The career of an Clothing Retailer shows dynamic growth with time and experience. The apparel industry in India provides direct employment to 45 million people of the country and 60 million people in allied industries. The apparel industry contributes 5% of the GDP in India, 7% to industry output value, and 12% to India’s export earnings.
Clothing Retailers are in high demand with progressing times and with new trends in fashion. Colleges have increasingly started offering several UG, PG, Diploma courses in the field of Fashion Merchandising.
Some of the top colleges offering courses to become Clothing Retailer are Pearl Academy, SID Pune, Amity Gurgaov, etc. The average fees for courses in Apparel Merchandising at UG or Diploma level range from INR 40,000 to INR 3 lakh.
The market for Clothing Retailers is growing rapidly. Some of the top recruiting companies include Expanda, Burton International, Nike, Amazon India, Flipkart, Reliance, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. H&M, etc.
How to Become a Clothing Retailer: Quick Facts
Some quick facts about an Clothing Retailer are given in the following table:
| Industry | Apparel |
| Eligibility | UG or PG Degree in the related domain |
| Average Starting Salary | INR 3,00,000 to INR 4,00,000 |
| Job Opportunity | Fashion Industry, Clothing and Garment Shops, Sales and Advertising Manager, Cosmetic Health and Beverage Companies, Furniture and Grocery Shops. |
Table of Contents
2.2 Travel Manager
2.3 Finance Manager
2.4 Office Chief
2.5 Deals and Advertising Chief
5.2 BFAD
5.3 BSc in Fashion and Apparel Design
6.1 UK
6.2 USA
6.3 Canada
6.4 Australia
- Benefits of Career as a Clothing Retailer
- Skills required to Become a Clothing Retailer
- Salary of a Clothing Retailer
9.4 Experience Wise
What Does an Clothing Retailer Do?
The main job of an Clothing Retailer is to figure out what products to buy and sell to keep a brand successfully running. They provide an interface between the buyer and the exporter. They oversee a product right from the time of the order to the time of its selling. Some of them work under retail operations as purchasing agents to enhance retail methods of the brand, while others work directly with the designers, managers, and fashion brands to enhance and promote the stores.
- They coordinate with suppliers, buyers, traders, and people from various departments who contribute to the profitability of the organization, company, or brand.
- In their initial years of work, they might work as assistants in marketing and social media departments.
- With time and work experience, they move to office work and fieldwork that requires them to oversee materials and products from the time of their order till completion of exportation, profitability, and shipment.
- They are skilled in communication abilities since they deal with industry personnel to purchase or sell fashion lines.
- They are also made to choose in-demand and on-trend designs keeping in mind the best possible cost structure at the same time.
- Clothing Retailers with a good educational field also participate in strategic working of industry events, marketing business, fashion shows, and expositions.
Steps to Become a Clothing Retailer
- Decision Making: Like any other career, an aspiring Clothing Retailer should have a correct plan about how they will proceed in their educational life. From the selection of subjects in school to a selection of subjects in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees is a very significant task. The educational qualification and practical work experience decide what job opportunities a merchandiser will get in the future; hence it is necessary to plan these out from the start.
- Subject Choices: Clothing Retailers are recommended to study commercial or business-related subjects to get a basic background in the field. Fashion courses are the best options for them in undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Although students from all backgrounds can take up this career, the aforementioned subjects prove to be beneficial for Clothing Retailers for future purposes.
- Entrance Exams: Admission to most merchandising courses are done through merit and entrance exams. Some of the popularly accepted entrance exams include NIFTEE, NIDEE, DATEE, CEED. UCEED, etc. These are conducted by specific institutions.
- Finding the Perfect College: There are a number of excellent institutes in India that offer merchandising and fashion courses. These include NIFT, IIT, Parul University, Apeejay Institute of Design, and many more. A good college is required for the right education hence it is a very necessary step to take admission to a college that suits a student’s desires perfectly.
Types of Clothing Retailers
There are various types and categories of apparel merchandising, but broadly they are of three types- Fashion Merchandiser, Retail Merchandiser, and Export Merchandiser.
