To Create A Successful Maternity Range For High- Street Retailer
Level 4 Diploma in Buying & Merchandising for Fashion Retail Subject Tutor: Aurelie Le-Normand, Amy Liddle Kelly Jones
Index 1.0 Zara 1.1
Mission Statement and Policies
1.2
SWOT
1.3
Pros of a Maternity Range
1.4
Shop Analysis
1.5
Website Analysis
2.0
Customer and Competitor Research
2.1
Customer Profile
2.2
Celebrity Influences on Maternity wear
2.3
Comparative Shop
2.4
Comparative Shop Evaluation
2.5
Interview with (pregnant) friend
2.6
Interview with maternity department specials at Topshop
2.7
Research through social media on what customers want in maternity ranges
2.8
Evaluation on research
3.0
Range Building
3.1
CAD Selection of Key Items
3.2
Mood Board on colour, pattern and shape
3.3
Range Completed
3.4
Detailed range with prices, item codes and fabric details
4.0 Financial Spread Sheet
4.1
Key events calendar
4.2
Critical Path
4.3
Written Range Plan
4.4
Visual Range Plan
4.5
Range Plan Evaluation
4.6
Shipping Costs
4.7
Store Grading
4.8
Store Allocating
5.0. WISSI
5.1. WISSI 1 and Evaluation 5.2. WISSI 2 and Evaluation
6.0. Overall evaluation
6.1
Evaluation of my entire FMP
6.2
External Critique
6.3
Reflective Diaries X 5
Mission Statement and Store Policies Zara opened its first store in the coastal town of A Coruña in the northwest of Spain in 1975. Zara has over 2,000 stores strategically located in leading cities across 88 countries. Zara's designers and customers are inextricably linked. Specialist teams receive constant feedback on the decisions its customers are making at every Zara store. This feedback inspires Zara's creative team which is made up of over 200 professionals. Zara is always striving to meet the needs of its customers at the same time as helping to
inform their ideas, trends and tastes. The idea is to share responsible passion for fashion across a broad spectrum of people, cultures and ages. Zara has certain commitment guidelines in relation to environmental issues that it follows such as; •
Energy saving
•
Having a eco-friendly store
•
Producing less waste, and recycling
•
Staff commitment
•
Having an environmentally aware team
Energy Saving and producing a eco friendly store/ environment Zara are implementing an eco-friendly management model in stores in order to reduce energy consumption by 20% introducing sustainability and efficiency criteria. This management model sets out measures to be applied to all processes, including the design of the store itself, the lighting, heating and cooling systems and the possibility of recycling furniture and decoration. 1.1
Producing less waste and recycling: Recycling hangers and alarms, which are picked up from stores and processed into other plastic elements, is an example of how Zara managers their waste. Millions of hangers and alarms are processed each year and both the cardboard and plastic used for packaging are also recycled. Staff commitment: In-company awareness campaigns and specific multimedia-based training programmes are something Zara has in place to educate their staff in sustainable practices, such as limiting energy consumption, using sustainable transport and modifying behaviour patterns. Having an environmentally aware team: Zara supports organic farming and makes some of its garments out of organic cotton (100% cotton, completely free of pesticides,
chemicals and bleach). They have specific labels and are easy to spot in Zara stores. Also In transport Zara uses biodiesel fuel. Zara's fleet of lorries, which transport more than 200 million items of clothing a year, use 5% biodiesel fuel. This allows us to reduce our CO2 emissions by 500 tons. Finally Zara being a member of the Fur Free Allience, does not sell products containing fur, as it follows the principles of the Fur Free Program. No cosmetics sold by Zara have been tested on animals. 1.2
Zara SWOT Analysis
Strengths to having a maternity
Weaknesses to having a maternity
Opportunities to having a maternity
Threats to having a maternity
range are;
range are;
range are;
range are;
•
Meeting customer demands.
•
•
There being a gap in the market
•
Other high street competitors.
•
Keeping up with competitors
for maternity ranges.
•
Pricing – Customers deciding
•
Attracting new customers.
•
A fashionable maternity range.
•
It might not meet expectations.
•
Customers may not know its
•
there (poor marketing) •
Price – Customers may not
•
Raise brand profile and
its too expensive. Other
awareness.
retailers selling their garments
Maternity wear is labelled
cheaper. •
Having both woman's and
want to spend money due to
unfashionable, therefore there
children's wear will make it
only being pregnant for 9
is an opportunity to create a
endorsement as Zara does not
convenient for the customer as
months.
fashionable range and
celebrity endorse.
everything is under one roof.
Other brands using Celebrity
potentially using a celebrity.
1.3
Why a Maternity range? Processes? Despite a slower growth in the number of births per year, the maternity wear industry according to statistics is showing no signs of slowing down. According to the a study by IBIS World, the hype in online shopping and an increasing range of fashionable maternity wear has led to strong industry revenue growth. One of the reasons for this is that those women who are choosing to have children are spending greater amounts of money on maternity clothing.
