After years of Experience as Fashion Manufacturers, We have used our Apparel Manufacturers knowledge& prepared for you a very Helpful Blog Post; 13 Bonus Signs You’re Working with the Wrong Fashion Manufacturers.
Firstly as supply chain and procurement professionals, you’re always looking for the “best” supplier.The ones that are getting to communicate with you, offer great performance metrics, and, as another bonus, some good prices.
We understand that you’ve probably read a lot about what you should be looking for in a supplier, but now it’s time to explore the characteristics that should make you question a supplier’s efficiency.
Procurement professionals can take all the required measures to choose a good supplier and receive quality products, but even then, it can be challenging to find a reliable supplier.
Bonus Tip: Clothing and Textile Industry Suppliers/Buyers Guide
Fashion manufacturing is not for the faint-hearted. Working with the wrong Fashion manufacturers can be painful. Working with the wrong manufacturer can create countless problems and lead to losing business even off. So how does one know if you’re working with the incorrect fashion manufacturers?
Moreover unexpected twists within the supply chain cause some serious problems. You can blame a misfiled document, a poor quality product, a delayed shipment, and lack of experience for delivering products. However all these things are not going to work in your favour. Therefore, it is important to consider the warning signs to avoid costly mistakes. If your supplier is consistently underperforming, it’ll directly affect your growth. Instead of continuing with an equivalent supplier, you ought to dig in and find additional sources and options which will contribute to your company’s success.
How do you know if there are problems brewing that you may not be aware of, but will sooner or later take you by surprise? How do you spot the symptoms early on and have enough chance to prevent future bigger problems?
This post will show you 13 symptoms that may be worth looking deeper into and seeing if there are improvements that can be made with the Fashion Manufacturers.
1. Overstock
So Unless you make-to-order, you are bound to accumulate stock that will sit around – unsold. While this issue will be linked to sales performance, working with the wrong Fashion manufacturers can lead you in making much bigger quantities than you can sell reasonably well.
Consequently Small brands often struggle to find small factories with (MOQ) requirements. Our MOQ for Both Fabric Manufacturers & Apparel Orders Check Out here.
Often, in desperation to get their products made and go to market, brands agree to work with factories with higher than they need MOQs hoping that they will sell more, sell at discount, re-negotiate later. All assumptions that as soon as they are made, they are forgotten about and before you know it. They have an overstock problem.
2. High prices
Even if the factory you have chosen is the best. Your in trouble, If you cannot sell your product at a profitable price. No money that can be re-invested to grow your business, means sooner or later the business will run out of funds to grow.
High prices which prevent brands from selling at a minimum working operating margin is a big silent killer. Find out if you’re working with the wrong Fashion manufacturer for your brand and product by analysing every detail of your relationship.
3. Lack of trust
In any Business be it personal or professional, Trust is the foundation of every good relationship. If there is no trust between you and your manufacturer, you are missing out a lot. When there is trust, brands typically see the Fashion manufacturers do them favours small and large. And vice versa of course.
Trust means preferential terms of business, industry insights that can bring opportunities or prevent problems. If this sounds like you want some trust in your relationship with your manufacturer – just remember Both ways. Trust is not given, it is earned.
Read the Garment Manufacturer Company Profile to understand the Company in Detail.
4. Bad communication
Much like trust, bad communication is the downfall of any relationship. You don’t have to speak different languages to miscommunicate.
What is the most cause for concern is when there’s not a whole lot of communication going on. Talking is one thing. Communicating is a separate issue. Communication is the foundation of any relationship. This is no different when it comes to supplier relationships that play a great role in the success of your business. When your supplier is unable to communicate effectively, outcomes will suffer. A good supplier should be ready to share all the small print about the merchandise, delivery, payments, and other requirements.
Learning how to communicate verbally, visually and via writing is essential for the success of your business, and not just with your manufacturer. Spotting the problems related to communication and addressing them is essential.
