Tailor Archive
Thread: Initial Inventory; Stocking your vendor...
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aibo220
Wed Mar 10, 2004 4:52 am
#1
Am I right with the way I been stocking my vendor? Just standing there and hand making each item piece by piece and then throwing them into the vendor at the same time? -lol
I'm sure I am, but thats not question... What's a good amount of a particularitem to put on the vendor? A shirt, for example, you naturally put more then one on vendor - say two. But then comes variety. How many different colors of that shirt do you add to the vendor and how many of each color?
The answer will differ from each tailor so I'm just trying to get an idea of how others do it. Preferabbly the more seasoned tailors out there.
Twilyt
Wed Mar 10, 2004 6:29 am
#2
I like to think of my clothing in terms out outfits. By that I mean as I stock I take into account what pieces will someone buy to go with these pants or this shirt or skirt. Of popular items I might have up to 10 different colors. Of the popular colors I will usually put 2-3. I also use the same red and the same pink ect ect so that people can match things up easy.
LongHindLegs
Wed Mar 10, 2004 8:29 am
#3
i kinda know what sells and what wont at this point, soi make factory crates of things in certain colors that i know will sell fast (like Black with white strips Tactical Skinsuits) and all else i hand make. like Twi'lyte, i mainly think along the lines of outfits.... i mainly stick to certain popular colors and only use one shade of that color... that way i dont have a bunch of different shades messing up things. imainly work red, blue, black, and white... and then combinations of them colors. i do some pinks and purples on some of the more popular items for entertainers and a few green and brown colors for the field wear peoples. I mainly stock 3-5 of the same item in different colors, not to many of the same color since time isnt on my side most of the time.
best bet, come up with a system that works for you and keep it relatively simple. (it will keep you sane)
SueDenim
Wed Mar 10, 2004 8:42 am
#4
I do it by trial and error, mostly, but with *tracking*, which is important for my system. I keep inventory by style and color on an Excel spreadsheet, and track sales with it too. That way I can track which colors and styles work, and perhaps "simplify" as well. (For example, I used to have 4 standardized "Red" colors - "Red" (the darker, burgundy-ish color), "Scarlet Red," "Xtreme Red," and "Ultra Red.") Over time, I basically phased out "Xtreme Red," as it's hard to distinguish from "Ultra Red." There is a difference, but it's subtle enough that most people don't notice, so it's not worth my bothering with.
But if you track sales over time, you can figure stuff out. Though there are some things I like to have in stock "just because," even if they don't sell all that much. Sort of "staple" items. For instance, I try to make sure I have Dress Slippers in every one of the "major" colors I use, because people will often want matching shoes, whatever the main part of the outfit is.
In terms of variety, you have to make choices, because even if our vendors don't get nerfed, there's simply not enough *time* to make one of everything in every desirable color without going insane. I tend to look at my vendor as something of a "sampler." I might not have Striped Slacks in White with Blue stripe at the moment, say, but seeing the White/Green on the vendor at least gives the buyer a general idea of what it'd look like.
But if you track sales over time, you can figure stuff out. Though there are some things I like to have in stock "just because," even if they don't sell all that much. Sort of "staple" items. For instance, I try to make sure I have Dress Slippers in every one of the "major" colors I use, because people will often want matching shoes, whatever the main part of the outfit is.
In terms of variety, you have to make choices, because even if our vendors don't get nerfed, there's simply not enough *time* to make one of everything in every desirable color without going insane. I tend to look at my vendor as something of a "sampler." I might not have Striped Slacks in White with Blue stripe at the moment, say, but seeing the White/Green on the vendor at least gives the buyer a general idea of what it'd look like.
NJ62
Wed Mar 10, 2004 8:43 am
#5
Vendor stocking guide on swgtailor. As a side note, the website has gone all wonky with the stories on the front page, but the links to articles and the articles themselves seem to be working just fine. Ignore the "news stories." They hate me.
NJ62
Wed Mar 10, 2004 8:45 am
#6
Chapter on colorization may also be useful (section for vendor tailors).
SueDenim
Wed Mar 10, 2004 9:10 am
#7
Those are great articles! They've been around for a while, I guess, but this is the first I've seen of them. I particularly wish we could get across the concept that tailors contracting with merchants is generally a non-starter, because the "Merchant Community" doesn't look like it'll be any help in fighting the vendor nerf battle, since they seem to view us as "just another crafting profession."
I like the color article too - your system happens to be extremely close to mine.
I like the color article too - your system happens to be extremely close to mine.
ImpSlave
Wed Mar 10, 2004 10:44 am
#8
My vendor is in my friend's spice shop, along with our friend's vendor who sell medic and combat medic supplies. The majority of the customers coming through are PvPers, so I usually keep stocked with combat clothing in three main color schemes: urban (black/grey), desert (browns) and forest (greens). My biggest sellers are camo pants (prints and solids), flex-form shirts, spec-ops dusters and the like. I also keep complimentary boots and gloves in stock.
Depending on your target clientele, you'll want to have 3-5 color choices of your most popular pieces. If a customer doesn't see what they want, they'll usually email you to ask if you can do that for them.
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