Although with general clothing, retailers have suffered from weak consumer sentiment and subdued discretionary spending, the industry has benefited from strong demand for maternity wear, this is due from fashion-conscious consumers wanting to maintain their stylish wardrobes, especially those who have jobs. Woman who have office based jobs or have a career which means they have to meet with clients are more likely to spend on maternity clothes as they will still need to look professional and will want to be presentable to meet
their clients, therefore a fashionable maternity range would be ideal for them. A maternity range for Zara would be a good way to raise the brands profile and create more awareness for the brand. The range would also fit into the Zara's image very well and would make it convenient for mothers who are expecting, as they can shop for both child and themselves as Zara has a “Zara Kids” section as well as “Zara Home” and “TRF” which is for teenagers. I also think Zara having a maternity range would do well as mentioned before woman who have jobs that consist of meeting client and going to meetings will most likely be fashion conscious woman who still want to maintain their style. Zara's normal range is a sophisticated and tailored look, therefore a maternity range for these woman would be perfect as they can still look professional as well as feeling comfortable. 1.4
Shop Analysis Zara's stores are worldwide and are all consistent, the style of the store reflects the brands clothing which is modern and sophisticated with a cool chic vibe. One of Zara's strengths are that they meet customer demands style wise. Zara is often featured in popular fashion magazines, is talked about and blogged on social media account like Instagram and Pinterest. This is good for the brand as it shows what customers like and want to see more of. Zara doesn’t just offer the usual Woman and Men's wear, home, kids and teenagers ranges are all available in Zara which makes shopping at Zara easier for
customers especially those who have a family, as everything is under one roof. A maternity range is one thing Zara doesn’t offer its customers and as a fashion aware and well established brand I think this would be a great opportunity and the right time for Zara to create one, as the maternity department is like spoken about before “not slowing down”. Zara's diffusion ranges have their own section in the store which are usually located on another floor. This is something that Zara will have to take in to consideration as a pregnant woman will not want to walk up stairs or walk around depending on the size of the store. Zara also has things folded on tables, the maternity range will have to be on fixtures and hung up as bending down and over to get items off a table is not ideal for someone who is pregnant. One of the important strengths that Zara has, that I think would help the maternity range is the factor that Zara's garments are all placed along side each other in outfits. This is one thing that most retailers are doing as its making shopping in store and online easier for the customers. This would make shopping for pregnant woman even easier as they are more than likely to feel insecure about
how they look and the maternity section will only be selected items that could be something that they usually wouldn't wear, therefore having potential options and merchandising the garments in outfits would make shopping in the maternity range easier. 1.4
Website Analysis Zara’s website reflects the style of the clothing that they sell which is modern and sophisticated. The website is tailored to follow and suit the style of the layout of the stores which is minimal and direct. Zara offers suggestions online to make it easier for customers to build outfits, at the bottom of the product there is a
“look” post which suggests items that could complete the look. Zara's store do something similar to this by places the items along side by side creating outfits, this again makes it easier for the customer to shop.
Zara's website would appeal to customers because it is straight forward and the directions are clear and easy to follow. This would make shopping online easy for the customers who don’t want the stress of going directly to the store, and who to like to shop from the comfort of their own home. The directions and links are simple to follow, there is no pop ups or averts on Zara's website, which I think would appeal to Zara's customer as their target customers who are likely to use the website will be the older customers therefore not having pop ups or bright colours and having a simple website with simple links would makes things quicker for the customer to get what they want and get back to work. The audience that the website will attract will be different to the audience the store will attract. The store is more likely to attract Zara’s younger customers as younger woman are more likely to shop leisurely, whereas the
Suggestions to help Zara’s customers complete their look.
customers who use the website are more likely to be older and have no time to visit the store therefore using the
website is a better and less time consuming process. Lastly Zara does not have any online or in store promotions on products, the only promotion that Zara offers is free shipping on orders over £50.00. Other competitors do offer student discount and promotions on certain items such as linger and jersey-wear as this appeals to their target customer. However not offering a discount reflects Zara's customers, who are older mature woman not as many students, therefore student discount is not relevant.
1.5
Customer Profile Name: Monikh Dale
Location: London
Age: 26 Occupation: Personal Shopper at Topshop Knightsbridge
Salary: 30K per year
Hobbies: Hobbies of Monikh’s include attending fashion events as she is a blogger as well as a personal shopper, attending Yoga, hanging out with her friends and going to concerts.
Favourite high street stores: Topshop, Zara, Whistles, Hobbs, COS, H&M, REISS 2.1
Celebrity Influences on Maternity wear Pregnant celebrities can be the best way to get inspiration for both the buyer and the customer. Maternity inspiration from celebrities is always a good idea as maternity wear has became a hype now especially with celebrities embracing their bumps now and are constantly looking good, customers will most likely want to be doing the same, therefore having stylish maternity clothing is essential for certain customers.
Gwen Stefani keeps her cool style with
Kate Middleton goes for the more classic
black jogger bottoms, black basic t-
look with a pale blue Jenny Packham polka- in a vibrant aztec print cape. Patterns
oversized denim shirt, basic grey t-shirt,
shirt, heeled boots and a casual white
dot dress with elasticated waistband.
are a good idea to consider when
elasticated joggers and flat pumps. Shirts
Elasticated waistbands are important to
creating maternity wear as the
are key in a maternity ranges as they are
pattern will take the look off the body
easy to put over things if you don’t want
shape.
to show your bump as much.
blazer. Black is essential for woman wanting to appear slimmer as black is a very sliming colour.
have in maternity clothing as the elastic stretches and makes the garment more comfortable.
Blake Lively spotted out in New York
Jessica Biel has gone for a mensie
Sienna Miller wears a stripy long sleeved jersey top, jeans, Chelsea boots and a cape cardigan. Jeans are a must have item in maternity ranges as jeans sell the best as they go with everything and are a must
have. Also stripes are key to have as they are slimming.
2.2
Comparative Shop
Description
Striped, oversized,
Black calf leggings.
button up shirt.
Textures striped
Ribbed Vest (Different
Striped Pocket Tunic
Ripped Skinny Jeans
Lace and Mesh Bra and
swimsuit.
colours available)
Dress.
with Elastic Waist Band
Knickers.
COO
Turkey
Turkey
Turkey
Turkey
Turkey
Turkey
Turkey
Cost
£34.00
£12.00
£28.00
£6.00
£29.00
£45.00
£26.00
100% Cotton
98% Cotton, 2% Elastane
90% Polyamide, 10%
(promo offer 2 for £10)
Fabric
Wash Care
100% Cotton
Machine washable
94% Viscose, 6%
96% Polyamide, 4%
65% Polyester, 35%
Elastane
Elastane
Cotton.
Machine washable
Machine washable
Machine washable
Elastane Machine washable
Machine washable
Machine washable
2.3
Description
Long Sleeved Khaki Shirt.
Black Leggings.
Black Swimsuit.
Black Vest.
Navy Pattered Dress.
Elasticated Jeans
2 Pack Bras. 3 Pack Knickers.
COO
India
India
India
India
India
India
India
Cost
£24.99
£7.99
£19.99
£6.99
£24.99
£29.00
Bra (pack of 2) £14.99 Knickers (pack of 3) £9.99
Fabric
100% Polyester
95% Cotton, 5% Elastane
80% Polyamide, 20%
95% Cotton, 5% Elastane
100% Polyester
Elastane
70% Cotton, 28%
85% polyamide, 15%
Polyester, 2% Elastane
elastane ( for both bras and knickers)
Wash Care
Machine washable
Machine washable
Machine washable
Machine washable
Machine washable
Machine washable
Machine washable
2.3
Description
Purple Long Sleeved
Black Jeggings.
