Process Flow Chart of Merchandising:

Receive product package/artwork/styling sample form buyer

↓
Sample development
↓
Costing & Price negotiation
↓
Order confirmation (Unit Price, Delivery Date & Quantity) and receive order sheet.
↓
Sourcing of items in right quality, right time, and right price.
↓
Placing booking on yarn & accessories.
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Material collection and receive it in factory
↓
Planning
↓
Fit Sample, PP Sample & Accessories approval (Swatch card making and approval)
↓
Size Set approval
↓
Pre-production meeting
↓
Check and listing
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Pilot run
↓
Bulk Cutting
↓
In process inspection
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Production Controlling
↓
Identifying any shortage and taking attempts to recover
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Collect daily production report and daily quality report
↓
Arrange final inspection
↓
Shipment
 1. Receive product package/artwork/styling sample form buyer:

This is the first step of an order initiation. After receiving the artwork from buyer, a
merchandiser need to go through the artwork closely and need to analysis the artwork if there any
issues undone or not clear enough to execute for the next step.

Sometimes, buyer may also provide an original sample to follow rather than a complete
artwork, but working procedure is the same.

Things to look for in an artwork:

- Need a complete tech Pack (Including measurement chart, Embellishment artwork,

trimmings/accessories details, Packing instruction, Shipment details)

2. Sample Development:

After the receipt of the Specification, pertaining to the sample order, the merchandiser has to
understand the buyers' requirements. Sometimes there may be amendments related to any of the
specifications in the sample order sheet/Artwork. It is the duty of the merchandiser to execute
sample order and dispatch on time the “Right quality, Right Quantity, and Right time”

3. Costing & Negotiation:

The merchandisers should know the following details while costing.

• Yarn cost.
• Process cost (Knitting, Bleaching, and Raising etc.) Rates pertaining to various sewing
operations.
• CMT (Cut Make Trim) Rate.
• Ironing charges, packing charges and accessories rate.
• Overheads.
• Shortage (or) wastage 3%.
• Free on Board (FOB) (Transport charges) 2% to 3%.
• Insurance 2%-3%,
• Buyers’ agents commission 5%-6%, Quota rate per garment. Profit 15% - 20%.

Negotiation: (Unit Price, Order Quantity, Delivery Date, Payment terms)

 Negotiation is the process of communicating back and forth for the purpose of reaching a
joint agreement about different needs and ideas.

It’s a collection of behavior that involves communications, sales, marketing and conflict
resolution.

Why do we negotiate –

- To reach an agreement.
- To beat the opposition.
- To compromise.
- To settle an argument.
- To make a point.

4. Order confirmation and receive order sheet:

After price (with quality and delivery Date) confirmation buyer issue order sheet.
Which contains Order qty, Delivery Date, Colorwise order qty. Price/Unit, Total order Qty &
Value). Delivery Port, Shipping terms.

5. Sourcing of items in right quality, right time, right price.

6. Placing booking on yarn & accessories:

Merchandiser has to make arrangements for the timely delivery of the required accessories
to the concerned units. Accessories requisition slip may be used for requirement purpose. The
merchandiser has to cross check the actual requirements after verifying the details furnished in
accessories requisition form. After the receipt of accessories quality check will be done.

*** Allowances:

• Fabric structure
• Dia. fixation (knitting dia., calendaring dia. and compacting dia.)
• Process loss (shrinkage etc.)
• Size wise piece weight
• Extra quantity required
• Size wise requirement (dia., colour (or) combination)

7. Time and Action Plan:

Time and Action (TNA) calendar is one of the most important tools for managing a
project. In garment manufacturing each order is not less than a project to a merchant. Because, from
order receiving to order completion involve number of tasks of various duration and requirement
of resources. Few tasks come one after another and others move at the same time. Like number of
processes, lot of people are involved to accomplish an order. Secondly each order is unique in terms
of process and time demand. So, a detailed plan with well-defined responsibility is must for each
orders to finish it before time or on time.

• What is a Time and Action Calendar?

Normally merchants prepare a plan in a spreadsheet listing down key processes in one
column and planned date of action for each processes is noted in another. This planning sheet
is called time and action calendar. Once TNA calendar is made, merchant can easily list down
her daily 'to do list' for the day and start doing work one by one. According to TNA schedule
processes are executed on daily basis to track whether an order is on track or getting delayed.

Now the question is "How to prepare a TNA calendar in a given format for an order and How
to maintain the same with less effort?"

 Process flow of an order with the list of task which need to be performed.
 Production capacity of cutting, sewing, washing and finishing.
 For sewing - batch wise and product wise capacity (production per day per batch).
 Lead time of activities, e.g. raw material lead time, sampling lead time, etc.  Shipment date
or planned ex-factory date.

