But better sourcing is not simply about buying at a lower price, according to Sue Butler, senior manager at Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA), the global consultancy specialising in retail and consumer goods.
Speaking at a seminar in London last week on 'Global Sourcing Skills and Supply Chains,' Butler said: "Quite often sourcing just looks at how we get products at the lowest price possible, but a sourcing strategy looks at how you get product at the right price and quality and in a balanced way.
By developing the right sourcing strategy it is possible to maintain margins and not get drawn into an increased level of markdown towards the end of the season.
Butler also points out that shoppers also have higher expectations too, not only for newness but in the use of technology such as the internet to make price comparisons. |
