Merchandising

Garments merchandising means buying raw materials and accessories,

producing garments, maintaining required quality level and exporting the
garments within schedule time. Who involved in garments merchandising is
called garment merchandiser. From the above definitions, we can say that a
garment merchandiser needs a wide range of knowledge and skill to perform
his job successfully.
Merchandising every Word meaning
• M-Managerial Capability
• E-Efficient
• R-Right sense of responsibility
• C-Confidence in taking any decision
• H-Honest
• A-Attitude
• N- Nice behavior
• D-Devoted to service and never do argue with seniors
• I- Intelligent enough to resolve any issue
• S-Sincere in assign task
• E-Enthusiastic
• R-Regular
In this article I have given flowchart of garment merchandising, I mean role & responsibilities of a
merchandiser. Process Flow Chart of Merchandising:

Receive product package form buyer

↓
Sample development
↓
Price negotiation
↓
Order confirmation and receive order sheet.
↓
Sourcing acceptable quality goods right time
↓
Material collection and receive it in factory
↓
Check and listing
↓
Swatch card making and approval
↓
Pre production meeting
↓
Daily collect daily production report and daily quality report
↓
Arrange final inspection
↓
Shipment
Qualities of good merchandiser
• Must be very intelligent, smart & courageous
• Proficiency in both written and Spoken English
• Should have basic computer knowledge
• Must be very good communication skill
• Should have the monitoring capability to expedite the orders
• Knowledge on different types of fabric, fabric weight, yarn count etc.
• Knowledge on different type of trims & accessories used in garments
• Lab test parameters & procedures
• Sampling procedure of buyer
Qualities of good merchandiser
• Should have idea on garments construction
• LC & all payments term
• Must have knowledge on different export & import documents
• Accessories & their consumption calculating system
• Trims & accessories sources & prices
• Idea on print, embroidery and wash
• Knowledge on garments costing
• Should have negotiation skill
• Must be able to work in a team & work under pressure
• Proficient in email corresponding etc.
Responsibilities of SOL/SSL Merchandiser
SOL merchandiser work with which section
• Own Department
• Desk job
• Sample section
• Store
• Quality team
• IE & planning
• Production
Responsibilities of SOL/SSL Merchandiser
• Cutting
• Sewing line
• Quilting
• Embroidery
• Printing
• Finishing
• PPC
• Compliance
• Admin
• & Shipment
Brief discussion of merchandising work with
section
➢Own Department
❑ Discussion with each team members of work process.

❑ Help to each other making trim card & getting materials.

❑Problem finding & solution

➢ Desk job

▪ Make daily production report, sample status, material status &

finishing status

▪ Check mail for clarification of any query

▪ Discuss with head office of any query & their sample required

▪ Share of any kinds of information which arise from sample and

production section.
➢ Sample Section

▪ First get Tech pack from buyer, then read & confirm T&A

▪ Send requisition with tech pack

▪ Making trim card & send sample section

▪ Collect materials & send to sample section

▪ Ensure pattern master on this tech pack & make pattern

▪ Plan with sample planning team

▪ Sewing in line follow up

▪ Help to solve any problem

▪ Complete sample & help to send at H.O.

➢ Store

▪ After order confirm then send order sheet and tech-pack

▪ On time in house material & check with store

▪ Solve any problem found in-housed material and taking necessary steps.

▪ Manage all approval report & provide them on time

▪ When need material for making sample then arrange material from store
➢ Quality team

▪ Provide dye-lot & wash standard for shade band approval

▪ Help to wash Leg & blanket send to wash

▪ Provide them data sheet for button, heat seal etc.

▪ Help to solve fabrics & trims problem according to their report

▪ Manage all approval report & provide them

➢ PPC

▪ Gather all production report from PPC

▪ Wash goods send wash by help PPC

▪ Follow up & help to goods get back from wash

➢ Compliance team
• To collect difference types of compliance certificate & provide them
to buyer

➢ Finishing team
• Work with finishing team to finish goods before final audit and getting
packing list

➢Shipment
• Help to ship goods after Inspection
➢ Inspect the goods by buyer QA or NQC
Inspect the goods by buyer QA or NQC
Inspect the goods by buyer QA or NQC
Inspect the goods by buyer QA or NQC
Top five defects report- Snowtex Nov 2020
Barriers we follow our work stage

✓Losing more time at store

✓Sometimes Store missing some item ( reason not to keep right way )
✓Uneducated & unskilled operator
✓Sometimes pattern mistake
✓After making sample QC said sample fail
✓On time material not in house
✓Working environment is less satisfactory at merchandising at SOL
Work for how to develop merchandising

