Merchandisers in Garments sector on the rise in Bangladesh

Merchandising has picked pace as a profession of late, as the nature of the job presents attractive salaries and good work environments. Building up connections with multinational companies, buyers and local big apparel manufacturers is also a scope for these professionals.

Ensuring quality of the apparels on sale is a prime responsibility of a merchandiser. Sometimes he or she decides on the pattern of display of the product.

A merchandiser predicts trends in fashion and suggests products that are most appealing to customers. Analysis of sales information, working out sales targets and plan on how to increase profits is another job a merchandiser has to do. Merchandisers also visit suppliers or manufacturers to select goods to negotiate a price, order the goods, reach agreement on a delivery date, complete all necessary paperwork and keep in touch with suppliers to make sure that the goods arrive on time.

Tamal, who has been working as a merchandiser in a foreign company operating in Bangladesh for the last ten years, said his job is challenging and lucrative and there is good exposure in his profession.

"I face some challenges, like long working hours and pressures. When work pressure is high we work at night to get the job done on time," he said.

A merchandiser has to be smart and presentable to be able to handle international buyers, he said.

According to Tamal, merchandising is gaining popularity as a profession in Bangladesh because of growing exports.

Industry insiders said there are more than 10,000 local and foreign merchandisers in the country now, with the figures increasing every year.

In response to thriving MNC operations and ready-made garment exports and an increasing demand for such professionals, several local and international institutes are now offering courses on merchandising, fashion and technology.

At present, BGMEA Institute of Fashion and Technology (BIFT) is playing a dominating role in producing graduates on merchandising and fashion designing. BIFT hires expert local and foreign faculties to deliver the courses and yields more than 900 fresh graduates a year -- about 600 complete the six-month certificate course, 100 are one-year diploma students, 100 bachelor students and 130 MBA students.

Presently, BIFT also offers a four-year bachelor degree on knitwear manufacturing technology, apparel manufacturing and technology, fashion designing and technology and sweater manufacturing and technology.

BIFT, established in 2000, is affiliated with the National University. The institution will be upgraded to a full-fledged university soon.

In addition, several private sector entrepreneurs are opening up institutes that offer courses on merchandising and fashion designing, as the demand for such graduates is on the rise.

Mohammad Jamaluddin, an associate professor of BIFT, said students are eager to study merchandising because they will be able to get a job with a handsome salary.

Jamaluddin, who worked as a merchandiser for 20 years, said the nature of the job is sophisticated and challenging, with quick promotions and frequent foreign trips, as most MNC principal offices are abroad.

He said such facilities are not available in other professions.

Recently, international and local buyers are realising that the local youth have talent and are skilled and dynamic enough to handle the demands of the job.

"As a result, companies are reducing their dependency on foreign merchandisers," Jamaluddin said.

He said local graduates are technically sound, but they face a minor setback in spoken English. He said BIFT is offering English courses to help overcome the lack.

For people who are already in the profession, Jamaluddin said they must be on their toes as it is a competitive industry and fresh graduates are entering the market with new concepts and ideas.

"Bangladeshi graduates are performing well at top ranks of some MNCs operating in the country. In some cases, local merchandisers also do well at the principal offices of the MNCs," he added.



Source: Refayet Ullah Mirdha, STAR