The main purpose of preparing and maintaining a TNA calendar in to improve

performance in managing processes as per plan. If each stage of an order is controlled then
most of time you can finish an order on time. I have briefly explained how to develop these TNA
calendar formats and maintain the same.

In first TNA calendar format (Format 1) planning is made for single style with detailed
tasks, schedules, job responsibility and remarks. Steps to be followed during making TNA calendar
are listed below. (As in separate file)

8. Route card Drafting (or) Production Scheduling:

For every order Route card (or) Production scheduling is to be done by the merchandisers.
It facilitates the merchandiser to follow up the orders in a planned manner. The following details
(or) aspects should be considered in drafting (or) scheduling.

• Design
• No. of sewing operations
• No.of processes
• Despatch date
• No. of Components
• Type of stitches
• Order quantity
• Production capacity of the in houses (or) sub-contractors unit and processing units.
• Prioritizing the other factors
• Targeted dates for various processes (or) stages of merchandising.
 • Actual finishing date (To cross check the deviation between the planning and actual
performance any stage (or) Process). Targeted dates for all the stages of merchandising should
be decided. Actual dates on which a particular process (or) operation is actually done should
also be entered in production scheduling. The merchandisers are accountable for the deviation.

9.Approvals:
Approval is an authentication of all required conformances related to a process (or) an operation.
The merchandisers should know the quality parameters of various processes and sewing operations
before approvals. There should not heron-conformities. Evidences for approval should be cross
checked to confirm that all the approvals having made properly.

7. Approval of various processes sewing operations and finishing processes:

The various process of sewing operations and finishing process such as patter making, cutting, sewing,
ironing will be approved by the technical merchandisers
8. Pattern Approval:
Patterns should be approved for

• Measurement
• Style and fit
• Allowances
• Accuracy of pattern

If there is any non-conformance in a pattern that should be corrected before it is used in production
Pattern approval samples will be received from the concerned units and approved by the approval
department (or) merchandisers, If there is non-conformance in any size sample revised sample for
that size should be again submitted for approval.

9. Pre-production samples:
These samples should be submitted on time to the concerned person (Buyers, buyer agents
office buying office). All the quality parameters have to be verified. In case of non-conformances,
it will be mentioned in the approval sheet by the concerned persons. Sometimes we may have to
submit the revised samples after the required rectifications.

10.Size -set approval:

Size set approvals are made by the approval department or) by the merchandisers. All the quality
parameters related to various processes, sewing operations have to be cross checked. The below
mentioned aspects should be considered.

• Measurements
• Aesthetics
• Process quality
• GSM
• Piece shrinkage
• Washing fastness of the piece
• Sewing operation quality Print (or) embroidery position Labeling instructions.
• Size set approval seat will be prepared in triplicate.
 • Washing fastness of garment should be verified. Shrinkage in garment can also be verified.

Initial Cutting:

11. Pilot run inspection:

Pilot run denotes the first production garments quality parameters are verified and preventive
measures can be taken. The follow up team should do pilot run inspection to identify the
various defects and it will be rectified in production.

Bulk Cutting:

12. In process inspection:

In process means in between any process (or) sewing operation (or) any activities related to
execution of an order. We can have procedures for frequency and adequacy. In case of major non-
conformities we have to highlight the problems of quality at the right time to the right person
without fail. Consistent follow up inspection is a must to confirm that all the required quality
procedures are adopted by the concerned units and preventive actions are taken to enhance the
performance.

13.Production controlling:
Controlling should be right from the operative level also. Efforts should be taken to control the
nonconformities during production. Consistent supervision is essential to control the
nonconformances. Periodical quality check should be done after an hour.

14.Shortage problem:
The merchandiser has to identify the shortages of any material that is yarn, fabric, accessories etc.
right at the initial stages. After identifying the shortages steps are to be taken for the arrangement
of required materials on time. In case of shortages also we have to follow the quality control and
quality assurance procedure without fail. Quality of the material should not be compromised.

15.Following quality control procedures:

In some companies written quality procedures are available in quality manual. The merchandiser
has to know all the procedures of quality control. In all processes and operations quality procedures
should be followed very strictly. It has to inculcate the importance of procedures to subordinates,
in house units (or) own units, and sub contractors.

Following quality assurance procedures:

All the required test procedures (as required by the buyer) should be followed very strictly without
partiality. Evidences for testing (test reports) tested samples, tested swatches, tested accessories)
should be maintained properly. Before cutting, the merchandiser has to confirm that the concerned
unit has got all the required approvals properly from the authorized person.

