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WhatRetailers

WishBrandsKnew

BRAND GUIDE

2 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew

Wholesale is an important opportunity for brands to scale distribution with greater speed and reach, grow revenue, increase market share, and quickly gain consumer trust. As such, the most successful wholesale businesses belong to the brands that understand what retailers want. Informa Markets Fashion spoke with an incredible group of retailers and retail consultants from across the U.S. to weigh in on what they wish brands knew—advice that will also help you get ahead. This guide encompasses communication (pitching and following up), assortment planning, trade events, flexible business practices, and how you can build and nurture long-term relationships with buyers. Read on to uncover a host of actionable insights to start elevating your wholesale business today.


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Buyers are busy. Never pitch a retailer that doesn’t align with your brand–research their price points, aesthetic, target customers, brands, and local market before getting in touch.

Refine your pitches to feature only the most relevant and effective information; impress retailers with well-researched pitches (see above) that show you understand their businesses and value their time.

Present highly-targeted, custom assortments tailored specifically to a retailer’s stores.

Pitching:

GOODCOMMUNICATION

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4.Buyers are juggling many details before they attend market weeks and major trade events like MAGIC, COTERIE and PROJECT. Stand out by respecting their time and start with an email so they can review and get back to you.

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Whenever possible, schedule appointments with buyers. “As amanager/buyer, I am being torn in many different directions putting out fires all day in my stores. Under no circumstance should a sales rep show up to a store to show products unannounced,” explains Andreas Chronis, COO of Beginnings Bleus in Armonk and Scarsdale, New York.

There are many ways you can be more creative and effective with your marketing. First and foremost, make it easier for retailers to sell your products. Associate Director of Men’s and Outdoor at multibrand e-commerce retailer and social shopping app Verishop, Gamal Ahmed: “If you can synthesize what [our] customer should be excited about into a clearmessage, it’ll help me get that to our customer faster.” He says retailers are looking for dynamic energy and pitches featuring categories, marketing campaigns, technical functions and “what gets customers excited, because what excites them, excites the buyers.”

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Staying In Touch:Invest in the necessary resources to get on the best platforms for communicating with buyers, then make a concerted effort to stay in touch between markets. You can share collection details, order drafts, notes from shared meetings, whiteboardpresentations, and more. Beyond communication, these systems connect directly with retailers’ enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in real time, vastly reducing the chance for human error. Not only can you operate your business more seamlessly, but you can make your business look more sophisticated in the eyes of buyers.

Follow up on a regular cadence to find out how your products are doing. Ask your retailer clients for sell-through reports and any special qualitative feedback that may apply. If certain SKUs have high sell-through rates, try to understand why. You may be able to apply findings from these successes to assortment ordistribution decisions in the future. Of course the immediate priority would bereplenishing sold-out or low inventory as soon as possible to maximize revenues for you and your clients. Similarly, if products aren’t moving as quickly as they should, brainstorm solutions. You may discover the same SKUs are faring

better elsewhere, in which case you can recommend swapping merchandise.

Finally, make it a habit to keep in contact throughout the year; don’t disappearbetween market weeks. This will show you have a vested interest in their businesses and success. At the same time, it can help you stand out from the competition and ensure your brand will never fall off the radar.


STRATEGIC ASSORTMENT PLANNING

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Successful assortment planning must take retailers’ needs into consideration, while

minding macro and micro industry trends. Executive Director, Industry Analyst of Fashion Footwear & Accessories at The NPD Group, Beth Goldstein explains: “Retailers and brands need to market to the lifestyles that consumers are living and show them how these products are great—whether for working from home or certain types of travel (such as roadtripping vs flying). Consumer preferences have really shifted over the last year, and while some of those behaviors may shift back, we may see some of those behaviors continue to stick.”


.Become familiar with retailers’ target customers and offer a unique selection of products that speaks to their desires. This is an ongoing process; edit your assortments as attributes evolve over time. The shift to offer more lounge-appropriate designs during the pandemic is one great example of responding to changes in consumer behavior. For example, a Wall Street Journal survey found that 24% of surveyed consumers regarded active/athleisure wear as one of their top three shopping categories for spending pandemic-relief stimulus checks. What’s more, Allied Market Research projects the category will grow from $155.2 billion (2018) to $257.1 billion in 2026.

Study Target Markets:

.Know retailers’ price points, explore opportunities to increase their margins and produce collections priced appropriately for their stores.

