What Retailers Wish Brands - Coterie
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What
Retailers
Wish
BRAND GUIDE Brands
KnewWholesale 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.
2 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew1. GOOD
COMMUNICATION
Pitching:
1.
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.
2.
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.
3.
Present highly-targeted, custom assortments tailored
specifically to a retailer’s stores.
3 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew4.
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.
Learn more about Informa Markets Fashion events here.
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5.
Whenever possible, schedule appointments with buyers. “As a
manager/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.
6.
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 clear
message, 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.”
4 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands KnewStaying In Touch:
Invest in the necessary
resources to get on
the best platforms for
Follow up on a regular
cadence to find out how
your products are doing.
better elsewhere, in which
case you can recommend
swapping merchandise.
communicating with buyers, Ask your retailer clients for
then make a concerted sell-through reports and any Finally, make it a habit to
effort to stay in touch special qualitative feedback keep in contact throughout
between markets. You can that may apply. If certain the year; don’t disappear
share collection details, SKUs have high sell-through between market weeks. This
order drafts, notes from rates, try to understand will show you have a vested
shared meetings, whiteboard why. You may be able to interest in their businesses
presentations, and more. apply findings from these and success. At the same
Beyond communication, successes to assortment or time, it can help you stand
these systems connect distribution decisions in out from the competition
directly with retailers’ the future. Of course the and ensure your brand will
enterprise resource planning immediate priority would be never fall off the radar.
(ERP) systems in real time, replenishing sold-out or
vastly reducing the chance low inventory as soon
for human error. Not only as possible to maximize
can you operate your revenues for you and your
business more seamlessly, clients. Similarly, if products
but you can make your aren’t moving as quickly
business look more as they should, brainstorm
sophisticated in the eyes solutions. You may discover
of buyers. the same SKUs are faring
5 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew2. STRATEGIC ASSORTMENT
PLANNING
S uccessful 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.”
6 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew. Study Target Markets:
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.
Offer the Right Prices:
Know retailers’ price points, explore opportunities to increase their margins and produce
collections priced appropriately for their stores.
. Develop Cohesive Collections:
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.
Focus on Inclusion:
Retailers want what shoppers want. Offer merchandise that may be worn by a broad
range of consumers.
. Create Strategies for Weather:
Leverage data, agile manufacturing and the buy now, wear now calendar to provide
assortments appropriate for lengthier, warmer summers, and unexpected climatic shifts.
7 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands KnewGreat Opportunities
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
8 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew3. HOW TO STAND OUT
AT TRADE EVENTS
In-Person Events
In-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.”
Click here to learn more about Informa
Markets Fashion’s physical and digital events.
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9 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands KnewOptimize the in-person trade experience for
your success while protecting buyers’ time:
. 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.
10 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew“ 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
about an exceptional marketing campaign or
partnership you have coming up.
“
better than anyone else, and other times it’s
- Gamal Ahmed, Associate Director of Men’s and Outdoor, Verishop
11 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands KnewDigital
Events
D igital 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.
. 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.
12 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew4. FLEXIBLE BUSINESS
PRACTICES
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
13 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands KnewRethink your Pre-packs
Inflexible 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:
1.
Offer pre-pack flexibility.
Allow retailers to order
pre-packs that meet their
size curves to prevent
overstock issues in their
stores.
3. 2.
Offer singles (ones).
Retailers often struggle
Offer inclusive sizes. to restock an item in
multiples of a single size.
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.
14 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew“ 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
15 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew5. THE IMPORTANCE OF
RELATIONSHIPS
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.
16 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands KnewMelissa Novell of Scout & Molly’s on the
brand partners they value most:
“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.”
On emerging brands:
“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.”
17 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands KnewSharing 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.
18 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew“ 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
19 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands KnewHow to Think Local 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 with prices 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. 20 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands Knew
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.
21 Brand Guide: What Retailers Wish Brands KnewSTART PUTTING THESE
ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS
TO WORK
Find out how the Informa Markets
Fashion team and portfolio of live and
digital events can help you connect
with the right retailers.
Contact Us
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