Shirt.
Striped Tie Waist
Black, Grey and White
Elasticated Waist Print
Swimsuit.
Pack of Three Vest Tops.
Dress.
Pale Blue Skinny Jeans.
Pack of 2 Lace Trim Non Padded Bras
COO
China
China
China
China
China
China
China
Cost
£28.00
£17.99
£25.00
£12.99 (pack of 3)
£14.99
£22.99
£14.99
Fabric
100% Viscose
62% Cotton, 36%
80% Polyamide, 20%
100% Cotton
100% Polyester
80% Cotton, 18%
83% Cotton, 7%
Polyester, 2% Elastane
Elastane
Polyester, 2% Elastane
Polyester, 5% Nylon, 5% Elastane
Wash Care
Machine washable
Machine washable
Hand wash only
Machine washable
Machine washable
Machine washable
Machine washable
2.3
Comparative Shop Evaluation For my comp shop I have looked at three high street competitors; Topshop, H&M and New look are Zara's main competitors on the high street, whom all have their own maternity ranges. In the comp shop I have compared the same items out of each store. Shirt, legging, swimwear, basic jersey vests, dresses, Jeans and lingerie are going to be feature in my final range for Zara as I want to start off with basic wear first and see how well it sells before creating more detailed items.
Topshop When carrying out the comp shop on Topshop the fist thing I noticed was the style of the garments, all the garments I Topshop maternity range are all stylish and on trend and were all from Topshop regular trends just made in to maternity. This was something that I wanted to do for Zara, take items from the normal range possibly best sellers and turn them in to maternity, however I think now I should start off with basic items first and see how well it sells before creating a detailed range. Looking back at the comp shop I have noticed that Topshop's prices are higher than H&M and New Look, I think this is due to the material as the material that Topshop use are a little better. H&M and new look seem to mix their materials which would make the garments cheaper whereas Topshop have a lot more 100% mixes which would make the garment better quality and would make it last longer. Lastly when looking at Topshop's maternity lingerie I noticed that they had lingerie sets which I thought was a
good idea as I think customers would like that not only for the customer who are buying for themselves but as a gift idea for customer who are buying for a somebody else.
H&M Secondly when carrying out the comp shop on H&Ms maternity collection the first thing I noticed was the price. As mentioned previously Topshop's prices are quite high whereas H&Ms are considerably lower. This again is due to the material mixes as H&M have mixed their materials to keep the cost down, however the quality of the garments are still good and they do use 100% mixes for some of their garments like their vest tops . The style of H&Ms collection is ok, it is not as stylish and trendy as Topshop's and they did not have a lot of colours or choice. The colours were mainly dark colours. I think this is a disadvantage for H&M and something I will make sure I will not do when creating my range as I think this would put customers off and make them take their custom to another store, especially if they are due around summer time or if they are going on holiday, they are going to want something colourful or patterned which H&M are not offering.
New Look Lastly I carried out a comp shop on New Looks maternity collection. I felt like the collection its self lacked a lot. The style of the items in my opinion were not stylish at all and were not vey trendy. The price was really good as the garments are the cheapest out of the three stores. One of the issues I think New Look need to address is that the swimwear can only be hand washed. I think this would put the customer off buying the swimsuit as it suggests that the quality is not the best as it cannot go in the machine which makes it more of an effort to wash separately. New looks verity is better than H&Ms
as they do offer a fair bit of choice, however H&Ms deigns are much better. Over all I think that New Looks would appeal to a non fashion conscious or older customer as the style of the garments were not the best.
2.4
Interview With (Pregnant) Friend n What She Thinks Would Be Beneficial And Essential In A Maternity Range. Why do you choose to shop at Zara? I choose to shop at Zara because the style and feel of the garments are of a high standard and have a premium look to them. I have also found that Zara's clothes wash well and last longer compared to other items I have bought from other retail stores. Do you think a maternity range is a good Idea for Zara? I think a maternity range would be a great idea for Zara, especially now as I am pregnant as I would still like to be able to shop at my favourite high street store. Do you think a maternity range is important? Yes, I think a good maternity range is essential for high street retailers, especially now as more people are bothered and self conscious over the way they look. I think this is mainly because of how social media portrays people, therefore when woman are pregnant they still want to look good even more so because they probably wont feel good in themselves and will be even more self conscious. I know I am more worried over the way I look so id be more inclined to spend money on nicer clothes to make myself feel better. What stores have you bought maternity clothes from? With only being 4 months pregnant I haven’t purchased much maternity clothing yet. The things I have bought have just been basic jersey vest tops because of the warm weather we have had recently, and these have been from Topshop. I chose Topshop because Topshop have a promotion offer on their jersey tops which is 2 for £10. This I thought was a must as vest tops are easy to throw on and the material at Topshop for their jersey wear is always of good quality. I was hesitant on buying maternity wear and still am, I wouldn't buy anything that wasn't reusable as I think it’s a waste, un less I was going to an occasion, then id spend money. The vest tops I know I could wear them again after pregnancy. What would you most likely buy from a maternity range? From a maternity range I would buy as mentioned before just basic wear such as; vest tops, t-shirts, shirts, legging and shirt unless I was going out for an occasion. I would only buy what I could wear again. Do you think that promotion offers will encourage woman to buy the range? I definitely think that promotion offers are a good idea as people can be put off buying maternity wear as its only temporary. However, if they are getting the items at a cheaper price or on offer they would be more inclined to buy. I know that’s one of the reasons I bought the vest tops from Topshop because there was an offer on them and I could re-wear them after pregnancy.