Offer the Right Prices:

.A cohesive collection speaks clearly to your brand and creates continuity so you can develop long-term, loyal customers (both D2C and wholesale). They also allow retailers to speak effectively to your brand in terms of marketing and sales. According to “Measuring the Fashion World: Taking Stock of Product Design, Development, and Delivery” by McKinsey & Company’s Apparel, Fashion & Luxury Group, key looks are bolstering brands thanks to distinct looks that are recognizable and consistent for consumers. Their survey for businesses of various sizes and price points found 80% had key looks (season staples including color palettes, silhouettes, fabrics, and prints). “Don’t lose sight of the passion and core beliefs that started the brand,” says Saskia Font, owner of the e-commerce multibrand retailer My Bohemian Beach House.

Develop Cohesive Collections:

.Retailers want what shoppers want. Offer merchandise that may be worn by a broad range of consumers.

Focus on Inclusion:

.Leverage data, agile manufacturing and the buy now, wear now calendar to provide assortments appropriate for lengthier, warmer summers, and unexpected climatic shifts.

Create Strategies for Weather:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/lululemons-surge-could-have-long-legs-11589470142

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/athleisure-market

https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Industries/Retail/Our%20Insights/Measuring%20the%20fashion%20world/Measuring-the-fashion-world-Full-report.pdf

https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Industries/Retail/Our%20Insights/Measuring%20the%20fashion%20world/Measuring-the-fashion-world-Full-report.pdf


Executive Director, Industry Analyst of Fashion Footwear & Accessories at The NPD Group, Beth Goldstein, shares some of the most significant retail trends impacting apparel and footwear. Consider how they could be incorporated into future collections:

• size-inclusivity• innovative adaptive designs for shoppers with disabilities• seasonless and transitional designs for unseasonal weather• genderless designs for younger shoppers, a more gender fluid cohort

Great Opportunities


In-Person EventsIn-person trade events are the only places where you can see thousands of buyers over the course of a few days.

You can meet with existing clients, new clients, and other important industry contacts (such as suppliers and journalists), all while showcasing your latest collections. “To create meaningful relationships with customers, it’s important to do so in person. Brands need to build rapport and trust with potential customers to build long-standing relationships that are both mutually beneficial and profitable,” says Informa Markets Fashion Commercial President, Kelly Helfman. “There’s a lot of competition out there, so going the extra mile to see customers face to face goes a long way and results in a better ROI. Fashion is also a very tactile industry. Retailers need to touch and feel the product to see quality and confirm it’s right for their shoppers.”

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HOW TO STAND OUT AT TRADE EVENTS

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Cover the essentials, quickly. “Aside from key items or stories, know your business and how it might fit in with retailers. Do you know your operational abilities—minimum order quantity, delivery dates, etc.? Can we talk through timelines and operating models together to figure out a partnership? If you come prepared with at least some answers, we can save a lot of time and chase each other later. Momentum can shrink a few weeks of emails into a few hours of conversation,” explains Gamal Ahmed.

Focus on visual merchandising. Outfit your booth and mannequins in a stand-out way that is both in line with your brand and highlights key pieces. However, sometimes less is more, according to Patrice Turkell, president and buyer of Portage & The Jewelry Box in Englewood, New Jersey. She says it’s best to focus on tighter edits and avoid excessive displays since trade shows are already filled with plenty of conversations, seminars, and visual stimuli.

Consider memorable product giveaways or product feature demonstrations.

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Optimize the in-person trade experience for your success while protecting buyers’ time:


It’s always nice when brands have a great story to tell and are excited to share it. However, at trade shows, we’re all so

crunched for time. I wish that brands came prepared to boil their story down to what the customer will care about, which, ultimately is what I care about too. Sometimes, that’s

a key item or classification that you do better than anyone else, and other times it’s about an exceptional marketing campaign or

partnership you have coming up.

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- Gamal Ahmed, Associate Director of Men’s and Outdoor, Verishop


DigitalEvents

Embrace the interactive. Use tools such as video capabilities and shoppable tags to increase engagement and further immerse buyers into the world of your brand.

Put merchandising at the forefront of your strategy; share a selection of the images that best represent your brand.

Focus on relationships, just as you would at an in-person event. The foundation of any trade event is people doing business with people—professionals adding value to each other’s businesses through trade.

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Digital events such as MAGIC DIGITAL, COTERIE DIGITAL, and PROJECT DIGITAL present fantastic opportunities to experience

trade events online, whether you’re unable to attend in person or simply aim to complement an in-person event. And digital is here to stay. Connect with retailers from around the world from the comfort of your office or home, and share collections and linesheets buyers 24/7 throughout each digital event.


Fashion is an ever-changing industry in a quickly-evolving world. Respect how things have worked in the past, but have the flexibility to respond and adapt with speed.

When unplanned situations or disaster strikes, think about how you can sustainably support the retailers in your network. For example, can you extend the ability for orders to be revised or delivery dates to be changed in the event of an emergency, such as the first COVID-19 lockdown? Can you offer flexible payment options in times of need? Think short-term and long-term to figure out how you can help.