- Fashion Merchandiser: They are responsible for strategically creating stock and selling them to buyers. They curate designs according to the progressing fashion market. With their educational background and design skills, they understand what the consumers like and accept. They are the ones to keep a brand running for its product range and quality. Fashion merchandisers can further be classified into Marketing Merchandisers and Planning Merchandisers.
- Retail Merchandiser: Their job is to arrange all raw materials required to make goods and make them ready for sale. They mainly promote the sale of goods at a retail in-store level. They oversee activities associated with the products of their brand right from sampling to dispatch and shipment of the finished merchandise. Retail merchandisers work with various departments among organizations, companies, managers, suppliers, and buyers to look after the quality of products. The job is also a part of visual merchandising.
- Export Merchandiser: This job entails all marketing and sales activities within the trading industry of apparel merchandising. They ensure the profitability of the brand. Export merchandisers are directly related to the commercial department in garment and merchandising. They are further categorized into Sample Merchandiser, Production Merchandiser, Sourcing Merchandiser, and Product Development Merchandiser. Categorizations help them to carry out exports timely and efficiently.
- Visual Merchandiser: Their responsibility is to highlight various products through certain display techniques creating a visual appeal among customers and traders. This can involve application of proper lighting, or background colour, designing, spacing, etc. This category of merchandising entices the customers visually through offline as well as online means on various platforms. Visual merchandisers enhance the aesthetic value and appeal of a brand and its products.
How to Become an Clothing Retailer in India?
- School Level Preparation: It is suggested to aspiring merchandisers to start with subjects relevant to the apparel industry right from the start. Although schools do not teach Fashion Studies, students can opt for Economics, Business Studies, Management Studies, Commerce, Fine Arts, History, and other relevant subjects. These can help in developing a basic idea of the career from an early age. Since Clothing Retailers need to have excellent analytical skills, commercial subjects are mostly preferred by them at the school level. Students can also participate in workshops, school competitions, and programs that expose them to the industry. Certificate programs or High School Diploma after 10th is also highly recommended.
How to Become Clothing Retailer after 12th?
- UG Preparation: Choosing the correct major is a very important step in the educational career of an Clothing Retailer. More than 53.8% of Clothing Retailers have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject or fashion-related course. Many are also found to have Associate Degrees. The correct step should be taken to find the perfect institute that offers such courses that can help in the profession of being an Clothing Retailer. Admissions are done through merit or entrance exams conducted by respective institutes. A 10+2 candidate with the right eligibility can sit for these exams and get selected for a course in a good college.
- PG Preparation: It is found that only 5% of Clothing Retailers have a Master’s degree in a relevant course. Although most merchandisers get into jobs after a Bachelor’s degree, it is seen that students with a Master’s degree receive better opportunities and faster promotions. Diploma certifications or Researches are also done by many which prove beneficial for jobs.
Courses to Become Clothing Retailer
Diploma in Merchandising
Diploma in Merchandising is a 1-year course at the Diploma level. It belongs to the stream of Design and prepares aspiring Clothing Retailers for the various aspects of merchandising in the domain of the fashion business. The approximate annual fee is INR 40,000 to 1 lakh.
Diploma in Merchandising: Admission Process
- Some colleges have merit-based admissions while some give direct admissions to candidates.
- Students have to register online and apply for the course at their preferred institute.
- The final selection may be done after a written exam, personal interview, and group discussion as per admission guidelines of the particular institute.
Diploma in Merchandising: Eligibility Criteria
- The candidate must have a 10+2 qualification from a recognized board in a relevant stream.
- They must have the minimum aggregate score as required by the college eligibility guidelines.
- Reserved category students are given some relaxation in most institutes.
- candidates must go through the eligibility criteria separately at each college before they apply for admission to the respective college.
BFAD/Apparel Merchandising/ Fashion Merchandising
BFAD aka Bachelor of Fashion and Apparel Merchandising is a 3-year full-time undergraduate course. It teaches the specializations of the fashion industry and explores the relationship between contemporary technological concepts and innovative designs. The average fees for the course range from INR 80,000 to INR 7 lakh.