2.5
Maternity Department Specialist At Topshop As I work as a part time sales assistant at Topshop Liverpool, I asked our Maternity Department Specialist Lauren Marsh a few quick questions about best and worst sellers in our store, and what the customers ask or look for when she is asked frequent questions about the maternity range. I felt like this helped me a lot to figure out what would be a good idea to put in to my own range. What is the best seller? The best seller out of our maternity range is Jeans. Jeans are the item that I am always replenishing and getting more of in my delivery. I think this because Jeans are very easy to wear, they go with a lot and are worn on a day to day basis for some woman. I also think they do so well because we have a good selection of colours and styles, such a ripped jeans and non ripped therefore the customer can still look and feel stylish. The jeans are not a proper mix of denim either, they're a soft mix and have an elastic waist band which makes them comfortable about the stomach, unlike proper denim which is tougher and would be really uncomfortable when pregnant. Another best seller is the Jersey Tops. The Jersey tops (Vests and T-shirts) sell really well, and along with the Jeans they're always being replenishing and are always in my delivery. What is the worst seller? The item which we sell least of is Skirts. Skirts don’t sell well at all, although they like the Jeans selection that they come in different styles such as; denim and jersey, they just don’t sell as well as other items in the range. The only time skirts sell well in our maternity range is in the summer, or when we get a little bit of good weather but even then
they don’t do great. I think this is because wearing a skirt and having bare legs you have to go to more effort, unless you wear tights. Most pregnant woman would worry about maybe the skirt looking too short or it rising up or would think that a skirt is not a suitable item to wear when pregnant. In my opinion, If skirts were to sell well in my in a maternity range I would say it would be Maxi Skirts as I think woman would feel a lot more comfortable being covered up, rather than having bare legs and a short skirt. However, Topshop don’t offer maternity Maxi Skirts. Do you think a maternity ranges are a good idea? I think having a maternity range is important especially for our store, as our target customers are fashion conscious young woman who still want their fashion fix. This is the same for most high street retailers as they're all competing and have the similar target audiences. I also think that it would reassure and show woman that you can still look good and be stylish even when you are pregnant.
2.6
Research though social media, blogs and magazines. What do Customers want? Skinny Belt.
Wedge Heeled Shoes Comfortable Lingerie. Denim Shirt.
Vest Top. Leggings.
Elastic Waist Jeans.
Maternity Dress. Leather Jacket.
Smock Top. 2.7
Research through social media, blogs and magazines. What do Customers want? Evaluation. Because maternity wear is a small market, there is no trend forecasts therefore to research what I shapes and items I wanted I my range I used my comp shop and carried out some research online looking at social media account, blogs and in magazines. I looked at what woman were wearing and what my competitors were selling, I also looked back on my celebrity influences to see what celebrities what their maternity wardrobe consisted off and what key items woman want to make them as comfortable as possible. The following items are the most popular
items that I have found I my research, although I may not use all of these items in my range I thought that some of the items were key to making my range successful.
• Denim Shirt - You can wear the denim shirt unbuttoned like a jacket or buttoned up with the bottom two unbuttoned and a vest top underneath. The denim shirt is flattering and can be worn after pregnancy as it’s a timeless classic piece. The denim shirt is something that is always in the collections and is always mentioned on blogs and in magazines as it is a must for pregnant woman.
• Vest Top - Vest tops are thick without being too thick, so they hide all the soft skin, they don't ride up, they are flattering and they stretch so I can be worn late stage pregnancy and they show off the belly (which some pregnant woman like).
• Wedges Heeled Shoe - Wedge Heeled Shoes Most woman I have found want a wedge heel as they say they are comfortable and make them feel more confident because they are a little taller. 2.8
• Skinny Belt - The skinny belt will help to indicate that the customer is pregnant as it helps define the pregnant bump. The skinny belt is becoming more popular in maternity ranges as they are a must for all pregnant fashion conscious woman.
• Lingerie - Comfortable lingerie is important and something that has been popping up on maternity blogs. This is important to have in the range as you want to make the customer feel as comfortable as possible.
• Elasticated Waist Jeans - Elasticated jeans are a necessity in maternity wear especially on jeans. Al the maternity jeans I have looked at have a fitted soft bump band to keep you comfortable.
• Leather Jacket - The Leather Jacket is stylish and on trend, a leather jacket never goes out of style and is always a good piece to have in maternity range. However, I will not be putting in in my range as I feel it would be a waste as I don’t think it would sell as well because customer would be less reluctant to spend money on a jacket that may be too big in 9 months time.
• Leggings - Leggings are probably the most popular item I have came across apart from elasticated waist jeans. Leggings are easy to put and are very comfortable, being comfortable is the most important target you should be meeting if you want a successful maternity range.
• Skater Dress - The maternity skater dress is another key item in maternity ranges weather its winter or summer you could wear it with maternity tights or without if its warm. A dress is comfortable and could be worn after pregnancy.
• Smock Top- A smock top is essential in maternity wear as it will emphasise the bump and will also be comfortable and light to wear. 2.8
3.1
3.2
3.3
Z10001JT RRP: £19.99 Promotion 2 for £30.00 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Slouchy Linen T-Shirt Colour: White and Black Composition: 100% viscose Secondary Fabric: 80% Polyester, 20% Linen
Z1000LBD RRP: £28.00 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Skater Dress Colour: Black Composition: 100% viscose
Z1000DS RRP: £24.99 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Denim Shirt Colour: Light Blue Composition: 100% Cotton
Z1000JVT RRP: £7.99 Promotion: 2 for £20.00 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Jersey Vest Top Colour: White and Grey Composition: 65% Polyester, 35% Cotton
Z1000BSS RRP: £34.00 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Swimsuit Colour: Black Composition: 96% Polyamide, 4% Elastane
3.4
Z1000RST RRP: £29.99 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Oversized Smock Top Colour: Red and White Striped Composition: 100% Cotton
Z1000NSB RRP: £22.99 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Skinny Belt Colour: Navy Composition: 100% Leather
Z1000BL RRP: £20.00 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Leggings Colour: Black Composition: 72% Polyester, 24% Viscose, 4% Elastane
Z1000LKBS RRP: £20.00 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Wireless Lace Bra and Knickers Set Colour: White Composition: 90% Polyamide, 10% Elastane
Z1000BD RRP: £34.99 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Elasticated Waist Jeans Colour: Blue Composition: 89% Cotton, 8% Polyester, 3% Elastane
Z1000BD RRP: £39.99 Sizes: S-XXL Description: Slouchy Buttonless Duster Jacket Colour: Black Composition: 100% Polyester
3.4
Key Events Calendar Month
Events
January
Sale signs in the windows to attract the customer’s attention. Sale rails at the front of the store to give the customers passing by a glimpse of what’s on sale. Up to 50% on designer sale items. 80% on high street.
