It’s show time with MAGIC, ISS Decorator, NMB, ASD Products, Agents Sports, all in the month of August located in Long Beach California, Las Vegas Nevada, bringing around 150,000 retailers, to view estimated 7,000 plus lines that are on display to capture both immediate and future Holiday and Spring 2013 delivery business.
The question is will Bangladesh receive its fair share of orders from their Agents, Brokers, Trading companies, and the very few who do direct to importer business.
Where do Bangladesh manufacturers stand today in the mix of who will get the orders?
I believe most of the manufacturers of Bangladesh, wait hopefully after making samples to see whether they get the orders or not.
Relationships! Relationships! Relationships… are the keys to get the opportunity to receive potentially profitable orders. But by maintaining the old traditional way of obtaining the order, and having to pay commissions to all the hands that assisted in bringing the order to the manufacturer, cuts into gross margins, and it usually ends up that the manufacturer makes the least profit, takes the highest risk, and does all the work to make the product.
Since China and India are pricing themselves higher, as costs of doing business goes up, this is the time that Bangladesh could make a consistent effort to try and go direct to the buyer.
[bleft]I believe with a concerted effort, the Textile/Apparel Industry of Bangladesh, by presenting the massive capabilities of Bangladesh, would be a catalyst to becoming the number one place for sourcing apparel [/bleft]
True this requires exposure in the market, and Trade Shows are one way to meet the buyers, as well as seeking good representatives living here in the USA, to represent your manufacturing capabilities to the buyer on a direct basis.
This direct approach speeds up the cycle with feedback from your sales representatives of valuable information, so you can present desired product, and service to maintain consistent orders from the buyer.
‘SERVICE’ and servicing the buyers’ needs, is how China was able to grow to the giant it is.
I cannot count how many times I have heard from importers, “Yes I know I can get it cheaper from other countries, but the sampling and the follow through I get from my China supplier, supersedes the lower price I can receive from another country manufacturer.”
I see very little or in some cases, NO Bangladesh manufacturers showing at Trade Shows, nor having sales representatives in the USA marketplace… I believe with a concerted effort the Textile/Apparel Industry of Bangladesh, by presenting the massive capabilities of Bangladesh, would be a catalyst to becoming the number one place for sourcing apparel.
This coming 2012-2013, will show a steady increase in the Textile/Apparel Industry growth worldwide, but still into more basic items, vs. fashion.
If the cotton market remains stable!! and we have some economic recovery, mainly job growth, spending will increase in apparel, but the customer will still be very price-sensitive.
Invest in your own business, and setup direct relationships, will be one of the ways to success.
