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March 2011
Make more profit this spring by purchasing more at The Immediate Resource.
We are the largest resource for women’s apparel in the industry, all under one roof! With our expanded showrooms, we offer multiple brands and labels in dresses, sportswear, embellished suits and career suiting. We have ALL that you need for your spring events!
With Easter and Mothers Day right around the corner, you must make sure that you are providing your customers with all the types of merchandise that they need and want. By purchasing with us and expanding your inventory, you can bring in more merchandise at a better value and make a higher profit margin. Providing your customers the selection and variety they desire at a good price and a better profit margin can only benefit your business.
Your customers are looking for a more versatile wardrobe with outfits that can take them to all their church, professional and community activities.
We stock many major labels in the embellished suit category. These typically consist of skirt suits, typically, with some combination of rhinestone, beads and sequins as embellishment on the jacket. It may also include matching embellishment on the skirt and shell. Most labels in this category include the complete outfit of skirt suit, and matching hat and handbag. Embellished suits are perfect for women involved in church activities and also are a good option for the Mother of the Bride category.
We are also seeing more interest by the consumer for business and career suiting with skirt or pants. A career suit is a great buy because you can take your jacket or bottom to mix and match with other separates in your wardrobe. Think classic –feminine pairings for an updated look. This continues to be a growing category, since non-embellished suits are versatile. They can be worn to church, as well as to community activities and to work.
Dresses are easy additions to add to your inventory and are available in cheerful colors, intense shading, great prints or solids. Styles can range from basic to dresses with a military influence or more romantic with a retro elegance.
The dress category consists of one piece dresses, jacket dresses and two piece skirt outfits that are worn as a dress. Dresses continue to be an important item in the marketplace.
Don’t forget about our private label, La Rea. La Rea 2pc and 3pc sets are designed to fit the needs of women looking for an outfit or dress that can be worn to work , church and other social activities in their communities.
Balance your inventory to include more than one of these categories. Try a new category, if you have been offering only one of the categories, you may have been missing out on potential business with your customers. Expand your market by adding a mix of embellished suits, career wear and dresses to your inventory. This helps your customers expand their wardrobes with a more versatile balance of the three categories of clothing. Doing this will increase your business.
Don’t forget to look to us for Prom, Formals, weddings and social events. We have it all!
Setting the right price is essential in making a profit.
A retailer needs to determine a pricing strategy using the cost of the goods and the amount of operating expenses.
The cost of goods includes the amount paid for the product, shipping/handling expenses and operating costs which can include overhead, payroll and marketing. In order to be profitable you should more than cover the cost of the goods and all the expenses related to operating your business.
There are many pricing strategies. Here are a few of the commonly used:
Initial markup: The initial markup is the average markup required on all products to cover the cost of all items, incidental expenses, and to obtain a reasonable profit. Thus the initial dollar markup on the product should be 100%. Price reductions, or markdowns, are reductions in the retail selling price when the item cannot be sold at its intended price and takes away from profit.
Markup: The difference between the cost of a good or service and its selling price.[1] A markup is added on to the total cost incurred by the producer of a good or service in order to create a profit.
Keystone: A pricing method of marking merchandise for resell to an amount that is double the wholesale price. (total product cost x 2).
MAP-Minimum Advertised Price: A manufacturer's pricing policy that does not permit its resellers to advertise prices below some specified amount.
Don’t forget that good pricing strategies are important for you.
Charrise Moreland is the owner of Lady C Boutique. She has been in business for 4 years and has been using The Immediate Resource as supplier since she opened. She has an extensive assortment of church suiting and carries sizes 4-34 to better service her clientele. Her focus is on superior customer service and each customer receives a high level of personal assistance making them feel extra special. She has trained her staff to be personable, professional and knowledgeable about the products and services that they provide. Charisse’s goal is to exceed every customer’s expectations of personal customer service!
Lady C Boutique is well known because of the referrals that her customers generate, by being so well dressed! Charisse also likes to promote her business with fashion shows and feels this action is a great way to advertise her inventory and fashions. Word of mouth has been a major contribution to her success.
Charisse works with Peggy Garrison at The Immediate Resource. She feels that she is also getting superior customer service from us and her representative. Peggy has provided prompt, courteous service and keeps Charisse informed of all our specials and incoming merchandise.
We look forward to another great year of partnership!
 Who said…”a woman will dress up (we’ll say suit up) to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book and to get the mail…a man may only suit up for weddings and funeral?” Probably a woman who’s tired of explaining to her husband why she needs a new suit!
However the reality today is every woman needs a well-tailored, streamlined, dress/pant suit or classic dress in her closet. For instance, you can’t finagle (I love that word) out of an afternoon get-together with people you really don’t know, so you still need to dress to impress. A go-to dress, a classic suit or great separates are requirements for a good wardrobe. These are the items that you can put on at the last minute and still feel great!
I admit shopping for a suit is a challenge, but for certain occasions nothing can replace a good fitting suit I am a specialty piece bandit. Typically, I’m looking for a unique, “popper” item i.e., leather pants, sequin top or studded jacket that I can mix in with my classic go- to pieces.
The season for dresses, embellished suits and classic suiting is quickly approaching! What a great excuse to go shopping! With Easter and Mothers Day around the corner, we women will all be on the hunt for that special outfit that makes us feel and look great! (Good place for lines that are in or coming in for Easter & Mothers Day)
The best part about shopping for these wardrobe essential s is that you’ll find classic details, beautiful cuts and a variety of colors that allow you to express your personality without going too far beyond your comfort level. It’s not the zoot-suit look of the 80’s, with oversized buttons or shoulder pads. Instead, focus on fashion, sophistication and femininity. There is nothing classier than a woman in a well-fitting suit, a showpiece hat, a clutch with a pop of color and some chic, leg flattering, peep-toe pumps!
I love history…and I thought you might find this bit of suit history an ‘hmmm’ moment: Pants as a part of a woman’s suit did not exist till the 1960’s and even those were considered more casual than skirted suits. It took 2 decades for pantsuits to gain wide acceptance as office attire. But after the business casual movement of the 1990’s, suits loss some of their appeal—however, a return to structured tailoring (thank goodness) and an interest in retro looks has helped revive the suit for women as a fashion statement, as well as a practical one.
Remember…it works better, when we work together!
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