What are the possible challenges and struggles of a fashion buyer?

Answer 1

There are a lot of possible challenges and struggles a fashion buyer could face. Being a fashion buyer is not as glamorous as one may think. First, it is a stressful job. You are dealing with other peoples money and one bad buying decision may prove to be costly. Second, the buyer must know how to deal with budgeting, allocating funds, and negotiating. Most fashion buyers are given a seasonal budget and based on prior seasons performance, must allocate their funds within specific departments to accommodate what will sell for the company. The main priority is to drive business with high margins, meaning the markup on the goods being sold is at a significant increase compared to the price the fashion buyer paid to have the goods manufactured. The less margins the buyer meets, the less profit the fashion buyer's company will make. This is where good negotiations skills come into play. Not only are these very important factors, but the buyer must also have just good gut instinct. If the buyer buys deep into a "trend" for the season, and the public does not buy into it, the fashion buyer could have a problem of unsold goods. In turn, the company will have to decrease the price on the goods to liquidate - thus in turn decreasing the margins. Also, sometimes vendors or manufacturers that the buyer is working with may have production issues. Maybe the fit of the garment isnt proportioned properly or the color is not the right shade... All do these are potentional challenges that a fashion buyer might face. But overall, it's a extremely fun and a little stressful job.