4 answers
Marissa
Student
Pinckney, Michigan
1
Question
Updated
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How much of fashion merchandising is related to learning about businesses and how you can improve those businesses?
I am a college freshman and am going into the field mostly blind but wanting to learn more about the way this degree applies in the field. I have been working in retail for several years and would like to see things more from the business end about how and why things are chosen and what decisions go into that. #Spring2025
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4 answers
Maria Ariza
Manager
3
Answers
Bogotá, Colombia
Updated
Maria’s Answer
Hi Marissa,
Great question! Although I'm not in the fashion industry, my experience suggests that understanding customer needs and finding ways to meet them is crucial. One useful tool for this is the empathy map. It's a visual tool that helps you understand a user's thoughts, feelings, needs, and actions, which can guide you in creating products or services that better fit their needs. Once you have this understanding, you can explore different strategies to grow your business in any sector. Here's how to create an empathy map:
How to Use an Empathy Map:
1. Choose a User Persona: Pick a specific user or group you want to learn more about.
2. Gather Information: Do research, interviews, or observations to collect data on the user's behaviors, thoughts, and emotions.
3. Fill in the Quadrants: Use the information to fill in the map's sections with what the user "Says," "Thinks," "Does," and "Feels."
4. Analyze and Iterate: Look at the completed map to find key insights and patterns.
5. Use the Insights: Apply these insights to make design decisions and develop user-focused solutions.
I hope this helps you get started!
Best regards,
Great question! Although I'm not in the fashion industry, my experience suggests that understanding customer needs and finding ways to meet them is crucial. One useful tool for this is the empathy map. It's a visual tool that helps you understand a user's thoughts, feelings, needs, and actions, which can guide you in creating products or services that better fit their needs. Once you have this understanding, you can explore different strategies to grow your business in any sector. Here's how to create an empathy map:
How to Use an Empathy Map:
1. Choose a User Persona: Pick a specific user or group you want to learn more about.
2. Gather Information: Do research, interviews, or observations to collect data on the user's behaviors, thoughts, and emotions.
3. Fill in the Quadrants: Use the information to fill in the map's sections with what the user "Says," "Thinks," "Does," and "Feels."
4. Analyze and Iterate: Look at the completed map to find key insights and patterns.
5. Use the Insights: Apply these insights to make design decisions and develop user-focused solutions.
I hope this helps you get started!
Best regards,
Marty Meyer
General Manager
17
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Marty’s Answer
I don't work in fashion, however, it's never a bad idea to understand the business side of any business. While I think that fashion would be an interesting environment to experience first hand, business exist to make money. Congrats to you for thinking of how industry works!
Naajidah Hardeman
Operations Administrator
4
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Naajidah’s Answer
I graduated with a degree in Fashion Merchandising & Product Development from University of Arkansas in 2016. When it comes to how much your degree in Fashion will be business focused really depends on the school/program. A lot more programs now are teaching more business related courses with Fashion degrees so I don't doubt you'll learn the business side. Just not sure how much will be business focused. For mine I felt like it was split 50% business & 50% design/textiles/etc. I would look into the course requirements for that major and you should be able to gather what you'll be learning :) Hope this helps!
Olufemi Joseph
Water technician
14
Answers
Lagos, Nigeria
Updated
Olufemi’s Answer
Hello Marissa !
It's great to hear about your interest in fashion merchandising and your desire to understand the business side of the industry! Fashion merchandising is deeply intertwined with business principles, and gaining insights into both can significantly enhance your career prospects.
In fashion merchandising, a significant portion focuses on understanding consumer behavior, market trends, and brand positioning. This involves analyzing data to make informed decisions about product selection, pricing, and promotion strategies. By learning how these elements interact, you can effectively contribute to improving a business's performance.
Here are some key areas where fashion merchandising intersects with business:
**Market Analysis:** You'll learn how to research and interpret market trends, which helps in forecasting what products will resonate with consumers. Understanding demographics and purchasing behaviors is crucial for making strategic decisions.
**Inventory Management:** Merchandising involves ensuring that the right products are in stock at the right time. This requires knowledge of supply chain management and how to optimize inventory levels to minimize costs while meeting consumer demand.
**Visual Merchandising:** This aspect focuses on how products are presented in stores or online. Effective visual merchandising can enhance customer experience and drive sales, making it essential to understand design principles alongside business strategies.
**Sales and Marketing Strategies:** You’ll explore how to develop effective marketing campaigns, including promotions and advertising, to boost brand visibility and attract customers. Analyzing the success of these strategies helps in refining future marketing efforts.
**Financial Acumen:** Understanding budgeting, pricing strategies, and profit margins are vital skills in merchandising. You’ll learn how to evaluate the financial implications of product decisions, which directly impacts a business's bottom line.
With your retail experience, you already have a practical understanding of how the industry operates. To deepen your knowledge, consider engaging in internships or projects that allow you to work on business analysis or merchandising strategies. Networking with professionals in the field can also provide insights into the decision-making processes that drive the fashion business.
By bridging your retail experience with your academic studies in fashion merchandising, you’ll be well-equipped to understand and influence business decisions in the fashion industry. This combination will not only enhance your skill set but also prepare you for exciting opportunities in your career!
It's great to hear about your interest in fashion merchandising and your desire to understand the business side of the industry! Fashion merchandising is deeply intertwined with business principles, and gaining insights into both can significantly enhance your career prospects.
In fashion merchandising, a significant portion focuses on understanding consumer behavior, market trends, and brand positioning. This involves analyzing data to make informed decisions about product selection, pricing, and promotion strategies. By learning how these elements interact, you can effectively contribute to improving a business's performance.
Here are some key areas where fashion merchandising intersects with business:
**Market Analysis:** You'll learn how to research and interpret market trends, which helps in forecasting what products will resonate with consumers. Understanding demographics and purchasing behaviors is crucial for making strategic decisions.
**Inventory Management:** Merchandising involves ensuring that the right products are in stock at the right time. This requires knowledge of supply chain management and how to optimize inventory levels to minimize costs while meeting consumer demand.
**Visual Merchandising:** This aspect focuses on how products are presented in stores or online. Effective visual merchandising can enhance customer experience and drive sales, making it essential to understand design principles alongside business strategies.
**Sales and Marketing Strategies:** You’ll explore how to develop effective marketing campaigns, including promotions and advertising, to boost brand visibility and attract customers. Analyzing the success of these strategies helps in refining future marketing efforts.
**Financial Acumen:** Understanding budgeting, pricing strategies, and profit margins are vital skills in merchandising. You’ll learn how to evaluate the financial implications of product decisions, which directly impacts a business's bottom line.
With your retail experience, you already have a practical understanding of how the industry operates. To deepen your knowledge, consider engaging in internships or projects that allow you to work on business analysis or merchandising strategies. Networking with professionals in the field can also provide insights into the decision-making processes that drive the fashion business.
By bridging your retail experience with your academic studies in fashion merchandising, you’ll be well-equipped to understand and influence business decisions in the fashion industry. This combination will not only enhance your skill set but also prepare you for exciting opportunities in your career!