Who is a Garment Merchandiser?
A garment merchandiser is a key person who pays their best efforts for the buyer and the manufacturer. He/she is treated as a middleman or bridge between both parties. Someone should have good information and realization regarding human fashion trends to be a good garment merchandiser. A garment merchandiser should have high-quality sense to predict and cope with updated fashion trends.
As a coordinator and key player in the dress-making business, a merchandiser has to keep good relationships with the buyer and manufacturer.
Qualifications for a good garment merchandiser:
To be a qualified merchandiser someone should have the following special skills and qualifications to coup with the new environment:
- Communication Skills:
Communication skills are a powerful weapon to become a good and qualified merchandiser. A merchandiser has to communicate with the buyer and manufacturer simultaneously to execute their daily task. Besides this, they have to communicate with different traders and factory people. Thus a merchandiser should have superb communication skills to fulfill bulk orders.
- Computer Skills:
The world moves on new technology. As a merchandiser, your job will be very easier if can coup up with new technology. Once upon a time, merchandisers had to use typewriters, faxes, telexes, and land-phone for communication. But in the present context, they have to use laptop, iPhone, iPod, or printer with smooth internet connection. For keeping all kinds of records and forming database, computer skills are essential for a garments merchandiser. Besides this merchandisers have to communicate with buyers through Skype, WeChat, WhatsApp, Viber etc.
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- Excellent English Proficiency:
To be a qualified merchandiser, you must have good command of English. It is an international tool to communicate with foreigners as well as with suppliers. Garment merchandisers have to keep communication with the buyer all the time. Sound knowledge of the English language helps them to get more orders and dominate others.
- Excellent Analytical Quality:
Analytical ability and forecasting power always give you extra preference in any profession. It’s a common key factor to hike quickly in your profession. First closely observe the situation and analyze swiftly what should be done in this circumstance. Quick prediction and identifying future demand always keep them ahead of others.
- Ability to work in a Team:
Teamwork is dream work. In the garments sector accomplishing an order mostly depends upon teammates. When someone work together that will be tremendous to achieve a particular goal. As we know garment production is a labor-based task thus merchandiser has to make good relationships with all to get support to complete their order very efficiently.
- Excellent Knowledge about the Factory:
To be a qualified merchandiser, someone should have deep knowledge of the production process as well as to per-day production capacity of a garments factory. Merchandisers should collect more information regarding the production capacity of a factory before placing bulk orders. If they do not analyze factory production capacity before placing an order that will create a big panic to hit the buyer’s requested delivery date.
- Excellent Product Knowledge:
A qualified garment merchandiser is treated as a salesman who is assigned to get more bulk orders and increase good relationships with the buyers. Proper knowledge of product development and production processes may help you with material sourcing, product costing, and negotiating with buyers. By this, he/she can minimize product price. That can generate more bulk orders.
- Excellent Consumption Calculation Knowledge:
He who is good in mathematics is a plus point in their profession. A merchandiser is an assigned person to increase profit margin by using several kinds of techniques. Thus a merchandiser has to be more calculative in their career to achieve more profit margins. More accurate consumption calculations can enhance profits and may generate more orders. A qualified merchandiser has to work in excel sheet frequently. Thus they have to memorize excel formulas to finish their task swiftly.
- Excellent convincing quality:
As we know garment production is labor-based and a little bit complicated business. So some problems may arise during the production process or after goods delivery. Thus a garment merchandiser should have excellent convincing and controlling power to minimize hassle by conversing with the buyer. If any inconvenience arises merchandiser has to find better solution to get rid from the odd positions.
- Quick Decision-Making Ability:
The character of a garment merchandiser has to be charismatic and attractive so that he can solve any issue quickly. In the garments trade, sometimes some unexpected issues may arise that have to be solved by talking with the buyer. Thus a garment merchandiser should have quick decision-making ability. When a garment merchandiser has to engage in this sector for a long time to gather practical knowledge and get expertise day by day. Then he/she can able to lead the team by standing in the front line so that the normal flow of production doesn’t face any interruption and persuade the buyer to make the correct decision in such cases.
- Excellent Knowledge of the World Market:
To be a good merchandiser someone has to gather vast knowledge of updated fashion trends. Not only has this but also increased material sourcing capabilities to minimize product cost. When you can predict what buyer’s desire and offer them low prices that are a great thing for your career.
- Work sequentially:
A merchandiser has to chase according to the TNA (Time and Action) chart to accomplish their regular task sequentially and gradually for smooth operation. Otherwise, they never hit the buyer-requested delivery date. That will bring big panic to all. Thus always keep proper data, swatch cards, and approved mock-up with samples to minimize upcoming hassles.
- Pre Alert:
A merchandiser has to raise their voice and highlight the major problems at the right time without fail. This good practice will help the superiors to take the necessary actions to tackle the odd situations on time. On time highlighting can erase big problems, helps to take the right decision and saves a lot.
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