BFAD: Admission Process
- Candidates have to register and apply online or offline as per admission guidelines of respective institutes.
- Individual work portfolios of students are appreciated for admission to this course.
- Final selections are done through merit scores in qualifying exams or through entrance exam scores.
BFAD: Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates with a 10+2 qualification from any discipline and from a recognized board are eligible to apply.
- They must have at least 50% to 55% aggregate marks in their 10+2 result.
- Some relaxations are allowed for reserved category students.
BSc in Fashion and Apparel Design
BSc Fashion and Apparel Design is an UG course in fashion studies extending over 3 to 5 years. The course teaches fashion aspirants in-depth details about the merchandising industry and trending fashion. The average fees for the course range from INR 5 to 7 lakhs.
BSc in Fashion and Apparel Design: Admission Process
- Candidates can apply both offline or online as per the guidelines of the respective institute.
- Application forms are usually available on the official website or at the admission office of the college.
- Candidates have to upload necessary documents with details and pay an application fee.
- After completion of the process, candidates have to go for a counselling round and a personal interview for the final selection to the desired college.
BSc in Fashion and Apparel Design: Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates must qualify 10+2 or equivalent from a recognized board.
- They should carry at least 50% aggregate marks.
- Some relaxations are allowed for reserved category students.
- Eligibility criteria differ from college to college and candidates must fulfill them to get selected.
- They must qualify in either the national-level, state-level, or institute-level entrance examination to become eligible for admission.
BDes in Fashion Design
BDes Fashion Design is a 4-year undergraduate course in Fashion Studies. It aims to provide complete knowledge of the fashion industry including fashion designing, quality control, merchandising, and marketing. The average fees for this course ranges from INR 79,000 to INR 7.13 lakh.
BDes in Fashion Design: Admission Process
- Students can apply both offline or online from the official website of the college.
- Candidates have to upload the filled-up application form along with the necessary documents.
- Final selections are done either on the basis of merit scored in the qualifying exam or through an entrance exam.
- There may also be a counselling round and a personal interview in some colleges.
BDes in Fashion Design: Eligibility Criteria
- The minimum educational qualification required for the course is a 10+2 pass from a recognized board in any stream.
- Candidates must have a minimum of 50% aggregate marks.
- They may have to qualify in the entrance exam for final selections. However, some colleges also offer direct admissions or merit-based admissions.
- Some relaxations are allowed for reserved category students.
How to Become Clothing Retailer Abroad
UK
- There are over 50 top colleges in the UK that offer specialized merchandising courses.
- Students can opt for college courses to become retail merchandisers or attain a Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Retail Operations or Level 3 Diploma in Fashion Retail. Work experience is essential for jobs.
- Clothing Retailers have week-day flexible hours. Their salary increases with time and experience. The average starting salary is £16,000 to £18,000 that can go up to £45,000 to £65,000 with seniority.
Top Colleges
| College Name | Average Fees |
|---|---|
| London South Bank University | INR 14,82,397 |
| Manchester Metropolitan University | INR 6,65,900 |
| University of Arts London | INR 23,48,067 |
| University of Manchester | INR 22,93,770 |
| De Montfort University | INR 15,02,500 |
| Istituto Marangoni London | INR 22,77,334 |
| Cardiff Metropolitan University | INR 10,00,000 |
| Regent’s University London Fashion and Design | INR 12,36,861 |
| University Leeds | INR 25,50,555 |
| Hugh Baird College | INR 20,00,000 |
US
- The USA has some of the best fashion schools that offer courses in merchandising.
- Most Clothing Retailers start off with Associate’s Degree programs or Certifications which are very beneficial for job opportunities.
- There are many students that go to the USA every year to establish themselves as Clothing Retailers.
- The median salary of Clothing Retailers is about $66,690 per year. The salary is open to increase with time and experience.
