To prebook or not to prebook – that is the question on many retailers’ minds, and in the wake of the recession the answer is becoming a resounding no. As another round of trade shows gets under way, today’s retailers are increasingly opting to just say no and focus on at-once orders, chasing hot styles in an effort to not get burned by sinking money in inventory that bombs. On the manufacturer side, this makes it extremely difficult to plan production runs and puts the risk squarely on them—where most retailers agree it belongs.
Brands are responding that retailers risk not securing key styles, and reports of heavy handed tactics to try and force retailers to prebook are rampant. But this is a buyer’s market and brands are being forced to restructure production processes as a critical mass of retailers opts to focus on at-once orders. This sea of change has also led to some amazing terms and deals behind the scenes for dealers that do opt to prebook.
All in all, there is a fundamental change in the business landscape taking place and in this week’s round of Friday Free For All, we’d like to hear your thoughts on buying and production strategies as things change. Are you going strictly for at-once orders? If you’re prebooking, what are you focusing on? If you’re a brand, how are you responding to this? What incentives are you offering to get dealers to prebook? Ultimately, how do you think the whole process will look in five years?
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