The retail cycle - when to buy what
April 11th, 2006The seasonal retail cycle is absurd. I would never have been able to grasp it if I hadn’t been a buyer for years. Why is it that when the weather is hot, you can’t find a pair of shorts to buy; and that when it’s cold, turtle necks and coats aren’t available in stores? At the height of ski season, sports shops are filled with summer camping and cycling gear. Absolutely bizarre! The explanation is simple – retailers worldwide assume that people plan their wardrobes in advance for that first chilly Autumn or warm Spring day, and therefore buy ahead of time. For this reason, merchandise needs to be in store promptly for this “planned” pattern of purchasing. Any diversion from this rigid cycle would be detrimental to business. Despite the fact that there are 4 official seasons, clothing collections refer only to 2, namely Spring and Autumn. Summer is merely an extension of Spring and Winter an extension of Autumn.
The retail cycle in the northern hemisphere (when July is hot and December is cold) is as follows:
- January to July – when Spring/Summer collections are available
- July to December – when Autumn/Winter collections are available
Sales in the fashion industry are generally planned as well:
- January – Winter sale
- March – Spring sale
- July – Summer sale
- October – Autumn sale
Hitting March and October mid season sales are the closest that you’ll get to buying clothing for an urgent seasonal need. The retail cycle for the southern hemisphere (when July is cold and December is hot) would be the exact opposite of the above.
In the northern hemisphere, the best time to buy bathing suits is usually in March when there’s still frost outside. While winter coats are typically best bought in September when the air conditioner is still on. Knowing how the retail cycle works is especially useful when planning for a trip. If you are off for a beach holiday in October – you’ll now know that you’ll need to have bought your tank tops, shorts and speedo somewhere between Feb and July. By the same token, if you’re off to ski in March, you’ll have needed to buy winter woolies between August and December. Here’s hoping that you won’t be caught unaware of what is and isn’t available in stores at a particular time from now on!
April 12th, 2006 at 9:28 pm
Great info Angie - keep it coming! You were built to blog. Fashion needs you!
June 28th, 2006 at 7:39 am
[…] Most stores are on sale and it’s your last chance to get summer merchandise for you and the family. Autumn collections will start hitting stores in a week or two. Pickings are already slim as sizes and colours become depleted. Remember that you won’t find summer merchandise in stores in August and September – this is how the crazy retail cycle works. If you need beachwear for a trip to Hawaii in October – now is the time to get it. […]
August 17th, 2006 at 6:29 am
[…] Ordinarily I would have suggested that you stop buying summer items and concentrate on getting your autumn and winter wardrobes updated (and vice versa if you happen to be living in the southern hemisphere). This is because the retail cycle forces you to think a season ahead. However, there are three instances in which you should still be sifting through end of season summer rails: […]
January 4th, 2007 at 8:43 am
[…] The apparent absurdity of the retail cycle holds true in both Northern and Southern hemispeheres. Those of you in the middle of a freezing winter will soon see flimsy spring dresses displayed in store windows. If you are experiencing a sweltering summer, autumn knitwear and lightweight coats are about to appear in your favourite stores. […]
February 14th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
YouLookFab–hallelujah! Why, oh why, can’t I buy winter clothes in the winter? It frustrates the hell out of me. American concumers get what they want, so why isn’t anyone willing to sell us winter clothes in the winter? Do they even realize how much money they’re losing?
August 13th, 2007 at 7:29 am
[…] warm weather to enjoy, but we’ve seen the last of Spring and Summer in store. It’s that crazy retail cycle again. Autumn collections are in full swing and, as ever, I am champing at the bit to talk about […]
January 31st, 2008 at 8:23 am
[…] weather to endure, but we’ve seen the last of Autumn & Winter in store (it’s that crazy retail cycle again). Spring collections are in full swing and, as ever, I am champing at the bit to talk about […]
August 6th, 2008 at 7:25 am
[…] Summer collections even though most of you have months of hot weather to endure (it’s that crazy retail cycle again). If Summer is your dominate season, remember to stock up […]