Top Colleges
| College Name | Average Fees |
|---|---|
| Fashion Institute of Technology | INR 9,72,733 |
| Kent State University | INR 14,45,500 |
| Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising | INR 24,29,385 |
| Florida State University | INR 19,44,000 |
| University of Texas | INR 28, 44,575 |
| Drexel University- Westphal College of Media Arts and Design | INR 6,00,000 |
| Berkeley College | INR 9,38,889 |
| LIM College | INR 9,03,164 |
| Oregon State University | INR 25,26,177 |
| University of Georgia | INR 2,00,000 |
Canada
- Some of the top fashion schools located in Canada attract international students every year who study these courses and settle in Canada as professional merchandisers.
- There are several advantages of studying in Canada like internationally recognized degrees, port-study work permits, lucrative job opportunities, multicultural ambiance, hands-on experience in field works, and many more that attract international students.
- The average base salary for a merchandiser in Canada is $16.56 per hour. Most Clothing Retailers start off with $27,300 per year.
Top Colleges
| College Name | Average Fees |
|---|---|
| Conestoga College | INR 9,90,834 |
| Humber College | INR 12,23,146 |
| Fanshawe College | INR 6,17,070 |
| Centennial College | INR 2,20,300 |
| Seneca College | INR 7,56,400 |
| George Brown College | INR 7,34,379 |
| Sheridan College | INR 13,95,000 |
| Langara College | INR 7,34,379 |
| Vancouver Community College | INR 16,48,721 |
| La Salle College | INR 35,50,000 |
Australia
- Australia houses some of the best institutes that offer merchandising and fashion courses.
- Aspiring students can complete a Diploma in Visual Merchandising or equivalent qualification.
- They can also acquire relevant experience as Sales Assistant or through various workshops and internships.
- The average salary for a merchandiser ranges from $45,000 and $55,000 during mid-level or senior-level experience.
Top Colleges
| College Name | Course Fees |
|---|---|
| RMIT University | INR 13,29,850 |
| Curtin University | INR 48,78,608 |
| Holmesglen Institute | INR 3,15,466 |
| Queensland University of Technology | INR 70,00,000 |
| TAFE NSW Institutes | INR 40,75,000 |
| University of Technology Sydney | INR 60,91,300 |
| University of Canberra | INR 44,91,768 |
| Torrens University Australia | INR 49,45,899 |
| Billy Blue College Of Design | INR 57,19,747 |
| Box Hill Institute | INR 32,90,000 |
Benefits of Career as an Clothing Retailer
- Salary: Like every other job, an Clothing Retailer’s salary depends on their qualification and job location. Starting off with an average yearly salary of INR 1-2 lakhs, an Clothing Retailer’s salary increases with time and experience. The senior-level salary ranges from INR 9 to 10 lakhs per annum.
- Job Security: The life of an Clothing Retailer is secured with health and other benefits offered by the companies they work in. Their salary keeps increasing with time hence the monetary security also remains intact.
- Expanding network: Clothing Retailers can continuously interact and communicate among buyers, sellers, traders, and among various firms, companies, and brands. Through their communicative skills, regular interactions make their circles and network keep on expanding. This introduces them to a lot of influential and powerful people. It opens up new advantageous opportunities from personal and professional communications.
- Enhanced Communication Skills: With constant interactions with buyers, sellers, exporters, traders, managers, and other people, Clothing Retailers develop excellent communication skills. These help them in other fields and in personal growth too. They also have great interpersonal and managerial skills to strategically run their brands.
- Flexible Schedule: Clothing Retailers can easily accommodate their work in a convenient schedule. Although it is not easy work and requires a lot of time and energy just like any other profession, an Clothing Retailer usually regulates their own life on their own terms. Their job is also not monotonous since they keep engaging with different departments and job roles from time to time.
- Low Start-Up Costs: Most entrepreneurial merchandisers in the apparel industry can start their own businesses and brands with very low start-up costs. The risk-reward ratio in this industry is quite strong.
- No Physical Business Location Required: Owing to technology, the modern merchandising business can be run online. A physical business location is not always necessary for the business. A lot of work can hence be done from home or personal spaces. This makes the job a lot less hectic for most people.
Skills Required for an Clothing Retailer
- Managerial abilities to assign and handle multiple tasks.