If you try and don’t find improvement and effort from your maker, this will repeatedly cause problems and prevent you from growth, not to mention the constant stress to which you and your business will be subjected.
5. Constant delays
If your manufacturer is constantly late with their orders, despite your best efforts to ensure season after season this doesn’t happen – this is bad news. Working with partners that have no respect for timelines and deadlines is unpredictable and unreliable.
In a competitive industry like fashion, you’re only nearly as good as your last collection. Your reputation is everything and having it tarnished for no good reason is enough of a reason to consider your working relationship and look for a better partner.
6. Quality issues
You may be the most talented and promising brand on planet “fashion” but if the quality of your product is even a little bit short of “excellent” – you’re days are numbered.
Tip: Turkey Clothing Quality Services
Quality in today’s spoilt for choice consumer world is everything. No matter your market placement, quality is expected no matter the cost and taken for granted. If your manufacturer delivers products that are not perfect, your product is simply not fit for purpose.
If you are certain that you have done all from your side to ensure a quality product, then it is time to review your manufacturer, their internal processes and reconsider your working relationship.
7. Not reliable
Depending on the location of your manufacturer you may struggle with what seems like a case of unreliability. In some cultures, it is not customary to disagree or say “No”. In other cases, there may be no obvious reason for you to agree on one thing and get different results.
Regardless of the cause, great businesses do not run efficiently on unpredictability. While you might be “managing” at the moment, ask yourself what is it costing you and your business? Stress? Sleepless nights? Loss of sales?
8. Fashion Manufacturers Don’t like to take responsibility
For most fashion brands, manufacturing is extremely much a person’s process. Products are hand cut, hand sewn, hand-assembled and handmade. There may be many reasons for mistakes to happen. Human error is normal and happens no matter how much we try to prevent it. How your manufacturer deals with the problem when it occurs is telling.
If they shout and cast blame, refuse to repair at cost or no cost (depending on the origin of the problem) then time to think twice about the future. As the old proverb says “a problem shared is a problem solved”. If the problem is not shared and you – the brand – is always at the paying end of it – your business will be suffering.
9. Disorganised Fashion Manufacturers
Is the factory you work with messy? Do they loose materials and components often? Miss out on seeing emails? Forget to order or pay something critical to your orders? Misplace packages or don’t even know something has been received?
In short , These are all signs of a factory lacking internal systems and processes. While they may always manage to recover from mishaps, they are unlikely to be a business that can evolve to offer the support growing fashion brands need.
10. Lack of mutual respect
It is all too often that manufacturing relationships begin or ends up with both parties mutually disrespecting each other.
Success in the fashion industry is based on personal relationships.
The nature of the connection designer/manufacturer isn’t a simple one. There’s a lot of egos involved on both sides. If and when “ego” gets in the way and the respect is lost – it is the beginning of the end.
Working with the incorrect manufacturer is usually hard to identify. But looking for the signs and making sure that you’re working with the right manufacturer for your product and business is crucial for the success of your brand.
11. Lack of Experience
Experience can only be achieved over time. Experience means suppliers have encountered situations and found new ways to get around challenges to refine skills and processes needed. If the supplier is new and inexperienced, you may be on the edge. Depending on how plentiful the product needed is, perhaps consider industry leaders to avoid untimely deliveries and poor-quality products. This might require a little more effort, but once you find one, you can use their service for a long time to your benefit.
12. Poor Location of the Manufacturer
If your supplier is located in a disaster-prone area, you may want to take this int consideration. Could unpredictable conditions delay deliveries or wreak havoc on your business? While it’s not the supplier’s fault, it still may not be the best fit, depending on what you’re purchasing from them.
13. Poor Performance Metrics (or lack thereof)
Whenever you choose a supplier, you should review their performance metrics. Previous service records speak volumes. If the supplier has a bad reputation when it comes to product, performance, and deliveries, then take a step back. Another red flag is if a supplier has no performance metrics for you to review.
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