February
Increase sales on woman’s clothing (especially lingerie) and gifts. Ensure all red and pink products are put to the front of the store to draw the customers in. Ensure all these products are stocked well
March
Increase sales on woman’s clothing and gifts (epically jewellery). Push products to the front of the store to again make sure the customers passing by can see what you have to offer.
April
Increase sales and offers on potential easer clothing and footwear. Do the same for smart wear as Aintree races is about the same time, work with visual merchandisers to accessorise the mannequins and fit in with the theme.
May
Increase in footfall customers. Ensure to make the most of this and push sales. Stock up on festival wear such as wellies, rain macs etc.
June
Increase in sales for menswear and men’s small gifts. Work with visual merchandisers to ensure all stock is promoted well (till points) and advertising is good.
July
Smart outfits that could be worn for graduation. Make sure best sellers are on display via mannequins
August
Increase in sales of summer clothing, ensure that summer clothing and jersey wear is well stocked. Promote sale well using sale signs and advertising in the windows. Work with visual merchandisers to ensure the displays and mannequins are eye catching, to draw the customers in
September
Ensure footwear, clothing and accessories are well stocked. Especially obvious school colours like black, grey and navy.
October
Increase stock that could be used as a potential costume for Halloween. Work with visual merchandisers to fit the store in with the Halloween holiday, to make the store fun and draw the customers in.
November
As November is quite, you should take the time to take advantage of your best sellers and increase sales by 10%
December
Highest month for sales. You must ensure that you are fully stocked as this is the highest selling point in the year where the store makes the most money. Working with the visual merchandising teams is important, making sure the mannequins have your best sellers on show.
4.1
Critical Path A critical path is something that the buyers follow to help them monitor and manage the process of their ranges. The critical path will help the buyer calculate the time they have and process they need to be following to create their range. It is essential that the buyers sticks to their critical path to ensure that their range is completed on time and problems do not occur, it will also make the buyer more organised a relieve stress. Below is a table of the critical path I have created for my range. PROCESS
LEAD TIME
PLANNING
The first stage of the critical path is to start planning the range. The buyers will all come together and discuss what they want in their range such as; colour,
28/03/2016
patterns and shapes.
RESEARCH
The Buyers will then research further such as competitive shops. Competitive shops (comp shop) are usually carried out by the assistant buyer on behalf of the
18/04/2016
buyer to get and inside of what the other retail stores are doing. This will help the buyer when it comes to making decisions so they know they're on the right track, also so they know what they can do to make their range better.
SOURCING
The buyers will be given a budget that has been agreed with the merchandisers to buy samples. The assistant and the buyer will make both take notes, sketches
2/05/2016
and photos of shapes, details and fabrics.
PRE RANGE SELECTION MEETING
The buyer will collect the information and research they have taken from the fashion shows and put it together with the merchandisers to make a decision on
16/05/2016
what they like and what they don’t like.
NEGOTIATION WITH SUPPLIERS/SAMPLES
The buyers will arrange a meeting with the suppliers to negotiate the cost and the key details of the garments they want produced. They will discuss cost, details
23/05/2016
and quantity at the meeting. Samples to be received by 6/06/2016.
FINAL RANGE SELECTION MEETING, FITTINGS
This is a meeting that takes place with both the buyers and head buyer. The Buyers at the meeting will present their range and ideas to the head buyer,
06/06/2016
From there on the head buyer will make the decision to either have the range or a few key details changed or will sign the range off ready for it to be ordered.
PLACE ORDER/PRODUCTION
The buyer will place the range order. Production in Turkey. There are also no religious holidays that I have to take in to account.
13/06/2016 SHIPPING
The stock will be shipped from Turkey to the main Zara warehouse. Shipping will take 2 weeks to arrive in the UK.
4/07/2016 WAREHOUSE – STORE ALLOCATION
The distribution of the products between the Zara stores and allocation will be that the maternity range will be in all stores. Zara has all of its ranges in every store.
25/07/2016
The range will be in its own department.
RANGE LAUNCHED IN STORE
The range will be launched in store in its own department. There will be a sign at the front of the store and on the navigation board which will have “NEW” at the side of
1/09/16
maternity.
4.2
Written Range Plan Induction
The range I have created is a Maternity Range for high street retailer Zara. The range consists of basic wear such as; Jersey tops, Trousers and Accessories. I have created this range as I feel it is a great opportunity for Zara as it has not got a Maternity range, and I feel like this would be the next step for them to keep up with customer demands and competition as when researched I found that Zara’s main high street competitors already have maternity ranges. When designing my range I wanted to keep in mind that the range would be both comfortable and reusable. I focused more on the items being reusable as When researching I found that even though the market is growing for maternity wear it is not a big market. I found this to be because customers don’t want to spend money on something that they cannot wear again, as they do not have much disposable cash, therefore getting your money worth is essential for some customers. Zara target customers is the same as any other retailer which is a fashion conscious, young woman. However, Zara gives that premium sophisticated look to their brand which appeals to older woman, therefore I wanted my range to just be basic to tailor all customer styles. Keeping the whole reusable idea in mind I felt that using every day colours and simple patterns was the best thing to do when creating my range. When creating a general range, I would of normally look at trend forecasts, however as mentioned above the maternity market is not that big so there are not trend forecast. Therefore I had to carry out research on what woman want instead of following a trend.
My Inspiration For past ranges I have created I have always looked on WGSN at the trend forecasts. However, because the gap in the market for maternity wear is not relatively big there is no maternity trends. For inspiration for my range I researched online at what woman want to see in maternity ranges, also what they mainly wear, what they feel comfortable in and what celebrity influences there maternity wardrobe. I also carried out two small interviews, on with my friend who is pregnant and one with the maternity department specialist at my work to further and broaden my ideas for my range.
