting (p. 119)
• Introduction (p. 119)
• Budgets Become KPI Budgets (p. 120)
• KPI Budgeting - Sales Turnover Budgeting (p. 123)
• KPI Budgeting - Markdown Spend Budgeting (p. 127)
• KPI Budgeting - Intake Margin Budgeting (p. 131)
• KPI Budgeting - Stock Target Budgeting (p. 134)
• KPI Budgeting - Gross Trading Profit Budgeting (p. 137)
• KPI Budgeting - KPI Budget Review (p. 133)
• Summary (p. 141)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 142)
• Further Reading (p. 142)
• Bibliography (p. 142)
• 8 Fashion Merchandising: Open to Buy (p. 143)
• Introduction (p. 143)
• What Is Open to Buy? (p. 143)
• Creating an Open to Buy Budget (p. 146)
• A Review of the Created OTB and Budgeting Process (p. 149)
• The WSSI - Open to Buy Phasing (p. 150)
• The Prentice Day Casual Wear WSSI (p. 153)
• Summary (p. 159)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 159)
• Further Reading (p. 159)
• Bibliography (p. 159)
• 9 Fashion Merchandising: Range Planning (p. 161)
• Introduction (p. 161)
• An Introduction to Range Planning (p. 162)
• The Range Plan (p. 163)
• The Option Detail - Qualitative and Quantitative Aspects (p. 167)
• Creating the Option Detail (p. 171)
• A Summary of the Range-Planning Process (p. 177)
• Summary (p. 179)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 180)
• Further Reading (p. 180)
• 10 Fashion Merchandising: Sizing, Deliveries and Allocation (p. 181)
• Introduction (p. 181)
• The Merchandiser-Supplier Relationship (p. 182)
• Size Curves (p. 183)
• Initial Allocations (p. 189)
• Updating the WSSI, Managing Purchase Orders and Deliveries (p. 194)
• A Summary of the Planning Process (p. 199)
• Chapter and Part II Summary (p. 200)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 200)
• Further Reading (p. 200)
• Bibliography (p. 201)
• An Introduction to Part Three (p. 203)
• 11 Trading (p. 205)
• Introduction (p. 205)
• Planning Versus Trading (p. 200)
• Reviewing KPI Budget Performance in Season (p. 207)
• Repeats and Cancellations (p. 212)
• Promotional Planning (p. 217)
• End-of-Season Sale (p. 222)
• Summary (p. 227)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 227)
• Further Reading (p. 227)
• Bibliogiaphy (p. 227)
• 12 E-Retailing (p. 229)
• Introduction (p. 229)
• E-Retailing Review (p. 229)
• The Impact of E-Retailing on B&M Activities (p. 230)
• E-Retailing and Product Management (p. 233)
• E-Re Tailing and Stock Management (p. 237)
• E-Re Tail and Drop Shipping Activities (p. 243)
• Summary (p. 246)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 246)
• Further Reading (p. 247)
• Bibliography (p. 247)
• 13 Corporate Social Responsibility (p. 249)
• Introduction (p. 249)
• Corporate Social Responsibility (p. 250)
• Relating Corporate Social Responsibility to the Concept-to-Carrier Bag Model (p. 253)
• Product Budgeting to Improve the Buyer-Supplier Relationship (p. 258)
• Stock Management and Rebalancing of the Delivery Process (p. 261)
• Product Management and Raising Purchase Orders (p. 263)
• Some Final Thoughts on CSR and the Merchandiser (p. 264)
• Summary (p. 266)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 267)
• Further Reading (p. 267)
• Bibliography (p. 267)
• 14 The Merchandiser within the Supply Chain (p. 269)
• Introduction (p. 269)
• Defining Supply Chain Management (p. 270)
• The Fashion Supply Chain (p. 270)
• Supply Chain Agility (p. 273)
• Globalization and the Supply Chain (p. 279)
• Chapter and Part Three Summary (p. 281)
• Self-Directed Study (p. 282)
• Further Reading (p. 282)
• Bibliography (p. 283)
• Glossary (p. 285)
• Index (p. 291)