An Analysis of Responsible Factors for Merchandiser's Performance and Role in Apparel Industry

Abstract

Fashion industry requires talented executives with a keen sense of the marketplace and finely honed management skills that enable them to make the critical decisions needed to keep a company's product line competitively marketable and profitable. The driving force in today's apparel business is merchandising. A merchandiser is defined as a person who ensures that the right product at the right price reaches in right quantity and at the right time to the final destination. A merchandiser is the responsible person to make the product according to the buyer's parameters and satisfaction. Merchandisers have to look after every job right from buying the raw material, components and accessories, making the apparel, finishing the apparel, documentation and communication to and from all business partners to finally shipping and much more. The merchandisers play the role of a ‘fulcrum’ within apparel export organisations, coordinate and balance the business needs of the supplier on one end and buyer on the other. Their performance affects the business results of apparel export companies. The paper aims to identify the key parameters for assessing merchandisers' performance in apparel export companies. The recommendations based on key findings of the research show that merchandiser selection process, training and performance appraisal could significantly contribute towards improving the performance of merchandisers in the apparel industry.