The trusted use
of trial quantities which can be put into stores prior to the season may be intended to test attributes
such as styling, colours, prints, fabrics, fashion looks, technical or innovative direction or even a value added
feature such as a detachable hood in order to gauge the potential of a market.
The trial must
also be specific as to what is being tested and it is not advisable to combine
different features at the same time. For example, if the purpose is to test a
colour, it should be done in a tried and tested style rather than using a
new concept style. If this is not done, it could lead to a confused result as
to whether it was the style that was successful or was it because of the colour
that sales were disappointing.
In order to get a realistic reading of
the potential of an untested product it is
important to utilise the stores that represent the target
market across the chain rather than
simply using the larger stores in an environment where there is all likelihood
of selling. It is preferred to use a selected
cross section of stores and compare performance against similar control styles
in the same stores and then extrapolate the results to
all stores in the intended catalogue to determine the overall sales potential of the trial product.
Where open to
buy is restricted, which is
almost always the case, a recommended tactic is to hive off an amount upfront which
will allow the freedom to experiment at any time and potentially grow a high
volume line.
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