Outside of times of crisis, there are many ways to bring ease and flexibility to your wholesale relationships every day, including:

• Being quick to evolve or change

• Testing new ways to work with retailers

• Offering discounts for late shipments

• Authorizing swaps for slow-moving inventory

• Processing return authorizations in a timely fashion

• Graciously attending to reasonable order adjustment requests

• Offering incentives during difficult economic times o Free or expedited shipping o Reduced minimums o Bundle offers

FLEXIBLE BUSINESSPRACTICES

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Rethink your Pre-packsInflexible pre-packs limit retailers’ cash flow, thus limiting the ability to be flexible in their businesses. Darlene Y. Mitchell, a retail boutique coach and advisor, weighs in on the importance of offering pre-pack flexibility:

3.Offer inclusive sizes.

2.Offer singles (ones). Retailers often struggle to restock an item in multiples of a single size.

1.Offer pre-pack flexibility. Allow retailers to order pre-packs that meet their size curves to prevent overstock issues in their stores.

Brands interested in exploring flexible pre-packs can work with demand planners for history and

forecasts. This is the norm for large, vertical companies; however, independent brands can

also benefit from their support.


Brands do not understand that having a favorable swap policy will lead to more lenient buying from buyers because they know they will rarely be stuck with extra product. It also builds trust, rapport, and

confidence that will allow for a longstanding mutually beneficial relationship.

““- Andreas Chronis, COO, Beginnings Bleus


Authentic relationships are key. While developing genuine, mutually-beneficial relationships with retailers may seem routine, many retailers say it’s altogether too rare. Brands: this is low-hanging fruit and a rather enjoyable measure to implement—care about your wholesale partners and seek out ways to benefit their businesses as well as yours. Get creative and think about new ways to collaborate such as through special collaborations or limited-edition products. This is not only a natural and easy approach, but highly encouraged. “People want to do business with people, this was especially made more evident due to COVID-19. The more a brand has a team that builds personal relationships with retailers, the more long-term those relationships become. It’s not just about where or on what platforms they’re interacting with each other, but about investing in a win-win relationship to be able to ebb and flow and grow together,” says Ashley Alderson, founder and CEO of The Boutique Hub.

THE IMPORTANCE OFRELATIONSHIPS

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“They know our stores well and they’re in close or frequent contact with our

owners. The most successful brands are in the best contact with us to find out

if their orders have arrived, to follow up on orders and to find out how sales are going. They are the best communicators

and maintain the best relationships.”

Melissa Novell of Scout & Molly’s on the brand partners they value most:

“A new brand must be unique and outstanding and get good [media]

placement, etc. to get people excited to check them out. Do something special. Invite me to see the brand, share nicer

linesheets… We prefer established brands at our stores so new brands have to do a

lot to stand out.”

On emerging brands:


Sharing Expertise with New Retailers

Explore what you can do to bring value to your wholesale partners long-term. For example, many new retailers in the marketplace (especially e-commerce) lack retail financial expertise, explains Darlene Y. Mitchell. She says many lack the fundamental knowledge of buying, sales planning, inventory, and more. As a result, they buy cautiously, month to month, or pay with their credit cards rather than negotiating for terms such as NET 30, for instance. It then becomes important for brands to help educate these new retailers how to buy in a manner that will benefit both parties in the short and long-term future.


The relationship begins when the order is placed and doesn’t end there. I value brands who truly want to ensure they sell well in my boutique and do everything possible to support that through product education,

sending promotional items, facilitating product swaps, and responding quickly to emails

and various product requests such as return authorizations and special orders.

““- Elizabeth LeGore, owner of Vagabond Apparel Boutique in

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida


DeAnna J. McIntosh, a global retail consultant, shares key localization strategy tips:

• Sell marketable, shelf-ready merchandise.• Research local stores to get a feel for adjacent categories and products in store. Compare the offerings to your own merchandise to understand how to compete more effectively.• Develop your pricing strategy from the start. If you launch as D2C withprices that are 2x cost, you’ll run into major issues when you’re ready to shift into wholesale.• Think about how your packaging will appear on the shelf next to other products in the store.• Assess the quality of your marketing and brand positioning compared to those of the brands carried by local stores.

How to Think Local


What better way to find out how to succeed in the business than to ask

retailers themselves? And the potential benefits are vast: A deal with a single buyer can mean securing business for dozens of doors around the country or even on an international scale. These dedicated partners market and sell

your products while introducing your brand to new shoppers, regions, and sometimes even new target markets.

Whether you’re an emerging startup or growth-stage brand, wholesale has the power to supercharge your business.

Trend-driven and young contemporary apparel, footwear.

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and accessories.

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