Qualities of a Fashion Merchandiser
In the early days of human history, people were not concern about fashion. But with the improvement of living standards around the world people are becoming fashion conscious. People are ready to pay a higher price for a fashionable dress. But the question is how we can make a fashionable dress and how we can meet customer’s desires by delivering the right product. Here the responsibility goes to the fashion merchandisers and the person who is responsible for merchandising of fashionable dress is known as a fashion merchandiser. To become a successful fashion merchandiser a merchandiser, need to have qualities of a fashion merchandiser which may help to deliver the right product to the right customer at the right place for the right price and by this process business of fashionable dress expanding.
The demand for fashion merchandiser is increasing over the years in the Indian subcontinental areas. People have more desire for fashionable clothes that’s why fashion merchandising getting preference. Near the future, this will create a huge job opportunity. So this is the right time to take a degree in fashion designing and apparel merchandising.
Difference Between Apparel Merchandising and Fashion Merchandising
The main difference between apparel merchandising and fashion merchandising is, fashion merchandising is a specific area of apparel merchandising. Where fashion merchandiser focus is only a part of that specific area. Although if you consider the functional qualities the job is more or less similar. But here the sense of fashion is more focused rather than normal apparel goods.
Qualifications Required to be a Fashion Merchandiser
To become a fashion merchandiser, you need to have knowledge of fashion, fashion designing, and how it works. If you have a good perception of fashion trends, then you can be a better fashion merchandiser. It will add value if you have a merchandising and fashion designing degree.
List of Qualities of a Fashion Merchandiser
To become a successful fashion merchandiser, you need to have the following qualities
- Ability to Communicate
- The Ability to Understand Fashion Trends
- Ability to Convince People
- Ability to Visualize Market Needs
- Ability to Analyze
- Ability to Negotiate
- Knowledge of Costing
- Ability to Apply Creativity
- Language Skills
- Active Learner
- Being Self Motivated
- Ability to Work Under Pressure
- Team Player
- Think Out of the Box
- Ability to Meet Customer Satisfaction
Ability to Communicate
The first thing is a merchandiser need to have good communication skill because in every stage of merchandising a communication media is required. Communication can be oral, written, or digital communication. Fashion merchandisers should be smart enough to deliver the message clearly.
The Ability to Understand Fashion Trends
As a fashion merchandiser, you need to understand fashion trends. How current trends are moving and what can be in the future. So it is necessary to collect all the information related to that particular fashion you are working with. Although the apparel industry is huge, it is better to work in a particular field so that you can focus accordingly. To become successful in the fashion industry as a merchandiser this quality of understanding fashion trends is a must. Because the better you understand the trends then better you will work to deliver. In this case, fashion merchandisers have to have the trait of pro-activeness.
Ability to Convince People
Merchandiser always works for the convincing of their clients. You can use a different strategy to convince because it varies from person to person, company to company. Convince about the design of cloth, price offering, and finally induce to buy that particular product from you. This is also one of the key qualities of fashion merchandisers.
Ability to Visualize Market Needs
Based on market needs, we want to meet the desirability of the customer. The market needs of fashionable dress are influenced by the season and occasional change. So as a fashion merchandiser you need to be careful about the market needs.
Ability to Analyze
Analyze each and every factor which is related to the merchandising of goods. The better you understand the better you will be able to deliver to the customer. For understanding what the customer is demanding and what you have to meet that demand if you are able to analyze the situation quickly then you can deliver the service quickly.
Ability to Negotiate
Your employer always wants from you that you will get the competitive price of your fashionable cloth. So as a fashion merchandiser you must work as a good negotiator. If a person has this quality, the owner of that fashion clothes will generate much profit for their company.
Knowledge of Costing
Before offering a price you need to know the costing of that fashion products. Every time you cannot get other people to support so it will be better for you if you have enough knowledge of cost. I think there will not be much problem if you understand the costing method properly because the costing method will remain the same but the amount will vary.
Ability to Apply Creativity
In fashion designing creativity brings success. A fashion merchandiser needs to be creative to apply creative ideas for getting more buyers’ attention. Creativity is the outcome of creative ideas and it is generated from a creative mind. As a fashion merchandiser, you will have more scope to apply your own creativity.
Language Skills
As a fashion merchandiser, you need to communicate with different parties. If you have good language skills in a different region, then you may get extra benefits from it.
Active Learner
One of the key qualities of a successful fashion merchandiser is an active learner. Active learner person basically learns fast and apply their learning for selling the merchandise. This behavior also helps to improve the knowledge and skill of an individual.
Being Self Motivated
If you are self-motivated then no one can stop, you from what you want to do. As a fashion merchandiser, it is not necessarily that every time you become one of the top successful people. Sometimes you may not be successful but if you learn from your previous experience and motivated by your own then definitely success is yours.
Ability to Work Under Pressure
Everyone cannot work under pressure. If you can work under pressure, then you have the quality of becoming a successful fashion merchandiser.
Team Player
A team player has the advantage of working together. You may learn a lot of things from the members of a team. If you work in a fashion house as a merchandiser, then definitely you will be required to work with your team.
Think Out of the Box
The new idea came when you think out of the box. A new idea can bring a new fashion and a new fashion can bring success to a fashion merchandiser. Critically thinking is not bad if critical thinking generates new ideas.
Ability to Meet Customers Expectation
Merchandiser always works for the purpose of meeting customer expectations. So you must be able to provide what your customer is desiring from you and your product. The more you meet customer demand the more your customer will grow and become loyal towards your fashion brand which is one of the pre-condition of becoming a successful fashion merchandiser.
After reading this hopefully, you already understood what are the qualities that are required to become a successful fashion merchandiser.
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