home » Business plans » Where to study as a buyer. Bayer - the profession of the future

Where to study as a buyer. Bayer - the profession of the future

How many professions related to fashion and fashion-industry can you name? A designer, fashion designer, model, stylist - this is perhaps the whole list that a person who is far from the world of fashion can voice. But a specialist in this field will certainly supplement this list with another profession, new for Russia, but very much in demand in Europe - bayer... Moreover, he will remember the buyer even earlier than the designer, since fashion trends and profits of many clothing manufacturers largely depend on the representatives of this profession.

Who is hiding behind such an incomprehensible word "buyer", what is the peculiarity of this profession, how and where you can get it, you can find out from this article

Who is a Buyer?

Name buyer's profession comes from the English "buyer" (buyer), and this word fully characterizes the specifics of the activities of these specialists. In other words, a bayer is a specialist responsible for purchasing goods for a particular store (regardless of whether the store is branded clothing, expensive accessories or inexpensive analog watches) that meets the needs target audience specific point of sale.

The prototype of this profession can be considered merchant peddlers, who often went to overseas countries in search of rare goods, and commodity experts more familiar to the Russian man in the street, who are responsible for the supply and sale of goods in Soviet stores.

Bayer is a "young" profession not only in Russia, where it appeared just a few years ago, but also in Europe, where buyers have been working for several decades. The first bayer can be considered the famous Armani, who began his career as an ordinary clothes seller in a Milan department store.

The list of the main responsibilities of a buyer includes: analysis of sales data for the previous season, forecasting customer preferences, assessing the quality of goods, selecting and purchasing a range of goods, establishing contacts with suppliers, as well as visiting showrooms, various shows and presentations.

What personal qualities should a buyer have?

The buyer's professional success almost entirely depends on his personal qualities such as:

initiative;
an innate sense of style;
craving for beauty;
good taste;
sociability;
developed intuition;
sociability;
creativity;
punctuality;
stress resistance;
skill to work in team;
pragmatism;
organizational skills;
developed spatial thinking.

In addition, the buyer must understand fashion trends, thoroughly know the features of the group of goods that he purchases (for example, if it is fashion-buyer, then he must know the brands of clothing, the properties of fabrics, understand the quality of cut and sewing, be able to select the size range and color combinations, etc.), have the makings of a psychologist and stylist. Knowledge of at least one foreign language, the basics of management, economics, marketing, as well as a good command of modern information technologies will not interfere with the buyer's work.

Benefits of the buying profession

Become a buyer almost all fashionistas and fashionistas dream, since this profession is inextricably linked with attending fashion shows and viewing the newest collections. In addition, the buying profession has such advantages as:

almost complete absence of competition in the labor market - in Russia this segment is empty, therefore young specialists have great prospects for development and self-realization;

high level of income - since in our country professional buyers very little, and the demand for their services is quite large, boutique owners are ready to pay impressive fees for a well-chosen assortment;

the opportunity to dress fashionably and, most importantly, cheaply - even if the buyer is not buying clothes, but, for example, watches, he always has the opportunity to choose a fashionable wardrobe for himself at affordable prices during business trips abroad.

Disadvantages of the buying profession

You shouldn't think that buyer's job- a continuous holiday and a lot of pleasure. First of all, this is a rather complicated, very nervous and responsible job, the results of which determine the profitability of the outlet. In addition, the buyer's job has disadvantages such as:

irregular working hours (it would even be more correct to say that such a specialist works 24 hours a day);
regular business trips that take up most of the working time;
big financial risks, especially if you have invested in the purchase of assortment for stores own funds buyer.

Where can you get the profession of a buyer?

Unfortunately, Russian universities have not yet presented standard programs for training buyers. Therefore, you will have to master this profession on your own, both in theory and in practice. Nice start buyer's career may be a job as a sales assistant in a boutique. If you certainly want to get professional education, then you can turn your attention to universities that teach the basics of marketing, economics and management (for example, Faculty of Economics High school economy).

