Introduction
Dwelling upon the role of the fashion buyer considering buying for different organisations and categories, the role of buyer in the modern life should be understood. Modern economics is based on the marketing relations. All the products and services are bought and sold. The customer is placed on the first place as the competence is high and no one wants to lose its clients. Fashion industry is highly competent as well.
There are a lot of different types of customers’ behaviour and the ways how customers may be attracted. Buyer behaviour differs greatly depending on the situations. The main purpose of this paper is to consider the role of the fashion buyer, dwell upon types of the buyers, the ways they choose for purchases, and other aspects of buyers’ behaviour.
Types of Buying Roles from High-End to High Street
Considering the types of buying roles, it is essential to consider the main idea of the high-end and the high street behaviour. High-end fashion demonstrates the brand building, while high street fashion is sales focused. It is really important to understand the types of buying roles of the customers to predict the level of sales.
High-end type of buying role is based on the brand name of the product. No matter whether people need it or not, no matter whether it is more expensive than the same product of another produces, many people are ready to buy the products only of one brand. Such behaviour is advantageous for those who have already managed to gain many customers who constantly use their products, however, such position does not fit those who are new at the market.
High street fashion type is based on the level of sales. Customers buy the products which seem to be the most popular among other buyers. They consider it as an important factor in selecting the product. Being chosen by other customers, it should be quality and of the acceptable price (Vickers 2011). Therefore, having different roles, buyers create various types of selling products, advertisement, etc.
Ways in Which Buyers Will Purchase Products for Particular Categories
There are different ways in accordance to which buyers will purchase the products for particular categories. The revision of the market, customers’ privileges and the sum of money they are able to spend on garments are the main factors which influence the issue.
Even though the balance between the price and the quality is important, it should be remembered about brand consumers who are ready to buy the product of a particular brand no matter how much it costs, however, such people are really few and it is risky to pay all buyers’ attention on such purposes.
The consideration of the market may help make a correct decision. Additionally, financial and cultural situation ion the country should be considered as well. Having appeared at the crisis people are going to spend less money on cloths, while the future holding of any sports event increases the garment purchases. It is really important to consider the situation from different angles to make a correct decision.
The Buying Cycles
Dwelling upon the buying cycles, the high street buyers and high-end buyers are to de differentiated. The buying cycle for brand buyers or for high-end type of buying consists of the following. First of all, the budget planning occurs with distinguishing how much can the buyer spend per season. Then, it is important to complete a comparative shopping which means to go to similar or competitor shops with the purpose to see what they are doing.
Then, high-end buyers are to be busy with directional shopping visiting aspirational shops. Planning budget schedules and going on buying trips / appointments is one of the most important stages in the budget cycles as this stage presupposes planning of what can be spent and where.
Buyers are to be ready to negotiate the price with the sellers and to set a retail which presupposes the discussion of the discounts. Processing orders, order confirmation and monitoring deliveries are the stages which come prior the final stages of buying cycles.
The high-end buyers should not forget to monitor sales figures by means of the daily or weekly reviews of sales on brands depending on necessity. The final sage of buying cycle phase is the revision of the seasons’ performance trying to understand the level of buying. Then, the first stage ids completed directed at another season (Understanding the role of the buyer and the merchandiser in retail 2012).
The buying cycle of high street buyers differs greatly. The first stages of a buying cycle in this case coincide, these are the revision of the current seasons sales and consideration how current product is acting in store, budget planning with understanding the amount of money which may be spend during the season. The comparative shopping aimed at going to similar and competitor stores to see what they are doing finishes the similarities in the buying cycles between high-end and high street roles.
Then, high street buyers are to complete directional shopping. Fabric sourcing covers selection of fabric from a particular manufacture of the selection of a specific manufacturer depending on the situation. Range planning is the next stage, it will be discussed in detail in the next section. Generally, range planning means selecting garments which may occur either from a particular manufacture or may be conducted of a number of manufacturers.
