Role of Garment Merchandiser

After getting the purchase order from buyer, garment merchandiser has to take immediate step with different departments for smooth work environment. Merchandiser’s roles start after taking the order from buyer and until ship the goods to buyer on time. In the meantime, merchandiser co-ordinate with different department within the organization, suppliers and job worker’s logistic outside the company.  In a short way, we can say that merchandiser will analysis, make plan and control the overall order from start to final shipment of the goods.

1. Role with buyer and sampling department
2. Role with purchase department
3. Role with store department
4. Role with testing department or lab
5. Role with electronic data processing department
6. Role with HR department
7. Role with production department
8. Role with quality department
9. Role with packing department / finishing
10. Role with commercial department
11. Role with shipping department

Role with buyer and sampling department

The initial stage of merchandiser is order confirmation with buyer and co-ordinate with sampling department for various approvals before start the bulk production.

• Role of Merchandiser with buyer: after getting the enquiry from buyer with tech pack, garment merchandiser has to work with various departments and prepare a quote to submit the buyer. Price quotation will be intimated to the buyer that price is negotiated and confirmed. After that, buyer will sent the purchase order along with the LC. At different sampling stage, merchandiser has to send print embroideries and trims accessories to the buyer for bulk approval.  Bulk goods will be produced and shipped the goods after getting the all trims approval from buyer.

• Role of Merchandiser with sampling department: After get all details from buyer with tech pack, garment merchandiser will arrange the fit sample for approval and sample size may be in one size. After get the comments on fit sample, buyer may ask for full size set or pre-production sample in jumping size or one size. At sampling stage, print, fabric, color, trims and print placement approvals are also finalized in sample stage. At the same time, technical team will check measurement chart and confirm upon any increase in measurement will lead to an up charge. Here also paper pattern is also update as per buyer comments and follow update spec sheet.

Role with purchase department

In garments industry, basically purchase department is divided into two departments like fabric and accessories. Here is describe bellow

• Fabric department:  Fabric requirement come from buyer & after that factory merchandiser will follow their parameters.  As per buyer requirement, merchandiser will take action to keep the parameter of fabric count, construction, weight or GSM, design of the fabric, fabric quality & color etc. In tech pack, buyer will provide all details instruction of fabric & after that garments merchandiser will hand over all details to the fabric manager for further progress. Garments merchandiser coordinates with fabric manager until unless get the fabric from fabric department. After getting the fabric from fabric department, send to the buyer for approval of quality, design, GSM & color. At first, around 3KG to 5KG fabric knitted for approval purpose. After getting approval comments from buyer, the price is negotiated with supplier and placed the bulk work order. Before start the fabric production, need to coordinate with production department for measuring fabric width or Dia to minimize the production loss. Keep in mind, buyer standard before start the bulk dying. Dying department has to keep in mind about AZo dyes. Buyer may ask for Azo test at any time in the middle of the bulk production. If the quantities are too small for manufacturing the goods then stock lots can be offered to the buyer. Main goal of garment merchandiser is sourcing, pricing and time of deliveries of bulk fabric. Generally, almost 5% excess given in bulk with actual required quantity but this can be vary based on order quantity or companies to companies.
• Accessories department: After price negotiation with buyer, they will provide full details of trimming and accessories requirement by style wise. Garment merchandiser will arrange the trims as per required and keep in mind color, size, design and logo etc. Sometimes buyer may look nickel free metallic items. If those items are not available in market as per buyer required then options can be proposed to the buyer. After getting approval of trims and accessories from buyer with price negotiation, bulk work is placed to the supplier for faster production. Here garment merchandiser’s main goal is in-house all trims and accessories before start the bulk sewing to smooth production. Normally, extra 3-4% added with actual order quantity and may vary depend on size wise order quantity.

Role with Store department

After place the work order to the supplier, garment merchandiser will provide all work order along with purchase order of the style to the store manager. Once the trims are in-house, the store manage will send a sample to the merchandiser for approval purpose, on receipt of approval of the same goods will be in-house. Here garment merchandiser will arrange the work order with price to the store manager. If any deviation come of receiving goods then have to report to the store manager or accessories manager. Here garment merchandiser will provide size wise order quantity along with approval trims to the store manager. So that store manager will understand what quantities are to be dispatched.

Role with testing or Lab department

Generally test requirement come from buyer, factory merchandiser will send the sample to the selected companies. Now a days, large company arrange basic in house test like rubbing, shrinkage test, color fastness, saliva test etc. Fabric, trimmings and accessories are tested as per given buyer parameters. Sometimes, buyer may look for third party test report like azo, fabric composition, ph etc. Buyer will provide the tolerance range for acceptance of goods.

• Fabric testing: In various stage fabric test are conducted as per buyer requirement. Fabric test like GSM, strength, length, width, shrinkage, thickness, count and color fastness etc.
• Yarn testing: Yarn test included like count, strength, twist etc.
• Accessories testing: As per buyer requirement, buyer may look for accessories test like color fastness, corrosion & metal items test etc.

Role with electronic data processing (EDP)

Garment merchandiser should be in synch with all departments regarding the progress of each style which is running in production. The EDP department will help to arrange data into one place where user will get the full data in one click. Here will show total status of style in one data which is collected from different departments. There are many software packages available for this job. Large organizations arrange their own ERP system internally for better performance.

Role with HR department

Garment merchandiser should inform HR department in case of manpower, local transport requirement and manpower movement requirement.

Role with production department

Garment merchandisers main goal is ship the goods on time without any problem. For smooth production, merchandiser will hand over his style details with order quantity to production department. As per plan, production department will input the goods after getting the size set pattern from cad department. As per buyer requirement, garment merchandiser submits the production sample to the buyer for approval. Before submit the production sample, merchandiser should take size set approval from buyer. After start the production line, merchandiser will coordinate with production department in daily basis regarding order progress and clarification of doubts in any. It’s main duty of garment merchandiser to follow up the patterns, fabric approval status and trims in-house on time.

Role with quality department

Each and every buyer is looking for quality product. Garment merchandiser should maintain quality of the product as per buyer requirement. The quality department have to maintain quality standards as buyer requirement, when production running in line. Each and every point have to check carefully for maintain quality standards. On the basis of styling of the product, quality manager will set the check points to maintain the quality level as per buyer standards.

Role with packing department (Finishing)

As per buyer instruction of packing, garment merchandiser will provide all details to the packing department. Garment merchandiser will provide style wise garments quantity, ratio quantity, solid quantity, marking details which are received from buyer. Suppose, buyer want individual poly bag or single poly bang used in garments then ration quantity packed by blister poly bag etc. As we know that, storage and labour cost is higher in foreign countries. Buyer considering the situation, they made effective plan to utilize the cost and space. Garment merchandiser should collect all details of packing form buyer and send to the packing department, so that it becomes easy to utilize the cost and space of the carton and dispatch where there is a requirement.

Role with commercial department

Factory merchandiser will provide a copy of all purchase order against the particular order to the account department. Account department will co-ordinate with all departments like garment merchandiser, supplier for any excess or shortage or price variation etch. As account department allocated fund against an order (e.g bank transfers, LC negotiation etc). The account department negotiated all payment which is related with order depending on the type of L/C. Once shipment completed, as per buyer required document submitted to the bank and payments are received.

Role with shipping department

Factory merchandiser always co-ordinate with shipping department for vessel booking, transport etc. for his order and complete documents of shipping submitted to the account department for realizing the fund from buyer.

After complete the shipment of the goods, garment merchandiser will compare the actual and final budgeted cost to insure contact profitability.