You can get specialized education only in such foreign educational institutions, how:

(Fashion Business program)
School of fashion and design "Istituto Marangoni" (fashion business & brand management program)
London College of Fashion (Buying and Merchandising Program)

Why will everyone be selling snake-print stuff next season? Is it true that in many stores are collections from past seasons presented?

Buyers, intermediaries between designers and buyers, know the answers to these questions.

Bayer, aka Purchasing Manager, is responsible for rational use the budget of his company, market research and the purchase of a product that will bring a guaranteed profit. From the outside, this work looks like a holiday - visiting fashion shows, meeting designers and celebrities, travel around the globe.

Bayer and Net-A-Porter founder Natalie Massenet at Paris Fashion Week

In reality, a worker the process begins with an analysis of the sales results of previous seasons, searching for errors in calculations and drawing up a procurement plan for the new season. The Bayer must predict in advance the buyer's preferences in the future - after all, the order is being made six months before going on sale.

Victoria Beckham analyzes tailoring at a fashion show.

Because of mass market retailers are not willing to take risks, Most stores will have basic collections of jeans, cardigans, plain T-shirts and shirts each season. This is the backbone that brings guaranteed profit, and can only change in detail depending on the season - buttons, colors, sleeve length. Trending collections are usually presented in limited quantities in order to minimize possible losses.

This is not the case in multi-brand boutiques. Buyers try to surprise their customers, and bring fashionable novelties, which yesterday were on the podium or on the pages of gloss. Regular customers they also have the opportunity to order the item they like to order. Basic collections in stores of this type are practically not found, except perhaps for things characteristic of the brand, for example, a Ralph Lauren polo or a Burberry trench coat.

Buyer mytheresa.com Justin O "Shea on her way to a fashion show. Look for the top shopping list of the new season according to Justin in the September issue of ELLE Ukraine

If you want to master the profession of a buyer, in Ukraine, alas, it will not be possible to do this. You can get a diploma in one of the fashionable universities abroad: for example, in the London College of Fashion, Instituto Europeo di Design, or even on the course "Management and Fashion Theory" at the Faculty of Sociology of Moscow State University. Second option: start comprehending the retail industry from the very bottom: the position of a seller, then a manager, and, finally, a buyer in a fashion network. Will play in your favor brand awareness and good presentation about the buyer's profile. To succeed in this profession, you must constantly follow all the events taking place in the world of fashion, art, cinema; analyze sales and customer reviews, always be ready for changes and innovations.

And then you are guaranteed a place at prêt-a-porter shows!

Summer course "Purchase of Fashion Collections" in Istituto Marangoni... In the classroom, students get acquainted with the specifics of the procurement process, learn to work with different store formats, determine company policy, and explore the audience based on geographic and demographic principles. In apparel buyers' courses, students will master communication and branding tools, learn how to develop a strategic profitability model and build pricing. The participants of the program will consolidate the acquired knowledge in practice - students will visit outlets and showrooms to learn how to interact with professionals in the fashion industry.

Cities: Milan and Florence
Languages of instruction: English, Italian, Portuguese
Course duration: 3 weeks

Master's Course "Fashion Buying" in Istituto Marangoni... This program is designed for bachelors in marketing, economics, fashion design and professionals with a background in procurement. Throughout the year, students will learn to analyze the fashion industry, develop procurement strategies, control finances, and manage supply chains. The training program includes strategic marketing and visual merchandising. The course lasts 1 academic year, and the program in Paris and London additionally includes an internship (12 weeks) and preparation of a thesis (12 weeks).

Cities: Milan, Paris, London
Languages of instruction: english, italian
Course duration: in Milan - 1 academic year, in Paris and London - 1 year and 4 months

Postgraduate program "Fashion Buying & Merchandising" in Istituto Marangoni... The first part of the course is devoted to the development of the personal qualities of the buyer. Students will also learn about the influence of factors such as design, purchasing, technical details and merchandising on the profit volume. The second part of the course is practical work- students independently collect and analyze data to develop a procurement plan and forecast profit. This program helps to master management skills and provides extensive knowledge in the field retail, import / export, pricing strategies.