16.Monitoring the juniors activities:

The merchandiser has to monitor his sub-ordinates. He has to teach to the subordinates about the
quality procedures. He has to give instructions to them before going for factory visits. He has to
discuss the various activities to be executed on a particular day. The merchandiser has to control
the activities of the subordinates so that the performance of the followed team is good.
17. Monitoring the activities of in-house unit (or) sub-contractor units:
The merchandiser has to monitor the activities of in-house unit (or) sub-contractor units. He has to
confirm that all the quality control procedures and quality assurance procedures are followed up
properly by them (or) not. He has to inculcate the importance of adopting quality procedures to
attain the planned performance level.

18. Buyer communication:

The merchandiser has to go through the faxes coming from buyers and he has to send reply on
time. Sometimes he has to furnish the production status of a particular order to the concerned
buyer on time. The below mentioned are some of the duties of buyer communication,

• Sample execution
• Amendments
• Comments on the send samples
• Sample order sheet
• Buyer visit
• Production status
• Sending sample, swatches, Accessories regarding the approvals.

19. Communication with others:

The merchandiser has to interact with in-house units, sub-contractors, vendors and job workers of
various processing. Through proper interaction only we make arrangements for the timely supply
of the required materials to the concerned persons. He has to know the production status from
various units which will be helpful in proper follow and proper importing.

20. Proper Reporting:

The merchandiser has to furnish (or) best the report to the right person at the right time. He has to
give reports for the below mentioned activities

• Sample execution
• Approvals
• Testing procedures
• Production status
• Programming
• Shortage details
• Inspection details arid status.
• Production status for meting etc.
• Report from inspection agencies, testing labs

21. High Lighting:

The merchandiser has to highlight the major problems in merchandising at the right time without
fail. Highlighting will facilitate the superiors to take the necessary steps to tackle the problems on
time. Proper decision is made due to timely highlighting.
22. Record maintenance:
The merchandiser has to maintain quality records pertaining to various buyer orders. Proper filing
should be done, who can utilize the services of subordinates in record maintenance. The below
mentioned are some examples.

• Sample details
• Sample Inspection Reports
• Testing Reports
• Evidence of approvals
• Proper filing (Buyer wise, order wise)
• Pattern Approval sheet/size set approval sheet (copy)
• Pilot run Inspection Report
• Fabric Inspection report
• Mid Inspection Report
• Inspection report from buying office, buying agents and inspection agencies.
• Test reports from inspection agencies and labs
• Production status reports
• Production status reports related to meetings Pre-final inspection reports Final
inspection reports etc.

23. Developing samples:

Some buyers will give specifications (or) diagram (or) patterns from which you may have to
develop samples. Samples may be fabric with required knit structure (or) garments with required
specification. The merchandiser has to consider all the quality parameters related to the samples to
be developed. In case of non-conformities in the samples developed, revised samples may be send
for approval purpose. It is the duty of the merchandiser to dispatch the developed samples on to the
concerned buyers by means of consistent follow-up.

24. Placements of orders:

Priority is given to Approved sub-contractors after evaluation (when the production capacity is not
sufficient) order is placed to new manufacturers also orders can be placed to in-house units. In
some companies, the merchandiser is accountable (or) responsible for finding out the right
manufacturers after proper evaluation. At the initial stages small quantity order will be placed.
After verifying their performance large quantity orders will be placed. Yarn may be procured by
the concerned unit (or) it may be supplied by the supplier (the main manufacturer). In the case of
a CMT order after the confirmation of the average piece weight of a particular size, processed
fabric is delivered to the concerned unit by the supplier.

25. Taking measures for consistent production:

The merchandiser has to monitor the merchandising activities in accordance with the production
scheduling. He is accountable for the execution of each and every process (or) an operation within
the targeted time. He has to take the necessary step for the consistent production by tackling the
problems in merchandising. (e.g.)
 • Quality of yarn
• Replacing good quality yarn
• Consistent arrangement for fabric
• Timely arrangements for the timely supply of accessories. Shortage quantities follow
up.

26. Preventive actions:

Detection of defects is not only the duty of merchandiser. He has to take preventive actions to eliminate
deviations in all the stages of merchandising.

27. Attending meetings with superiors:

Meetings may be conducted for general discussions about order execution (or) for implementing
new systems like ISO (or) it may be a status meeting. In case of production status meeting the
production details about various buyers’ order will be collected by the merchandiser from different
units and will furnished to superiors. The merchandiser is accountable to answer the various
questions raised by the superiors pertaining to the execution of the allotted orders.