Order Follow-up

Tools & Techniques of Merchandising BIFT

Robin Parry
Tools & Techniques of
Merchandising - BIFT

The Flow
Confirmation of price &
delivery with customer
Receipt of PO Sheet

Approvals (Fabric quality,

lab-dips, trims quality,
design, & colours)

1st Fit samples (Ex &

approval / comments
follow-up)

Documentation
& Shipment
Follow-up

Open Order-File &

Prepare T&A (Critical
Path)
Approval of Cost-Sheet
Information to Planning

Export Lc &
Back to back Lcs
for suppliers

Fabric / Trim shipments

ex-origin & follow-up on
fabric & trims sample
requirement for PP
samples, photo samples,
etc..

Final Inspection
& Shipment

Give details to sample

rooms for Fabric YYs
and to start on the fit
samples (Sample room
file opened).

Do requirements
Fabric & Trims
Give swatches for labdips and counter
samples

Receipts of P/Is (Fabric

& Trims)

Ordering fabric & trims

Give sample
requirements to
suppliers

2nd Fit samples (If

required) or Preproduction samples /
Photo sample, etc..

Packing sample
approval
Bulk Wash Approval

Tools & Techniques of

Merchandising - BIFT

Pre-production sample approval.

Preparing Tec-files for other
departments with final trim card.
Embroidery / Print approval in Any.
Fabric / Trim In-house & Inventory.

Factory / Line Size-set

review
Pre-production meeting
Pilot Run
TOP Approval
Bulk Production

Required Details & Information

PO / Order Sheet

Price
Quantity
Color & Size break-down
Ex-Factory / final inspection date

Fabric / trim details colors, quality, requirement, etc..

Size-spec
Sample, sketch & color ways
Sample requirement
Workmanship details
Packing & shipping instructions
Tools & Techniques of
Merchandising - BIFT

Opening the Master File

Should be very neat
and tidy.
Should always divide
in to cages (with
separators) for easy
reference.
Should always have a
file label with the
relevant details.

E.g.. for Cage separation

Reports
Sample follow-up
Buyer in-out
Suppliers in-out
Order details
Fabric
Trim
Pos, PIs, & Requirements
Lcs & Documents
Costings & Pre-booking
correspondence

Tools & Techniques of

Merchandising - BIFT

Suppliers
Fabric
Trims
Sewing trims
Packing trims

o Imported
o Local
o Imported
o Local

Tools & Techniques of

Merchandising - BIFT

Fabric Suppliers
Confirmation of delivery date and issue of
Performa-Invoice
Lab-dip approvals
Fabric quality approval
Wash standard approval
Fabric Shade-bands
Fabric sample requirement
Pre-shipment test reports
Bulk fabric shipment
Payments
Tools & Techniques of
Merchandising - BIFT

The Flow (Fabric)

Quality swatch &
Colours from buyer

Passing Quality swatch

& Colours to fabric
suppliers

Tentative fabric
booking for reserve
production space /
confirmation of delivery
date

Final booking (Colour

wise) for PI w/ sample
requirement / Price
Confirmation

Deciding payment
terms (Opening BTB
Lcs)

Lab-dip / quality approval

or resubmission request
from buyer

Lab-dips and quality

swatch sent to buyer
for approval

Lab-dips and quality

swatch from supplier
for approval

Fabric bulk production

Fabric In-house
Inventory & Inspection

Despatch of sample
fabric requirement

Clearance

Shade-bands (from
head-ends) for approval

Fabric arrives at port

Tools & Techniques of

Merchandising - BIFT

Shade-bands approved. Preshipment inspection / test reports.

Fabric Shipment (Exorigin)

Trim Suppliers
Confirmation of delivery date and issue
of Performa-Invoice
Color / Quality / Design approvals
Trim sample requirement
Pre-shipment test reports (If required)
Bulk shipments
Payments
Tools & Techniques of
Merchandising - BIFT

The Flow (Trims)

Samples, details, &
Colours from buyer

Passing details to
suppliers

Deciding payment
terms (Opening BTB
Lcs)

Approval from buyer or

Re-submission

Trim bulk production

In-house
Inventory & Inspection

Despatch of sample
requirement

Clearance

Tentative booking on
critical items to reserve
space (If required)

Approval samples sent

to buyer

Samples from bulk for

approval / reference

Arrives at port

Tools & Techniques of

Merchandising - BIFT

Final booking (In detail)

for PI w/ sample
requirement / Price
confirmation

Colour / Quality /
design samples for
approval from
suppliers.

Pre-shipment test reports if

required.

Shipment (Ex-origin)

Ordering (Fabric & Trims)

Consumptions & requirements
Requirement break-downs & workings
Price quotations
Required quality standard / test reports
Purchase orders
Performa-invoices
Payment terms / Lc terms
Tools & Techniques of
Merchandising - BIFT

10

Important
All approvals Before cut-date
Fabric In-house before cut-date
Sewing trims In-house before cut-date
-

i.e. Thread, labels, zippers, etc..

Packing trims In-house before before

packing starts
-

i.e. Tags, tickets, poly-bags, hangers, cartons, etc..

Tools & Techniques of
Merchandising - BIFT

11

Trim Cards
Details Buyer, Po no., Style, Quantity, Manufacturing
unit, Del date, etc..
Fabric Swatch & thread (Color, Composition, &
Consumption)
Pocketing / Contrast / Trimming Swatch & Thread if
any (Color, Composition, & Consumption)
Lining (Woven / Fusible / Non-Fusible)
Buttons Buttons and attaching thread
Marketing Labels & Tickets
Trims Zippers, stoppers, cords, etc.. (Length per size,
width, etc..)
Extras & Comments
Tools & Techniques of
Merchandising - BIFT

12

Trim-card distribution
Department
Product Development
Stores
Quality
Cutting
Sewing
Finishing
Commercial

Complete trim card

Complete trim card
Complete trim card
Only fabric, lining, etc..
Mainly with sewing trims
Mainly with packing trims
Not required

Tools & Techniques of

Merchandising - BIFT

13

Tech Files

Latest tech-spec
Copy of order sheet
Approved trim-card
Approved wash standard
Sample comments / alterations
Special important comments / messages
Copy of T&A
Tools & Techniques of
Merchandising - BIFT

14

Tech-file distribution
Department
Product Development
Stores
Quality
Cutting
Sewing
Finishing
Commercial

Complete file
Trim card & requirements
Complete file
Complete file
Complete file
Complete file
Not required

Tools & Techniques of

Merchandising - BIFT

15

Commercial
Should give:

Should get:

Copy of Order Sheet

Copies of all Performainvoices
Copies of all purchase
orders
Important details on
packing & shipping
Copy of Export Lc /
details to trace.

Copies of all BTB Lcs /

Status
Copy of the original
export Lc
Import information /
Status (Vessel details
etc..)
Export information /
Status

Tools & Techniques of

Merchandising - BIFT

16

Suppliers the that provides a

Service

Printing
Embroidery
Appliqu
Washing & blasting
Special hand work

** Above too have a flow, most importantly these are done on the
garment while the garment is on production, hence we should get all
approvals in hand before the cut-date.
Tools & Techniques of
Merchandising - BIFT

17

Remember
All requirements have to be double
checked, since there is no room for
mistakes.
Be extremely cautious when giving
information to relevant departments.
Should always do your best to execute the
order in the proper manner, since shortcuts and assumptions might be costly.
Tools & Techniques of
Merchandising - BIFT

18