Fabrics and Colour The colours I have kept to are colours that go with everything in the wardrobe which are; Black, White, Grey, Navy and have decided to add a pattern which red stripes. I feel all these colours are essential and
that Black is the most important colour as black is a very slimming colour, which for most woman who are pregnant appearing slimmer is something they want.
Proportion of different types of garments Within my range I have a variety of garments made up of Tops, Trousers, Lingerie, Jackets and Accessories. I have created more Tops than I have of anything else, this is because I believe that the customers are be able to wear most of the tops I have created after pregnancy, and as mentioned previously I have ensured the items I have created are all reusable.
4.3
Garments in my range • T-shirt - Available in Black and White. Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL • Dress - Available in only Black. Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL • Vest Top - Available in White and Grey. Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL • Swimsuit - Available in Black only. Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL • Denim Shirt - Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL • Smock Top - Red and White. Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL
• Belt Sizes Navy Skinny Belt. S, M, L, XL, XXL • Lingerie Set - Cream Lace Bra and Knickers Set. Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL • Leggings - Available in Black only. Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL • Jeans - Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL • Duster Jacket - Available in Black only. Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL
RRP (Retail Price) For the RRP I looked at my competitive shop and Zara’s website to help me calculate my RRP. From doing this I was able to calculate my own cost price and determinate sizes for my range. I used the competitor’s size guides and came to the conclusion that my sizes would range from S-XXL. I felt like it was a good idea to keep on going back and looking at my Competitive Shop to see what works best within
the maternity market. The prices in my range start from £7.99 for a basic Vest Top to £39.99 for a Duster Jacket. I have also added promotion offers on my Tops. I feel like this is a good marketing strategy and from the research I have collected from Competitive Shops and Interviews, I have noticed that customers are more likely to buy if there is an offer on them.
Cost Price and place of Manufacture The cost price for each item will be calculated based on manufacturing the range in Turkey. Turkey is good for many reasons, one being because of its fast transport, this is due to the location turkey is and it not being far away, especially to the UK. The average lead time from turkey to the UK is 60 days, this includes 10 days of freight travel. This is a plus for companies as they all need to keep up with customer demands and want the lines on the shop floor as soon as possible. Another good factor about manufacturing the range in turkey is the labour costs. The average wage rates in the Turkish clothing industry is around about £1.47 per hour. This is higher than the rates in China and India. However, lead times would be longer as they are further away. Finally turkey specialises in lots of areas of manufacturing such as; Jeans, Jackets, and Shirts. These are all amongst other things included in my range.
4.3
Visual Range Plan
4.4
Range Plan Evaluation Overall Budget: £11,3848.53 Budget for range: £87,638.10 – Budget for Open To Buy £26,210.43
By creating a range plan spread sheet I was able to combine all key details as well as the financial planning data for each item. This should enable success and help me to achieve all buying goals and the level of buying profitability (this is the difference between the cost price and the
RRP price.) My overall budget for my range is £11,3848.53 and my open to buy budget is £26,210.43 and my margin for the range is 67%. I felt this was suitable margin as the fabric is sourced in Turkey which is outside of the EU therefore it would cost more. The Open To Buy budget is controlled by the merchandisers and will give me the opportunity to buy more stock if needed. For example if a celebrity is spotted in an item it would then be in demand. I would then go to the merchandiser for the open to buy money to buy the item back in, or if they need to replenish stock due the item being a best seller. The garments in my range will be on sale for a maximum of 16 weeks, therefore I have to ensure that I order enough stock to cover the weeks to meet customer demands. I will work this out by multiplying the number of sales per week, by the weeks they were on sale and added the replenishment quantity. I aim to sell as much full price items as possible to ensure the profit margin is met. I will also have to take into consideration that 25% of the range will be sold with mark downs, therefore I would have came up with promotional strategies to achieve financial target. The strategies are on the Jersey T-shirts and Vest Tops which are both in a promotion which is 2 for £30.00 on the slouchy T-
shirt and 2 for £20.00 on the jersey vests. 4.5
All businesses assume growth as without growth there would be no business, therefore a Like For Like table is used by businesses to show true growth. A Like For Like table shows the true growth that the business have achieved singling out the best sellers and the worst sellers. As seen
below in Like For Like table below “Tops� are a best seller for womenswear, therefore this would help the buyer when they are making decision on what to order. I predict that tops will be the best seller in my range as two of the designs are in the promotion offer and are a basic wear top which the customer could potentially wear again after pregnancy.
In my range I have planned that the Vest Top will be the best seller. Based on last years sales plus trend research I have ordered 474 to cover the 16 weeks and have a target of selling 20 per week. However I do think that I will need to use my Open To Buy money to replenish as the item is on a promotion offer which should make customer buy.
4.5
Shipping costs The spread sheet below shows calculated shipping costs. The row highlighted shows how much it will be to make each of my garments.
4.6
Store Grading Store grading mainly used by the merchandiser as it allows them to group together information on how the store is performing on the basis that they would be selling the same stock. This would reduce the number of decisions that the merchandiser has to make and would make things a lot easier for the merchandiser. The table below that I have created is showing the three Zara stores in Birmingham that will be stocking the Maternity Range grading the stores A and C. I have then then calculated each stores sale units by the total of the Overall Quantity taken from my Range Plan Spreadsheet. The total of units is then divided by the sales percentage for each store. Store Grade
Store Profile
Sales %
Sales Unit
Comments
A
Birmingham Bullring
60%
2,140
Birmingham’s Bull Ring Shopping Centre will be the grade A store as it is the main shopping centre in Birmingham therefore not only people how live in Birmingham will shop there.
C
Birmingham Anderton Road
20%
713
The Anderson Road store will be a grade C store as I think more locals instead of weekend visitors will shop there.
C
Birmingham Kings Road
20%
713
The Kings Road store will be the same grade as the Anderton Road store which is grad C. This is for the same reason that there is a flagship store in the centre of Birmingham that will attract more custom.
