Fashion distribution channel is an engine of growth for the fashion brands as strong, vibrant, effective, smart, and efficient fashion channel ensures sustainability, salability, profitability, and reliability of the fashion brands. The fashion channel allows the brands to reach the customers as well as provides the customers with an opportunity to have an easy and reliable access to the fashion items of their choice. So, the fashion channel channelizes the business of the brands and requirement of the customers. This aspect requires two-pronged strategy to make the business viable and fulfils the choice and priority of the consumers. The business channel serves as a hub where brands meet customers and the customers meet the brands.
WHICH ARE BRANCHES OF FASHION DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL?
The fashion distribution channel is an umbrella term as it encompasses many branches and types which can be discussed as;
BRICK AND MORTAR STORES
Though modern online platforms have been encroaching upon the buy and sell phenomenon over the years, the importance of traditional shopping at the brick-and-mortar stores has never died down. Touching and browsing have the differences of poles as attraction that comes through physical contact is far deeper than seeing something on the screen. The trust developed through touching is stronger than whatever tale is told in praise of the products on the online platforms. Therefore, the physical outlets like departmental stores, boutiques and dedicated squares are the integral part of the fashion distribution channel.
- DEPARTMENTAL STORES
The departmental stores provide space to the multiple of products and house many retail outlets including fashion brands. These stores may have specific fashion brand of their own but mostly they provide space to the renowned fashion brands and other products. These stores provide an easy access to variety of products to the costumers under one roof and the customers prefer to visit these stores for making purchases of the items of their choice including fashion products in one go as they need not knock about different places rather; they find the things at one place.
- BOUTIQUES
The boutiques are more akin to Houte Couture or more specifically to port-e-pert as they offer luxury wear focusing mainly on specialized fashion items or they are meant for specific customers. The boutiques do not go for generalized fashion wear as they remain limited to specific trendy clothing and specialized accessories. At the most, they make themselves unique by offering handmade or locally manufactured fashion items. The person specific fashion items are meant for those who want to stand out with their different wears. They develop their image among the selected customers who want to keep themselves aloof the rest.
- DEDICATED STORES
The dedicated stores are exclusive retail outlets which deal in specific type of fashion products. Their specialty in certain items makes them unique and exclusive as they get name for their exclusivity that is also a perfect marketing strategy. They target a specific segment of the customers with their unique products. The specialty of these stores can be diverse covering different fashion items such footwear, sports items, plus-size clothes, denim jeans, ethnic wear and others.
INDUSTRIOUS FASHION SQUARE
The concept of industrious is centered around providing co-working space with all the amenities and facilities to the companies of all sizes ranging from solopreneurs, entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 brands. The Scottsdale Fashion Square is ideal in many ways such as ideal location, easy access, open space, best interiors and classy services. It also offers an easy access to high level dining, shopping and entertainment areas as the workplace experience has been reinvented and rediscovered. All the endeavors are aimed at extending all opportunities to have the most productive day in all respects.
- E-COMMERCE WEBSITES
The e-commerce website in the era of information technology is the most effective and dynamic fashion channel to come in the easy access to the customers. When the fashion products are a click away, the sale must be larger and the customers’ experience must be favorable. E-commerce provides a platform to the fashion brands to display their products and enhance the products visibility in an impressive manner. The online business model offers direct contact with the customers as the intermediary hubs get ruled out giving an opportunity to the brands to enhance their profitability and to the customers to have wide range of choices on the screen. The websites are featured with product catalogue, tell-a-tale about the fashion items, brief introduction, carts, payment options and customers’ feedback in shape of reviews.
- MARKETPLACES
Marketplaces are the online platforms where the brands and retailers put their merchandizes at a dedicated space. These platforms are viable fashion channel providing enhanced visibility and easy access to the customers. The fashion brands put their products on different platforms such as eBay, Etsy, ASOS and others.
- SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media platforms over the years have become powerful marketing tools for the fashion brands. These platforms provide direct access of the customers to the fashion brands and they communicate with them directly. These platforms have made the fashion brands a domestic partner of the customers enhancing a workable social relationship. The fashion brands can put engaging content, display their products and sell these items to the followers. They can tell a story of their products on different social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok and others to have direct communication with the customers.
HOW IS CHANNEL BENEFICIAL FOR FASHION BRANDS?
The right preference of the fashion distribution channel has a positive bearing on the sale of the fashion items and the outreach to the market. This aspect may be discussed as;
- ENHANCED MARKETABILITY
An efficient and smart distribution channel ensures marketability of the fashion brands as it provides an enhanced availability of the fashion items in different localities and areas. The fashion brands enter into a collaborative partnership with the retailers and wholesalers to ensure the availability of the fashion products to the customers at multitude of locations.
- BETTER ACCESS
A seamless distribution channel makes it possible for the fashion brands to come into close proximity of the customers. This easy and hassle-free accessibility of the fashion items provides a strong and robust customer base which is essential for the success of the brands. The fashion distribution channel may have different sub-channels such as retail outlets, e-commerce or social media but the primary focus should be on the easy access of the fashion items for the customers.
- CUSTOMERS SATISFACTION
Satisfaction breeds trust which should never be breached at any cost as a satisfied customer is a customer forever. Apart from standard and value of the products, the brands can develop trust among the customers through enhanced availability of the products and it can be possible only through a strong, efficient and smart distribution channel. The retailers or online stores should be developed in commensurate with the customers demand as products availability and timely delivery ensure customers satisfaction and the customers’ feedback can be obtained through quality of services delivery.
- ENHANCED EXPOSURE
Better display at the traditional brick and door retail outlets and online platforms is necessary for the success of the fashion brands as attraction fills eyes with admiration, runs through the heart and ends at the vault. A better display through a vibrant and dynamic distribution channel is necessary to roll the eyes of the customers. It helps in developing the customers’ base and creating brand awareness.
- PRICE VARIATION
Price variation and flexibility is the most important factor of the distribution channel as it allows the brands to access variety of customers through a robust price strategy. This aspect provides a leverage to the fashion brands to cater to the variety of customers keeping in view their purchasing power. The fashion brands through the distribution channel can develop larger customers base by reaching out to the customers of different tiers through luxury items to the street wear or fast fashion.
- CONCLUSION
The business dynamics have witnessed paradigm shift after the enhanced utility of the internet. The traditional methods are though still practical but seems to be receding with the onslaught of the social media and ecommerce business models. The fashion channels also witness a complete transformation as direct to customers method is taking a firm ground. The fashion brands have to move on diverse dimensions for better sustainability in the ever-growing competition. They have to keep an eye on all the sides to come to the expectations of the customers. Though this diversity in fashion channel has enhanced productivity, salability and profitability of the fashion brands, it has become equally challenging to keep the ball of the business rolling.
FAQs
Q: Should fashion channel be restricted to traditional retail outlets?
Ans. It seems good as many people are associated with the fashion channel and everyone linked to this chain gets the share
Q2: Are old fashion channel outlets dying down?
Ans. It is not true as the old fashion channel has its own value and importance and still shares a major part of the fashion business.
Q3: Why are social media platforms preferred in fashion channel?
Ans. The social media platforms are preferred because of enhanced and direct communication with the customers and thus these ensure increased profit for the fashion brands.