The pre selection stage completes the products selection from the original choices. The price negotiation is important here as well as for high-end buyers as the firm up pricing of goods is to be considered before the final range selection where the products that are presupposed to go into store actually is completed. Placing orders for ranges where the buyer is to submit all the orders to particular people is the next stage.
The buyers are also responsible for product development cycle where they are to consider whether the garments and the quality of fabric coincide with the declared ones. The delivery of the products to the retailers (or delivering the products into the store) is the final stage of high street cycle buyer before product is purchased buy customers (Understanding the role of the buyer and the merchandiser in retail 2012).
Range Plans
Range planning is basically a planning which involves the list of the garments which are predicted to be bought this very season and prices which may be spent on those purchases. Range planning differs from planning in general as general planning presupposes the consideration of the general sum of money which may be spent on products, while range planning is a more detailed issue which gives a ranged pricing depending on the model, fabrics and other specific items.
Creating a range plan, a buyer should be aware of the prices at the market, the possible discount and the places where the product may be got of the top quality and for the lower price. It is important to complete the following research before completing a range planning, historical sales figures, forecasting fashion trends, consumer behaviour, directional shopping, and comparative shopping.
The research of each of these items allows the buyers to make sure that their planning is effective and prices are appropriate (Weygandt, Kimmel & Kieso 2009).
Tasks that a Person Who Is in a Buying Role Will Be Involved in on a Regular Basis
The main responsibilities of the buyer are focused on a specific purpose of this person. Being aimed at buying the products which are going to be sold within the season, a buyer is to spend much time on research. The consideration of the modern trends and process is essential.
Then, a buyer is to spend much time on range planning. Having a specific sum of money, it is essential to buy all the necessary items and to meet the budget. Appropriate positioning of the garment is important as well as good advertising. It is essential to have the products for different customers to be able to meet their requirements.
Different People the Buyer Will Work with through the Buying Process
A buyer is to work with different people, starting with the shop colleagues and financial department, and finishing with the magazine sellers. Apart from visiting different collections and presentations, a buyer is to see what is offered for simple people, therefore, a buyer should constantly look through the fashion magazines.
The communication with the designers and the shop owners is also the part of buyers’ job. It is impossible to imagine a buyer who is unable to speak to the customers as this is the final goal of the issue, to sell the products to the customers (Cheverton & der Velde 2010).
Discuss Why Integration Is so Important in a Modern Buying Office
Integration is really important in the modern office as its main idea is to bring changes. The modern world is changing (Bartle 2001). The integration of the innovative technologies in the production is an important factor as it means that the company has chosen an innovative way of its development.
Moreover, we live in the multicultural society where integration is one of the ways for interconnection. Being able to integrate with other cultures, the company may increase its sales and the buyer may get to know something new as personal development is really important in this sphere.
Conclusion
Therefore, it may be concluded that the role of buyers in the fashion industry is really important. Being responsible for the market sales, buyers have to complete a great range of services in order to make sure that the final stage is achieved. Completing a research of the current situation at the market of fashion, a buyer is to create a list of the possible products which are to be bought. The types of consumers and their privileges are to be considered before the decision making. All these responsibilities should be covered by the buyers.
Reference List
Bartle, RG 2001, A Modern Theory of Integration, American Mathematical Soc., New York.
Cheverton, P & der Velde, JPV 2010, Understanding the Professional Buyer: What Every Sales Professional Should Know About How the Modern Buyer Thinks and Behaves, Kogan Page Publishers, New York.
‘Understanding the role of the buyer and the merchandiser in retail’ 2012, Lesson one 2012.
Vickers, E 2011, ‘Is this the end of the high street?’, Express. Web.
Weygandt, JJ, Kimmel, PD & Kieso, DE 2009, Managerial Accounting: Tools for Business Decision Making, John Wiley & Sons, New York.