Town: Florence
Language of instruction: English
Course duration: 1 semester (20 weeks)

Bayer (from the English. buyer) - literally "purchaser", the person responsible for the formation of the assortment of the store.

It is generally accepted that fashion is determined by designers, stylists, glossy magazines, specialized TV channels. However, what appears in boutiques shopping centers and, in the end, it reaches the consumer, the fruit of the work of professional buyers. As well as category management in grocery retail, fashion industry buying is not included in the educational standards of Russian universities. The road to the profession of a buyer lies through the related specialties of design, marketing and management in fashion.

Buyers are not just purchasing managers or purchasing managers who only agree on the delivery of goods. How well the buyer works will determine how the entire store will work.

What is the main key to the success of a clothing store? The product that is sold in it. It must meet the requirements of the target audience, otherwise the business will end. The Bayer must analyze the needs of customers and select for the supply of such goods that will certainly be in demand. At the same time, not only the wishes of customers regarding a particular brand are taken into account, but also financial capabilities. potential buyers... Agree, it is unreasonable to buy a batch of suits for 40,000 rubles for a store whose customers generally prefer suits up to 20,000 rubles. An ill-considered purchase turns into losses, and the buyer must prevent them.

In most fashion stores, buyers are responsible for purchasing new clothing collections. The required quantity of goods is carried out on the basis of the analysis of the average purchases of the previous period. The product should be selected as follows. So that he can meet the needs of clients with different financial capabilities.

Like many other professions, the profession of a buyer appeared in the domestic open spaces relatively recently. But over the years it has already become quite familiar, especially in large cities. Domestic buyers should take into account some national peculiarities in their work. For example, not all clothes are fashionable Italian brands suitable for implementation in Russia. For example, white jeans are not very popular with domestic consumers. Then, in the West it is considered acceptable to have only expensive jeans, and change only the "top". Our people, on the other hand, often like to change both the lower and upper parts of their clothes.

Considering that the buyer's profession has not yet reached the peak of development, there are not too many high-level specialists. But total buyers are constantly increasing. To achieve success in this business, a person needs to know well the market, customers, the specifics of his store, fashion trends of the current and future seasons. And this is not all that a buyer should know, but only the basic requirements.

Bayer must be mobile, react quickly to a changed situation and adapt to new conditions. Bayer needs to be responsible. Because he constantly has to make important decisions on his own. Math skills will also not hurt the buyer, since the calculations do not take last place in his work. By the way, the buyer's work is very, very responsible, because it is often impossible to cancel the purchase agreements.

The main advantages of a buyer's job are the fascinating specifics of the business, the ability to travel abroad frequently, and, if your own work is successful, high wages.
Disadvantages include a busy work schedule and high material liability that not everyone can handle.

Visiting shows is one of the main tasks of a buyer. After the shows, showrooms are held, in which, besides the fact that you can see new collections, you can still touch them, try them on, see what kind of fabrics and quality, find new contacts, and get new ideas. To form a successful collection, it is necessary to summarize information about new trends and how they are implemented in the collections of Russian and even European designers. modern Russian fashion largely follows Western fashion. Things are selected, first of all, with a strong energy, interesting. Great attention given to fabrics, as one of the latest trends is that fabrics dictate fashion.

Specific items from the collections are selected for specific clients. Often, the buyer even acts as a stylist, helping the buyer to complement the newly purchased dress with the necessary accessories. Similar close relationships are established with budding fashion designers. Bayer turns into a teacher explaining which clothes sell best. New ideas should be wearable and dressed in good fabric and quality. Designers are invited to make the same model, but in a different size or from a different fabric, more interesting or best quality... Working with accessories is another important part of the profession. They are selected in accordance with the selected items for purchase.

In Russia, the buyer's profession appeared not so long ago, less than ten years ago. If in the Western fashion industry this is a rather developed infrastructure in which specially trained professionals work, then Russian buyers are learning this interesting profession by trial and error.

Personal qualities: responsibility, initiative, sociability, resistance to stress, commitment, punctuality, creativity.

