What are the basic 15 steps for good Merchandiser skills and qualities

1. Identifying the Fabric Contents & Construction:

Merchandiser needs to know that the fabric has been made from which material and what is the weaving and knitting pattern. Learn how Yarn count and fabric GSM, fabric contents, and construction may not affect much in merchandising, but for knitted fabric, they play a very vital role, which a merchandiser must understand. Also, merchandisers should have the price of fabric in the current Market

2. Understand Trims & Accessories:

All items used in garments like yarn, fabric, interlining, pocketing, fusing, sewing-thread, buttons, Zipper, elastic, cartons, laces, drawcord, labels, hangtags, price tickets, stickers, gum tape, scotch tape, neck board, backboard, poly, carton, PP-band, etc. Merchandiser should get an idea for each trim & accessories which need to produce a garment

3. Analyze product package :

 Merchandiser skills and qualities include analyzing the product package in depth, which is given by the buyer. From the BOM sheet, the merchandiser must list out all items that will be required to complete the garments. In addition, he must also find out which items are to be sourced locally and which ones are from abroad. He needs to identify all the items to be arranged by air and sea to calculate tentative in-house dates for all the required materials.

4. Follow consumption & costing:

A goods merchandiser should acquire knowledge of product consumption to follow costing. To generate orders, consumption must be sharp to offer competitive prices to customers.

5. Listing out of all items requiring Lab-Test:

In the garment business, many items have to undergo certain lab tests to ascertain the quality standard of the garments compared to the quality and purity of the merchandise. Many countries have banned some of the chemicals, dyestuffs, metals, etc. for health hazards and carcinogenic reasons. Merchandiser needs to know which tests are to be done where and when including test charges.

6. Complete understanding of Color, and size breakdown :

Merchandisers must find out the total quantity of related orders with corrected size and color breakdown. He must book & source all required materials accordingly. This is an extremely serious matter as if any miscalculation on qty, color & size breakdown total material sourcing will be wrong. if bad luck it will be found during production & most the case no way for further correction. As a result, the total order will be jeopardized.

7. Study the printing:

Need to know printing type, size, number of colors, restriction on the use of chemicals, quality, and the lab test it has to undergo.

• Allover print.
• Screen print.
• Reactive print.
• Print with plastisol dyestuff.
• Discharge Print.
• Pigment print.
• Flock print.
• Foil print.
• Lurex print.
• Embossed print.
• Heat transfer print.
• Hi-density print.
• Dip-dye print.

08. Study the embroidery:

• You need to know the total number of stitches, colors, and type of thread required to follow the embroidery.
• plain embroidery with one color.
• Plain embroidery with multi-color.
• embroidery with lurex thread.
• Embroidery on printing.
• Embroidery with Application.
• Embroidery with the application
• embroidery with a laser-cut design.

09. Study the value-added work:

Smart Merchandiser studies surface embellishments and value-added works such as the setting of sequins, stones, beads, and needlework with colored or lurex threads.

10. Study Wash:

Merchandisers should have in-depth knowledge of different types of wash. eg, Garment wash, Acid wash, Bleach wash, stone wash, rubber ball wash, Acid wash, Tie-dye wash, burnout.

11. Required Sample & Submission procedure:

Total sampling procedures, application & delivery date should be well memorized by the concerned merchandiser who is executing the order. Below are the most common types of sampling that need a clear understanding of when this sample needs to proceed & what is the purpose of these sampling  

• Fit samples
• Pre-line sample
• SMS samples
• Counter sample.
• Sealed/Red/Yellow label sample.
• Size set sample.
• Pre-production sample.
• Lab-test sample.
• Flammability test sample.
• Photo Shoot sample.
• Shipment sample.

12. Understanding on L/C:

Merchandisers should be well known with the required clauses of a master LC & will
Keep note of master L/C received to date, garments value, total L/C value, Last shipment date, and LC expiry date, as per for particular order.

13. Production Planning:

Merchandisers must understand & follow the production planning, and allocation of production lines based on order qty & goods delivery schedule. Also production qty per day to the perfect implication of the Gant-Chart/ T&A

14. Time and Action Calendar (T&A):

Prepare a ‘Time & Action Calendar’ to ensure in-house of all merchandise to schedule for production planning to ship out goods as planned.

•  Well understand Consumption & garment Costing to quote the price to a buyer
• Required Skills in Sourcing & negotiation with customers & supplier
• Product Marketing skills to generate orders for the company (advanced level)
• Essential commercial knowledge including shipping charges (20 feet, 40 feet, 40 feet High Cube)
• Know the world map and all sea and air routes, Sea and Air Freight forwarders.
• Check twice all mathematical equations
• Update your order status chart regularly
• Don’t follow a work twice
• Keep all the approval in your hand
• Maintain good relations with all the departments & co-workers
• Hard-working & Problem-solving attitude
• Good knowledge of the English Language in both written and spoken.
• Know the email writing etiquette & techniques.
• Don’t miss any emails & make a habit of replying to all emails within the shortest possible time.
• Never do anything on assumption always get clarification & keep at least mail records for this
• Always Prepare a ‘’To Do’’ list of your entire job
• Take suggestions from your seniors for any new issue
• Always be sincere in his duty & responsibilities
• Always show a positive attitude to resolve all problems.
• Must be quick decision-making ability
• Ability to work as an individual as well as a team
• Analytical ability
• Knowledge of world business insights
• Ability to work under pressure
• Be positive always
• Try to learn  every day and enrich the knowledge