FAS 2222: Product Development

This analysis focuses specifically on how private brand impacts on all aspects business: product innovations, packaging creativity, quality assurance, merchandising, partnerships, and the Internet. The coverage spans North and South America, Europe, the Pacific Rim, and South Africa.

Containing fully updated and beautifully illustrated need-to-know info, this revised second edition of the bestselling textbook on fashion buying contains everything today's fashion management student needs to give them a clear head-start in this lucrative but highly competitive industry. Fashion Buying uniquely looks at what fashion buying entails in terms of the activities, processes and people involved - from the perspective of the fashion buyer. The book breaks down the five key areas of buying activity for those wishing to pursue a career in the industry, crucially exploring the role of the fashion buyer, sources of buying inspiration, sourcing and communication, merchandise planning and trends in fashion buying. Featuring completely revised content on retail typology (including need-to-know info on demographics, price points and markets), and selecting and buying garments (line sheets, purchase orders and lookbooks), Fashion Buying now includes valuable new sections on customer profiling, merchandise pricing (mark-ups, markdowns and how pricing is calculated for profit), and trends. Also included in this practical handbook are insightful interviews with both established and emergent fashion creatives. Business case studies put the contents of each chapter into professional context and provide insider perspective; while industry-focused exercises and activities enable readers to practise applying their new skills and so gain a competitive advantage in both their studies and buying careers. Written by industry experts, Fashion Buying is an invaluable go-to resource and leading textbook for fashion design, marketing, buying and merchandising students.

Mathematics for Retail Buying, 8th Edition, introduces merchandising and retailing students to the most important concepts in retail math through step-by-step examples with practice problems and solutions. Coverage begins with the skeletal profit and loss statement, and moves through retail pricing and repricing of merchandise, markups, markdowns, the retail method of inventory, six-month, and assortment planning.

Buying for retail is a demanding and challenging job that requires a creative flair, a strong awareness of fashion trends, life trends as well as good interpersonal and team working skills. Buyers and merchandisers have to ensure that the right merchandise is being sent to the right stores, at the right time, in the right quantities. This takes a blend of forward planning and rapid response to consumer demands. In combination with the other areas of the business, success comes from maximizing profit, which is achieved through anticipating customer needs and responding rapidly to immediate issues. It involves complex data analysis, liaison with the stores operation teams and balancing store stock levels. To succeed as a professional buyer, you will need strong analytical and numerical skills, an interest and understanding of consumer demands and strong commercial awareness. You also need to have an ability to understand and prioritize issues quickly and efficiently. Progression into the Merchandising function also involves the ability to manage change. The better equipped you are in your buying function the better you will be able to adapt to these changes. The best change of all is to graduate from a good buyer to an outstanding one! To handle the complexity of data and to enable you to contribute effectively in the critical role of a buyer, you need the right skill-sets and a right mind-set. Both of which can be learned in The Art of Retail Buying. This easy to read guide is written in a concise & pictorial style with colorful images that enables you to follow step-by-step each function of a buyer. The Art of Retail Buying will inspire you, motivate you and encourage you towards merchandising excellence!

The sequel to the highly successful Store Wars: the battle for mindspace and shelfspace published in 1995. The new edition will retain all the strengths of the old book including a comprehensive and complex approach to the consumer & retail market and the interaction between FMCG retailers and manufacturers. The book will be thoroughly revised and updated and will consist of 4 main parts: A section on leading FMCG companies and brands (such as Coke, P&G, Unilever, Nestle, L'Oreal etc.), their marketing and branding strategies in the western markets (USA, Western Europe: UK, France, Germany and others). A section on leading retailers (Wal-Mart, Tesco, Carrefour etc.), their developments and expansion over the last 10 years. A section describing the interaction between retailers and manufacturers, including competition for end-consumers, trade marketing. A section covering the Emerging Markets--the retail landscape in the major developing economies, results of the expansion of major FMCG brands and western retail chains, challenges related to distribution and FMCG marketing in those countries. The book will also discuss the impact of the Global Crisis on the consumer and retail markets as well as predictions and prospects for the future.

Newcomers to the fashion industry often base costings on the sum of a style's fabric, trims and labor-and to that they simply add their markup. However, every other activity of the business erodes that markup, and they find themselves with an unsustainable profit-or a loss. This guide will help you avoid these pitfalls to guarantee a sustainable profit. Apparel Costing details traditional and current costing methods for the fast-paced and e-commerce-focused fashion marketplace. You will learn industry-specific product/style costing that can be applied to garments produced both locally and globally. You'll also learn how to calculate line item percentages on indirect cost factors, such as factory sourcing, overhead, administration and product development. Key topics include: Target Market Pricing; Variable vs Fixed Costs; Direct vs Indirect Cost Factors; Cost-Based vs Value-Based Costing; Domestic vs International Production Costing; Effect of Sourcing on Costing; Sustainability in Costing; Fast Fashion vs. Slow Fashion