4.7
Store Allocating Store allocating is important as it allows the merchandiser to keep track of the sizes they have allocated to each store. I have decided to have my range come in S, M, L, XL and XXL. This was based on the size that some woman can go to depending on how many babies they're carrying. Product
T-Shirt
Dress
Vest Top
Swimsuit
Shirt
Colour ways
1
1
1
1
1
In Stores Quantity
Size and Ratio
474
S - 125 M - 150 L - 100 XL - 80 XXL - 19
314
S - 100 M - 90 L - 70 XL -50 XXL -4
474
S - 150 M - 170 L - 74 XL - 50 XXL - 30
234
S - 67 M - 80 L - 50 XL - 25 XXL - 12
314
S - 54 M - 160 L - 60 XL - 20 XXL - 20
4.8
Top
Belt
Bra And Knickers Set
1
1
1
234
S - 60 M - 100 L - 40 XL - 19 XXL - 15
234
S - 40 M - 100 L - 60 XL - 20 XXL - 14
314
S - 100 M – 140 L - 50 XL -14 XXL - 10
1
S - 50 M - 145 L - 100 XL - 14 XXL - 5
1
314
S - 50 M - 145 L - 105 XL - 10 XXL - 4
346
S - 40 M - 150 L - 130 XL - 20 XXL - 6
314 Leggings
Jeans
Duster Jacket
1
4.8
WSSI 1
Above is the WSSI for the best seller in my maternity range which is a basic jersey vest top. My opening stock figure was 474, I have taken this figure from my financial spread sheet which is quantity plus replen. The forecasted weekly sales for this item were 20 per week. The top evidentially sol really well over the 16 week period, especially week 5-10. The purpose of the WISSIs are to help the merchandisers asses the flow of stock and extinguish best sellers. This will help merchandisers in the long run when ordering stock in. 5.1
WSSI 1
Above Is WSSI 2 for the best seller in my maternity range which is the basic jersey top. The WSSI 2 shows information about the item that is sold over a 16 week period which also incorporates the key events from my events calendar. Both buyers and merchandisers should always look back at their key events calendar as it will help then to decide on when stock sells well so they can order the right amount in. The WSSI above shows that the top sold really well, epically when the weather started to improve in weeks 4 and 5 as there was a heatwave and it was bank holiday weekend. The vest top sold well as it is suitable for the weather encountered. The item continued to sell well going in to autumn, then in week 13 I added a 10% mid season sale on, I felt it was a good idea replenish also. I ordered 30 more items using my open to buy budget as I predicted that the item would sell really well with the discount as the weather had not effected the item going through to autumn regardless to it being a vest top. By week 16 I had sold all of the garments and was left with 0.
5.2
Project Evaluation For my Final Major Project I have chosen to create a Maternity Range for Zara. I chose this because the task for the FMP was to find a gap in the market for something new and I thought this was the prefect opportunity for Zara to expand and keep up with competitors and most importantly customer demands. A maternity range for Zara would be the perfect idea to raise the Zara's profile and create more awareness for the brand. After researching the brand in more depth I began to see that a maternity range at Zara is exactly what I think the brand need, due the brands image which I think a maternity range would fit in to very well. This is because Zara offer their customers a
selection ranges to suit all customer ages and needs. “Zara Kids” “Zara Home” and “TRF” which is for teenagers are all available online and in Zara's store world wide. I felt like this is sort of a pattern and therefore I think a maternity range would fit in with the other ranges perfectly. Also this would make it convenient for mothers who are expecting, as they can shop for both child and themselves all under on roof. When carrying out further research such as comp shops and interviews about competitors maternity ranges, I found that other retailers only stock their maternity ranges in certain stores mainly their flagship stores. This was something I had to think about. I then decided that it would be something I would do. I came to the decision to only stock my range in the three Zara stores, which would be in Birmingham. I chose Birmingham after again researching and finding that Birmingham has the highest pregnancy rate in the whole of the UK, therefore I thought that as we have 3 stores in that location and one of them being a flag ship store that I would stock my range in all three at first to see how well the rage performs. I have also decided not to stock my range online. I made the decision not to stock my range online for the same reason as stocking it in only three store, because I want to see how the performance of the range is without wasting money. If the range takes off and sells well, I will then expand and put the range in to other Zara stores and consider online. For trend research I found it hard as maternity wear is only a small market therefore there is no trend forecast which meant that I had to research harder using the internet, magazines and blogs to find out what woman wear when pregnant, what they want in a maternity wear and what other retailers are doing. When picking the cads for my range, it was again hard as WGSN which I would normally use had no maternity CADS this lead me to having to use regular clothing but selected more oversized items and potentially shapes that could be made in to maternity wear. Although this was time consuming choosing which CADS to use having my range just plain and basic helped me out a lot a saved time when I came to colours as the colours I have chosen to use in my range are basic fills and one striped pattern.
6.1
My range will be sold over a 16 week period and will be launched 1st August 2016. Looking over my range and figures it looks like the amount of garments is considerably low. I have decided on this particular amount because as mentioned though out the project maternity is not a big market therefore I want to see how the range performs. In my project proposal plan I did propose that I would create a magazine page advertising Zara's new maternity range. However, when I carried out my research I found that Zara does not advertise though magazines or television unlike some of their competitors. Therefore to keep my project as realistic as possible I decided against this. Instead to include a marketing strategy in my project I have added promotion offers on Jersey Tops. I think this is still a good marketing strategy and would work much better than the magazine article. Finally to conclude my project I'm happy to say that my idea was a success. There was a need for a maternity range at Zara as they have now created a maternity range of their own. When I first started my project I thought that this was the perfect opportunity for Zara to complete the family friendly image that they portray, and now that they have created this range this clarifies my project idea and has made it realistic. Below are screen shots of Zara's maternity range.
Denim Shirt
Sleeveless Duster Jacket Elasticated Waist Jeans After looking at Zara's actual maternity range online, the shapes and colours are very similar to those in my own collection. This shows that I have had the right idea for what should be in a maternity range and backs up all of my research. Over all I would say that I am happy with my project and I would not make anything different, I think that my range would definitely be a success even more so now that Zara have created their own range.
6.1
External Critique Evaluation Kate Moss’s Critique on my FMP. •
The range Kelly has produced is strong and is very representative of the target market, this is displayed through the key maternity items in Kelly's project.
•
The layout of the project is very minimal and fits well with Zara’s style.
