From the past to the future

Saberzanova Yulia,commercial director of the Russian factory for the production of corset underwear. He has been working in the industry for 15 years and has been engaged in the commercial side of the segment for more than 10 years. Considers sales to be the vanguard of any activity. Based on practical experience, Yulia is ready to share it in articles on key issues of the underwear industry.

Time is gradually bringing us to a turning point in 2014, at the beginning of which a slight euphoria reigned in the linen market, as in any other. It was especially pronounced among businessmen who started their activities in the distant 90s. You could hear from them more than once: "We are not afraid of any crisis, we have already seen more than one crisis!"A lot of businesses have been ruined by this self-confidence. It soon became clear that the situation was not temporary and that it was necessary to get used to the new rules of the game. We have witnessed deep macroeconomic processes, witnessed a change in consumer behavior. And sales will never be the same as before. The earlier business owners realized this, the more opportunities they extracted from the current situation.

If we evaluate the underwear market in the modern era, it is characterized by several main factors:

Limited offer. With the increase in the price of imported goods, the assortment has become much narrower. The state seriously restricted imports from the Baltic States, goods from which seriously affected the Russian underwear market.
Significant influence of global fashion trends. The globalization of the world's fashion markets has become obvious. Previously, we thought that the fashion market in Russia lags behind the world by about 2 years. Global brands have come to Russia that offer almost the same product both in Europe and around the world. And now we don't have to wait several years for global trends to enter our lives.
Weakening of the presence of popular brands from neighboring countries.
Closure of some single-brand retail stores.
Reduced consumption. This is the main factor affecting trading at the moment. Consumption becomes rational. In the conditions of increasing the cost of resources, the consumer has less free funds that he can spend on clothes, in particular on underwear.

Let us repeat that the climate of Russia puts the linen market in a special position: the average needs of residents of cold regions exceed the average global norm. Two white bras for summer, two dark ones for the cold season, one of them with a smooth molded cup, and two for special occasions, for example, under an open dress or for sports. In total, at least 6 units of underwear per year. At the same time, of course, I mean a woman with a standard figure. If the breast differs from the average parameters, then the need is higher.

That's how, with unhurried steps, we came to the polemical part of the article. How to build underwear sales now? I will try to reflect the main existing points of view.

Independent retail is experiencing the most significant difficulties. The buyer has gone to shopping malls, his preferences have changed, and it is no longer enough to use tools from his past life.

It is necessary to structure the assortment. In order to obtain a stable or at least predictable profit, it is necessary to determine which assortment brings the greatest revenue. The same work should be done in relation to trademarks. Clearly determine which of the manufacturers has a well-thought-out price and assortment policy, gives recommendations on the configuration and merchandising of their goods, whose conditions are most favorable for work.

The assortment of a good manufacturer should include classic models with impeccable designs – the base of any woman's underwear wardrobe. It is they who provide daily purchases. The assortment of the main brand must be supplemented with other brands that produce goods that the main brand does not have. The main rule: the assortment should be limited. The situation when, as in previous years, the store is oversaturated with products from dozens of manufacturers is unacceptable. You can predict your income when you understand how many and which models you sell daily. A prerequisite is the availability of goods for the checkout area, goods of the pre-bed and corrective group. At the same time, you still should not overload the store. You can distinguish brands by zones, you can differentiate the assortment and combine it into groups without singling out the manufacturer. The latter option will promote your store, not the brand being sold.

The presence of competent sales staff is the key to the successful operation of your point of sale. Train your staff. In specialized linen publications, you can find a huge amount of professional reference materials. Most manufacturers conduct training of their partners' personnel. As I always say in training, a woman does not walk in her underwear on the streets. This means that the approach to the sale of underwear should be different from the selection of clothes. Underwear should form a silhouette, adjust the figure in such a way that the clothes fit more advantageously and effectively. To do this, the staff must have the necessary knowledge concerning the designs of bras, the properties of corrective underwear, and basic knowledge about the typology of buyers. This approach allows you to put sales plans in front of the staff.

A well-developed customer service is vital. You need to know your customers. They should not even be able to find an alternative. "They are not looking for good from the good." Solve the problems of your customers - isn't that what you created your business for?

Cloning your business will allow you to increase and adjust profits, expand the range, and make it easier to manage. Some market experts urge to unite with their partners by creating local networks. At the same time, it should be noted that the franchise for experienced entrepreneurs turned out to be an inconvenient tool that restricts work, and a heated debate unfolded about its use in the professional community.

Currently, private entrepreneurs have the opportunity to rent premises in large shopping centers, where you begin to compete with retail chains. It is necessary to adopt the techniques of window dressing, assortment formation and staff work in order not to give in to this struggle.

Author: Yulia Saberzanova

Photo: Valeria