▪ Discussion with all team member and team leader

▪ Problem find out & step for solution

▪ Discuss all department head for perform with merchandising

▪ New idea develop & established

▪ All merchandiser shared their opinion & search valuing speech

▪ Work for recover time lose in any section

➢ Sampling Stage
• Kinds of Sample:
1. Pattern Test sample
2. Development Sample / Proto Sample/ 2nd Proto/3rd Proto
3. Fit Sample
4. Gold Seal Sample (GSS) / Pre- Production Sample (PP sample)
5. Size set sample
6. Others (photo shoot sample, Sales man sample (SMS)/ Marketing
sample/ Showroom sample, Wash sample, Production sample or
top sample etc.)
➢ Related area work on during sample stage
1. Store (Fabric & Accessories collection)
2. Sample Section (CAD, Cutting, Sewing, Finishing)
3. Printing or Heat Seal
4. Embroidery
5. Quilting
6. Others (wash…)
7. Sample Sending: Head Office, Buying house, Testing institute and
Buyer.
➢ Write down sampling procedure
What is PP meeting?
• PP meeting refers to a Pre-Production meeting before starting bulk
production. There are various types of garments order, types of
styling, and buyer requirements. So, PP meeting is very important for
garments manufacturing to discuss and do all experiment for
production. All department heads of the apparel industry present in
the PP meeting so that everyone can be concerned about the
requirement of production.
Why pre-production meeting is important?
• Everyone understands about production process.
• Misunderstanding on product or any other issue can be clarified.
• Critical path is communicated and explained.
• Create relation between buying & factory people.
• Group discussion.
• Strong relationship can be built up.
Activities of PP meeting
• In chair Buying QC usually starts meeting at factory.
• He explains quality parameter for his customer in the meeting.
• He informs all his procedure so that everyone can understand what to
do.
• Show his production file & give a brief.
• Clarify any points that are not clear.
• Pilot run & cutting permission.
• Critical path review / Special Quality Points.
Which thing handover during PP meeting?
• Approved dye lot
• Size breakdown /PO Sheet
• Wash care sheet.
• Wash panel.
• Approved trims.
• Tech pack /Style details.
• Sample comment.
• Approved sample.
• Print / Embroidery Art work.
• Approved print / Embroidery.
• Test report.
Which thing review in PP meeting?
• Production schedule.
• When to start production.
• How many lines.
• How many machines.
• In-line inspection date.
• Pre-final inspection date.
• Final inspection date.
• Inventory of raw materials.
• Accessories inventory.
• Size set sample review.
• Pattern review.
• Print special attachment review.
• Finishing & Packing process.
• How to fold garment
• If tissue is required
• What size poly-bag to use
• for which garment sizes
• Position of poly bag label
• What style of hanger is required
• What size of hanger is required for which size garments
Conclusion of PP meeting
• During PP meeting buying QC must review check list.
• Write down additional comments and actions agreed.
• Signature.
What is Trims and Accessories?

• Trims: The materials which are attached with the body of garments by
sewing are termed as trimmings.

• Accessories: The materials which are not attached with the body of
garments by sewing, only used for garments finishing and packing are
termed as accessories.
List of Trims Used in Apparel:
• Button,
• Sewing Thread,
• Zipper,
• Rivet,
• Lining,
• Interlining,
• Hook & Loop,
• Twill tape,
• Stopper,
• Lace,
• Elastic,
• Ribbon,
• Label,
• Velcro tape etc.
List of Accessories Used in Apparel Industry:

• Hangtag,
• Tissue paper,
• Hanger,
• carton,
• Pin/Clip,
• Carton Sticker,
• Tag pin,
• Polybag,
• Collar stand,
• Plastic staple,
• Gum tape,
• Both side tapes etc.
Some abbreviation of Garments Industry
PO- Purchase Order
RMG-Ready Made Garments
FOB- Free On Board
ERP-Enterprise Resource Planning
NQC- Nominated Quality Controller
GSS- Gold Seal Sample
LC- Letter of Credit
PI- Proforma Invoice
BOM- Bill of Material
CAD- Computer Aided Design
Some abbreviation of Garments Industry
• BGMEA = Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters
Association
• BKMEA = Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters
Association
• AQL= Acceptable Quality Level
• NSA=No Seam Allowance
• ISO=International Organization for Standardization
What is Tech Pack in garment industry?
• A tech pack is a document containing all the technical information
about your product.

➢What should be included in a tech pack?

Tech pack include measurements, materials, colors, trim, grading,
labels instruction, garments sketch & materials using guidance.
What is trim Card?
• A trim card is used to show approved trims by attaching all garment
trims and accessories on the trim card.