- Communication skills and efficiency in handling customers, sellers, managers, and other important people of the industry.
- Quick decision-making abilities.
- Positive and nice behavior with everyone.
- Realistic, rational, and strategic in making goals and decisions.
- Cooperative and coordinative skills to work in a team.
- Analytical skills.
- Detail-oriented.
- Knowledge of technical terms of the industry and of the world market.
- Good understanding of the factory and the fabrics.
- Confidence, persuasion power, and good command of themselves.
Salary of Clothing Retailer in India
Average Annual Salary
Specialization Wise Salary
| Specialization | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Fashion Merchandiser | INR 3,00,000 |
| Retail Merchandiser | INR 19,00,000 |
| Export Merchandiser | INR 3,50,000 |
Gender Wise Salary
| Gender | Percentage Breakdown |
|---|---|
| Male | 58.6% |
| Female | 40.2% |
Experience Wise Salary
| Experience | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level (<1 year) | INR 1,79,000 |
| Mid-Level (1-5 years) | INR 5,20,000 |
| Senior Level (5-10 years) | INR 9,40,000 |
How to become Clothing Retailer: FAQs
Ques. Is work experience compulsory to become an Clothing Retailer?
Ans. Work experience is not compulsory for becoming an Clothing Retailer. Many fresh faces join this profession after completing their studies. However, work experience is highly appreciated and can help with better job roles and salary.
Ques. Who are the top recruiters for Clothing Retailers?
Ans. Top recruiters in the Apparel Merchandising industry include Textile Brands, Fashion Designing Companies, Boutiques, Fashion Centres, Manufacturing Companies, Entrepreneurs, etc.
Ques. Is it compulsory for an Clothing Retailer to sit for an interview?
Ans. Yes, most colleges require candidates to appear in a personal interview after which selections are done for merchandising and fashion courses. Even in jobs, Clothing Retailers are asked some basic interview questions to get an idea about their understanding of the work.
Ques. Are certification courses sufficient for aspiring Clothing Retailers?
Ans. Although many Clothing Retailers hold a Bachelor’s degree, there are also some who have only Certifications in Apparel Merchandising or Fashion Designing courses. Besides Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, Certificates and Diploma qualifications are also beneficial for Clothing Retailers. One can apply for the job with only Certification and no Bachelor’s qualification.
Ques. Is apparel merchandising a demanding job?
Ans. The salaries of Clothing Retailers are highly dependent on the specific industry or job. There is no single statistic to explore job outlooks for merchandising in the apparel and fashion industry as a whole. However, with changing times and trending fashion in the market, merchandisers are highly demanded in most companies and brands.
Ques. Are there many categories of apparel merchandising?
Ans. Yes, the apparel merchandising industry is very vast and is divided into multiple categories. Different people deal with different sectors of the industry which include dealing with raw materials, overseeing processing of products, exporting finished goods, designing materials, dealing with traders and customers, and many more. As a result, there are different types of merchandisers like Visual Merchandiser, Export Merchandiser, Digital Merchandiser, Product Merchandiser, Retail Merchandiser, etc.
Ques. Is apparel merchandising taken seriously as a profession?
Ans. Yes, apparel merchandising is a very prospective and significant profession. The function of merchandising is very important in the apparel industry for it attracts a lot of traders and customers for a brand. It increases product and market value and enhances customer awareness.
Ques. Is entrepreneurship possible for an Clothing Retailer?
Ans. Yes, Clothing Retailers often start their own small business or entrepreneurships that prove to be quite successful. Entrepreneurship is a benefit for the career of Clothing Retailers that allows them to start their own brand or company.
Ques. Is the interview for Clothing Retailers difficult?
Ans. The interview that Clothing Retailers have to appear in is of moderate difficulty level. The questions asked are basic and an Clothing Retailer with a good knowledge about the industry can simply answer them.
Ques. Is the job of an Clothing Retailer hectic?
Ans. Normally Clothing Retailers have quite a smooth professional life since they are allowed certain work benefits and flexibility that are missing in other jobs. However, for a fresher in the profession, it is slightly hectic since the workload is more.
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