•
By introducing a maternity range to Zara this was catering for a gap in the market, this was confirmed when Zara did introduce an actual maternity range towards the end of Kelly’s project.
•
The overall project shows in depth knowledge and research in to the target market and Kelly has produced a viable range that I think would be successful in store.
•
Kelly presentation and knowledge demonstrated throughout the project is up to industry standard and is consistent all the way through.
I am pleased with the outcome of Kates critique of my FMP. I feel confident in saying that I think my range would be a success if this was actually launched in a Zara store. I feel confident saying this as Zara have now introduced a maternity section in their stores, and after reviewing the range I have noticed that a lot of their items are
similar in shapes and colours to the ones in my own range. This has therefore shown me that I was on the right track and that my research on this particular market which lead me to create this range was accurate. I agree that my project was in depth and I feel like I have covered everything to understanding which a buyer would have to cover when creating their own ranges. Last of all the external critique has helped me feel reassured that my project is of a good standard. it has also gave me the confident to know that I have gone in the right direction with my project and research, therefore if I have to complete a module of similarity at University I can be confident in knowing I can achieve this.
6.2
WEEK 1 REFLECTIVE DIARY This week I have completed my brand research on Zara, I have looked at their policies on; • Energy saving • Having a eco-friendly store • Producing less waste and recycling • Staff commitment • Having an environmentally aware team I felt like this research on Zara was beneficial so I got a proper incite to what the company was like. I have also carried out my Swot analysis on the store along with the shop and website analysis. Theses have helped me to anguish what the pros and cons are to having a maternity range and what the strengths and weakness would be and what I would have over come to ensure my range to be a success. I have also created a customer profile in this week. I think customer profiles are really important to get the full understanding of your target customer. I have chosen my customer profile on a blogger who is also a personal shopper but who constantly blogs about Zara and mentions Zara a lot for being her favourite high street store. My customer profile will help me as I will keep looking back to reflect my target customer and give me a clear idea of who I should be targeting my range at. I have used only PowerPoint and the Internet to analyse Zara's website. I have taken 2 half a hour breaks and 1 hour break. I have carried this research out during college hours. 6.3
WEEK 2 REFLECTIVE DIARY This week I have look at celebrities influence on maternity wear. I looked though magazine and used the internet, looking on social media accounts and on websites such as OK magazine and Look for celebrities who are pregnant. I felt like this was a good idea to help further my research as today people are
following and looking up to what celebrities do and wear, therefore I thought that this would give me idea of what customers would want. Also it gave me an idea at what designers are doing as celebrities are mainly dress in designer clothing.
This week college hours also I carried out an online comparative shop. Comparative shops are one of the most important tasks carried out, which are
mainly carried out by buying assistants. I compared three top high street stores which were; Topshop, H&M and New Look. I then evaluated what I have found in my comp shop including, price, fabric, colours and COO.
After my comp shop I carried out two interviews. One being with my friend who is pregnant and one with the maternity department specialist at Topshop. The interview with my friend I think went well because I gave me a clear idea of what customer want. It also showed me why it is important to have the right things in a maternity range and to always make sure the reasons behind the garments are for comfort over style. The interview with the maternity department specialist at Topshop also went well. It gave me an idea of what sells well and what does not. I then researched again what woman want and evaluated that. This was helpful because I narrowed down some key items that I would put in to my range. 6.3
WEEK 3 REFLECTIVE DIARY During This week I started to look at CADS. I found this task challenging as WGSN does not offer maternity CADS, therefore I had to look at my research more thorough and determine would potential shapes would be suitable for a maternity range. The CADS that I then decided on I think are suitable as I chose all shapes that were more oversized and floaty. The hardest part was fining a CAD for the jeans. There was no CADS that had elasticated waist bands, therefore I had to pick two cads one with an elastic band and one that I liked the deign on the jeans. I then photo shopped the elastic band on to the other CAD that I
wanted to use in my range. I then created my key items mood board.
I then looked at colours and patterns. I looked back the research I carried out like my comp shop for ideas and inspiration and to see what colours my competitors are using. I also looks at the celebrity influences and at Zara's main colours which are mainly basic and general colours. I then created my Key
Colours mood board.
Finally I created my final mood board which had all of my key items on. I used Photoshop again to fill in the CADS. After completing my range I then created another two mood bards and added; RRP, Sizes, Description, Colour and Composition information.
This was the week that we were off college therefore I carried these tasks out at the LEX centre. I took 2 half a hour breaks and 1 one hour break. I made sure that I gave my eye rest from the computer and completed these tasks over 3 days. 6.3
WEEK 4 REFLECTIVE DIARY For this week I completed the financial side of my FMP. First of all I thought that it would be a good idea to add in a slide about the key events throughout the year so I could look back and refresh my memory. I then moved on to my critical path. I thought that it was important to include a critical path in to my project so it showed the process of my range and the times I had decided on. Critical paths are always important for the buyer as they help the buyers stay organised and this was exactly what I feel my critical path done as I could go back to make sure I had done everything and things stayed on track.
The next task I completed this week was my visual, written and evaluation of my range plan. My range plan, I used the range plan from my last
assignments as a template as the calculations and sums were already in place to save myself a little time. I then evaluated all my range plan as a whole.
Last of all in this week I calculated my shipping costs and completed my store allocating and grading. I have only chose to put my range in to 3 store in Birmingham so this didn’t take me long.
This took my the whole week as even though the sums were already in place range plan spread sheets are quite time consuming and I wanted to make sure everything was right so I didn’t have to go back and correct myself as it would of taken up more time. 6.3
WEEK 5 REFLECTIVE DIARY In my final week I completed my WSSI spread sheets. I created a WSSI 1 and WSSI 2 to show regular sales and sales when I have added replenishment and a 10% end of season sale. I evaluated each WSSI under each table.
Last of all I evaluated my entire project. I added in to my evaluation that Zara had now created a maternity range themselves that is now live on their website. This has made me happy as my project has proven to be a success and I was right in finding a gap in the market.
As this was my own project I make sure I looked back I my proposal and took the right health and safely precautions such as regular break to rest my eyes. Drinking lots of water to keep me hydrated and adjusting the seat and screen to avoid muscular pains. 6.3