Eye Of The Buyer: Tony Butler, Sweetwater Surf Shop

josh hunter

• May 28 2009
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Tony Butler, General Manager
Sweetwater Surf Shop
Wrightsville Beach, NC

What’s your general strategy when viewing a line?

I don’t know if there is really a strategy but more of just going into it with an open mind and looking for new and exciting changes.

How do you to prepare for a line viewing?

Preparation is basically showing up and hoping that what you are about to see is going to look new for the customer.  I don’t think that all retailers really give the consumer credit for knowing what’s fresh on the rack.  So we look for things that will pop and attract the customer to pick it up off of the rack, look at it, and bring it to the counter for a sale.

What specifically do you look for in a garment/ line?

I have really been into the new comfort fabrics lately.  I think specifically in the boardshort department the 4 way stretch has taken off in our shop.  Lines like Oneill and Hurley who have great fabric designs along with the 4 way stretch are selling very well in our shop for the person that likes comfort and performance while surfing.  Some companies have great patterns but still use the same old stiff fabric that we have had for years.  With that being said some people are just into fashion and looking good on the sand so the same old fabrics are okay for them.

What some of your pet peeves that reps or sales managers sometimes do during a line showing?

My biggest pet peeve is a rep that has to show you every little detail about a garment.  I can usually tell what pieces I am interested in while they are still hanging on the rack.  All I need to do is see the front, back, and feel the garment to tell if I want to buy it for our shop.

What are some things you like for sales reps or managers to do while showing you the line?

I really like to get into looking at a line pretty quickly.  Time is of the essence and there is no need to waist my time showing me every little detail about something or their time when I start nodding off in the 5 minute explanation of a plaid woven.  I will tell you to slow down but it’s hard to tell someone to speed up.  Let me feel the garment.  I have loved many items in the past before I laid my fingers on them only to hate them after I felt it.  I would like to think that the customer would feel the same way I did after touching it.  It’s so important to know how the fabric feels.

Do you right orders at the time you se the line, or after you’ve been able to evaluate what you saw with other lines you’re previewing?

I like to take very good notes when looking at lines and look at all the lines before writing the orders.  There is no need to write an order for one company when it was just okay when you can wait and know which line was the best overall and spend the appropriate money on what will sell the best.