Reliability – Cooperativeness

First of all, a main requirement for any partnership is reliability.

Meaning that you have to know that your supplier applies what he promises and he will not have difficulties in meeting deadlines on a permanent basis.

To identify this qualification, you can have a look at his/her reviews and
testimonials or ask him/her what other people say about his/her service.

Should you still be concerned, pay attention to things that showcase his/her
professionalism. The communication level, the willingness for help, the
organisation of his/her material, the way his/her business is displayed… etc.

Someone professional is likely to be reliable, as well! 

… Here we talk about the cooperative attitude.

The ideal supplier has to be cooperative and willing to resolve any problem,
good to communicate with and receivable for any criticism.

Originality In The Products

The key thing that will make or break the difference for you in the market is the originality.

Originality ensures your brand’s identity and engages more customers and interests.

Thus, an appropriate supplier should have his/her own unique brand so that he/she can enforce the uniqueness of yours one.

Keep in mind that this uniqueness should be on pace with the theme and aesthetic of your store and of course, unique isn’t perfect.

Before making the next step, evaluate if the style of those specific products is in demand, if this is what you are looking for and be sure about the quality you will be provided with.

(The issue of quality has to do, at some extent, with the reliability)

However, considering the clothes you will be supplied, there are further characteristics…

Cover Customer Needs

Irrespective of the quality and the level of the supplier, if the pieces of clothing you are supplied can’t meet your customers’ needs, you will not have the expected results.

It is vital, especially when you are addressing to a women audience, by getting into your store someone can find something special for her.

This doesn’t lead to focusing on different styles or having an extremely big variety.

Instead, it’s perfect your supplier has clothing in different patrons and formats and in a variety for different body shapes!

What you should want to accomplish is that your female customers can always find a piece suitable for them without them having the “perfect” body shape.

Market Knowledge

Of the same importance is the knowledge of the market.

Your retail supplying brand should know what sells and what is in interest by the consumers – on a permanent basis, as the preferences are constantly changing.

Similarly, he/she has to know what is in big demand, what are the upcoming and faded trends, but, at the same time, have his/her own insights and views on all of these… don’t simply follow set trends.

Moreover, the best to look for is the knowledge of both his/her and your competition, as clothing stores can be categorized and competitor research can be even more specific.

Given this data, a supplier could adapt his/her provisions so that sales are guaranteed, but also build his unique brand which will follow fashion but will be 100% original… a really effective combination!

Suppliers with such provisions are what you are looking for!

Availability

An obvious trait, but a trait difficult to be found in the best of its form!

Availability has as a “niche” the continually and unstoppable supply for the chosen timeframe, without delay and misunderstandings.

Suppliers with high availability should be capable of providing fast and helpful customer support in agent moments as well as a system that receives complaints or an inner method of communication for partners.

Note: to have all of these executed well, it is important the cooperatively attitude mentioned above exists.

The service, support and responsiveness in supplying issues particularly is useful to be applied, while in bigger companies, specialised staff should undertake such queries.

A relevant characteristic of availability could be the reliability, as both of them are based not on the main service of the supplier – which is the clothing supplying -, but on the general view of your partnership which is equally substantial and will determine the results.

Organization – Updates

Suppliers are entrepreneurs and as every entrepreneur, they should be organized, when it comes to their niche and duties.

Look for someone who pays attention and keeps everything under the most effective and rapid operation.

Learn if he/she has prepared fashion guides or future collections… make your research and see if other people who have worked with this person mention if the supplier makes his/her life easier with his/her services, if he works with a great procession and if he/she is on time.

Note: to have all of these executed well, it is important the cooperatively attitude mentioned above exists.

Also, the organization is another part of professionalism. It showcases how much time and effort the supplier gives to his/her business and as a result to his/her customers.

A part of the organization, on the other hand, could be the updates your supplier may offer to you.

Such updates vary:

● Informational guides for future supplying plans of the brand

● New offers, new working or servicing policies – potential changes to the
processes

● But it isn’t essential that the updates have to do with your partnership. For
your own benefit, some good suppliers inform their customers shout new
trends, business and sales advices, ways of performing your clothing store
and in general topics from your niche that are for you.

Of course, it can be difficult to find the supplier that meets all of the above
requirements, however you can for sure find someone who meets a great deal of them.

In any case, we advise you to make decisions after a lot of consideration, as this is a vital step for your business.