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lesUNIT E

SELLING FASHION

5.01 Explain selling in the retail environment.

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sSelling as a marketing

function

Personal selling: • personalized, two-way communication• between the salesperson and the customer• process of exchanging merchandise for

money or credit.

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sCustomer-oriented selling:

• meeting and exceeding customer expectations

• making customers feel important

• identifying customer needs

• finding solutions to best fulfill those needs.

Sales-oriented selling:

• high-pressure selling

• total number of sales in the goal

• customer service less important

Types of Selling

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sRoles of Salespeople

1. Sales clerk: • “Order-taker” • Stand behind counter to ring up a sale• Employed by stores that sell lower-

priced merchandise.

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sRoles of Salespeople

2. Sales associate: • skillful retail employee • uses creative selling

skills • influences customers’

purchasing decisions • works in high-service

retail department and specialty stores.

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sRoles of Salespeople

3. Personal shopper:

• Individualized attention and service

• May put together an entire wardrobe

• Typically works by appointment only

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sThe Importance

of Salespeople• Develop professional relationships with

customers.• The only store contact for most customers.• Create higher sales (and MORE profit) • Help customers solve problems.• Create happy customers

– Repeat Customers (IMPORTANT)

– Referral Customers

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sMethods Used To

Motivate Salespeople

• Organizational climate: The feeling that employees have about their opportunities, value, and rewards for good performance within the business.– Positive Climate is key

– High esteem = in low employee turnover • Less Money spent on training new employees

– Low esteem = high employee turnover• Company spends profits on training employees

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sMethods Used To

Motivate Salespeople

• Compensation:

Payment and benefits for work accomplished.

– Wage:

– Based on a set rate per hour.

– Salary:

– Payment based on a fixed dollar amount for a specified period.

– Commission:

– Payment based on a percentage of the dollar amount of sales made by a salesperson.

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sMethods Used To

Motivate SalespeopleSales quota: – The projected volume of sales (units or dollars)

assigned to a department or person for a time period.• Compensation is often tied to meeting the sales

quota.Incentives: – Contests, prizes, rewards, honors, merchandise and

cash bonus awards, days off, trips, and profit-sharing opportunities used to motivate salespeople.

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sNon-Selling Duties and

Responsibilities of the Salesperson

1. Stock-keeping– Receiving merchandise– Preparing merchandise for sale

2. Maintaining product information

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sReceiving, preparing, and protecting merchandise against damage or theft, and participating in maintaining store or department inventory.

Stock-keeping

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sReceiving Merchandise

• Exchange of goods between vendor and retailer.

What to do?• Inspect for damage.• Verify merchandise is correct.• Record on a receiving record.• Process necessary returns.

– Returns to Vendors: Goods that are shipped back to a vendor by the retail store

– Mistakes in the order– Late delivery– Defective or damaged merchandise

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Preparing Merchandise for Sale

What to do?• Sort by color, size, and/or classification.• Price merchandise. • Transfer merchandise between store branches.• Set up and clean merchandise fixtures.• Display on hangers or shelf arrangements. • Maintain stock levels.• Straighten merchandise.

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sMaintaining product

information

•Product knowledge allows the salesperson to tailor the sales message to meet the specific needs of each customer.

•Types of information needed

−Product use

−Product care

−Pricing

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sSources Of

Product Information• Personal use/experience• Promotional circulars and flyers• Consumer publications • Trade publications• Sales representatives • Store buyers (Not customers)

• Manufacturer’s literature• Labels• Hangtags• Packaging

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sRibbon or cloth that are permanently

attached to the insides of garments to provide product information.– Any color or style – Printed on front and back

• if the label is attached so that both sides can be seen

– Information such as • brand

• special finishes

• size

Labels

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sLabels

• Information required by law:– Generic name of all fibers – Percentage of each fiber – Identification of the producer or distributor– Item’s country of origin– Care requirements

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sCardboard or heavy paper “signs” that

are attached to the outsides of garments with strings, plastic bands, pins, staples, or adhesives.

Hang from buttons, buttonholes, zippers, belt loops

Hangtags

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sHangtags

• Information may include– Brand name/trademark– Size– Suggested retail price– Style number– Special features such as fabric

finishes.– Symbols and logos to identify designers,

manufacturers, or sellers– A certification or seal of approval– Guarantees

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s The covering, wrapper, or container in which some items are placed.

• If information that is required by law on labels cannot be seen through packaging, it must be repeated on the package.

Packaging