Since buying specialists are modern Russian education does not offer - you will have to learn only during work. Of course, you need a certain reserve: the ability to understand fashion, your own excellent taste, the ability to communicate and, of course, more desire to do this business.

Clothing retailers are looking for experienced professionals who are well versed in the preferences of potential buyers.

How to become a buyer? The most common one is to get a job as a sales assistant in a boutique. You will have the opportunity to communicate with visitors, explore their tastes. After a while, you can become an assistant to the buyer, and then the buyer himself.

Once again, but already a brief description of the fashion industry buying expert:

Bayer works in a specific area of commodity circulation, which is solely related to the sale of toilet items - clothes, shoes, accessories, etc. Its activities are aimed at providing effective agency or representation services between product manufacturers and sales representatives.

Activities:

visiting fashion shows
participation in showrooms
conclusion of contracts for the purchase of products
control and tracking of all stages of the delivery process
establishing partnerships

Places of work:

shops and boutiques specializing in the sale of toilet items
mod houses

Professional skills:

interest in fashion, trends and directions
the ability to understand brands, types of products, quality requirements, wholesale and retail prices
marketing planning skills
knowledge of consumer psychology
possession of one or more foreign languages
the presence of a driver's license and own vehicles

Additional features:

Russian educational institutions do not yet have standard programs for training and graduating buyers, so you will have to master all the requirements necessary for this activity on your own, in theory and in practice. In order to start a career in buying, you need to work as a sales consultant for some time, and then become a buyer's assistant and, finally, the buyer himself.

Today buyer's profession is one of the most demanded. Representatives of this profession are engaged in replenishing the collections of boutiques and fashion stores. Buyers are regarded as highly respected professionals in the fashion industry.

Fashion is business. Therefore, it is not enough to do and show a beautiful thing on the podium. It still needs to be sold... This is exactly the kind of activity that buyers are engaged in, who are guided by the needs of customers when selecting collections for sale. Representatives of this profession must understand whether this or that model of clothing will be sold, because an unsold collection will lead to losses in the store.

Buyer's job is very hard and involves risk buy not what you need. The professionalism of the representatives of this profession largely depends on the intuition and knowledge of the tastes of potential buyers.

Bayer is not only a merchandiser engaged in the selection of an assortment of goods for a store, it is also a stylist who must evaluate clothing as a work of art... Representatives of this profession can be engaged in the selection of clothes not only for the elite, but also for a wider circle of buyers.

The staff of large stores may have not one, but several buyers. For example, the first one may be engaged in purchasing men's clothing, the second is for women, the third is sports, and the fourth is exclusive.

When entering a store for new clothes or shoes, the buyer is obliged to advise the sellers: explain how to arrange things and how to correctly offer the product to the client.

The buyer's profession has a number of positive aspects, among which it is worth noting the opportunity to travel and communicate with famous creative people: fashion designers, artists and designers.

The disadvantages include risk and irregular working hours... In addition, buyers have practically no time to rest: as soon as one season ends, the next one begins immediately.

In order to become a buyer, you need some experience in boutiques or large stores clothes. In addition, you need to follow everything that happens in the fashion industry, attend shows, take part in showrooms, and work with designers. The buyer's profession requires a person to have good taste. Also, knowledge of foreign languages will not be superfluous, since such activities involve frequent travel.

It is impossible to learn to be a buyer in modern higher educational institutions. An education that develops a sense of composition, proportion, harmony and gives an idea of design, for example, an artistic one, is perfect. In addition, knowledge in the field of economics and marketing plays an important role. The personal qualities that are necessary for representatives of this profession include initiative, responsibility, sociability, stress resistance, creativity and punctuality.

As for wages, then, as a rule, buyers are boutique and store owners, therefore, the earnings of representatives of this profession directly depends on the ability to sell clothes. If the buyer is able to successfully bring and sell this or that collection, he will be able to get a fairly large profit.

As you can see, the buyer's profession is very difficult and requires a person to have certain skills... Many large companies looking for experienced professionals who are well versed in clothing, footwear, and consumer preferences.