Stock Control And Supplier Woes

Until we evolve sufficiently to be able to fly it seems likely that people will continue to need shoes and they'll need somewhere to buy them from. So its been interesting to note this week how hard it can actually be for a retailer (i.e. us) to set up an account with a new supplier. In a global recession you might be mistaken for believing that any manufacturer would be desparate to push as many sales as possible, but its not always the case. Big manufacturers can afford to be choosy about who they allow to sell their shoes and when they allow them to sell them. There can be dozens of obstacles to surmount, questions to answer and criteria to meet before you achieve the holy grail of approved supplier status. Still, we continue undaunted in our quest to get more varied stock and suppliers into the shop.

The recession has also made manufacturers more cagey about holding on to large amounts of stock in the hope that someone will buy it before next season's styles are available. This applies particularly to larger sized shoes. Previously stock levels were apparently quite good throughout the year but now when something runs out, unless it is a line that is always carried in volume, generally you have no chance of replacing it. When its gone, its gone. So mid-season gaps start to appear in your product line and less choice is available to your customer. The only way to avoid this is for the retailer to overstock lines, which makes even less sense. Still, the new season starts in a month or two and supplies will be replenished and new lines will start to come in. Hurrah, new shoes all round.

That said, the Spring/Summer 2011 previews start soon!!