Indian exporters often say that day-by-day buyers’ expectations from them are increasing and these expectations are hard to fulfil. Apparel Online questioned wholesalers/importers on what they are expecting from Indian vendors and how capable and willing are the exporters on these parameters. Most of the expectations of these very important India’s customers seem necessary and something which must be fulfilled.
Product development and innovation in designs is one of the biggest expectations for any wholesaler/importer from an Indian exporter, and they know that India has strength in cotton base only, but new designs and different value addition techniques are something everybody is looking for. “A lot of PD by companies is just about showing us what everyone else has produced. If I have the same style every season it doesn’t work; to blend a signature style and present it in a different way every season, doesn’t happen in India. Twice a year I come to India and I find that 95 per cent of the stuff is the same,” claims Joel Ratner, Executive Vice President of Sales, IDG, a private label manufacturer that caters to the US market for woven bottoms and tops for its core customers, including American department stores, such as Macy’s, Dillard’s, etc.
Some are disappointed that there are only few vendors interested to invest in this area. One of them is Kuldeep Singh of Mahadev S.A. DE C.V., working in Mexico from the last 22 years and sourcing mostly from India. Kuldeep says that he is not getting any new vendor who can focus more on research and development in his products. Search of better designs is motivating them to explore pan-India. One of the wholesalers who does not want to be quoted informed, “I was earlier sourcing for the southern corner (Karur) of India but due to good PD skills, I moved to northern region (Jaipur).” Theodore Aleksov COO, Macedonia, working with department stores, is sourcing 75 containers per year from Delhi for the past five years, but recently nice printing capabilities forced him to source from Jaipur. These buyers also added that manufacturers should do some fusion of traditional styles with western culture.
Manijeh Khodadoust, Dastchin Mina, Iran, associated with more than 100 stores, insisted that product is the key in deciding an order or even in continuing to work with vendors, while price is a secondary consideration. “It is true that people want to buy more but at less price, but before that it is the look of the product which attracts the consumer into the store, so we follow the same principle,” said Manijeh whose priority is womenswear suitable to the Iranian market. Dora Popova, Proprietor Manager, Harmonia Ltd. Bulgaria (retailer/wholesaler) says that Indian exporters should think beyond summerwear also. No doubt, India has great designs, fabrics and patterns but sometimes exporters don’t put them together in a perfect way.
To work in a given price point is another strong expectation of all buyers, though they accept that it is not always easy to fit into their price requirement, but they too are helpless, as global market conditions are depressed. Sourcing from Bangladesh and China, Ralph Goodstone, Director, Le Cashmere, UK, which caters mainly to 250 medium- to large-level retailers in UK admitted, “There are good suppliers in India having better products and good quality, but still I need to negotiate on price.”
Some of the wholesalers have individual but interesting expectation from Indian exporters and they happily want to be associated with such things. Ilze Ports, CEO, Wandering Sage Inc., California (wholesaler/retailer, owns 3 stores and a brand) sourcing handwork-based garments, is also interested in women empowerment which personally attracts her. “It is good if we can together help women operators/homeworkers through our business,” she said.
Improvement on ways of communicating, like proper and prompt reply to queries was another area where these wholesalers/importers expect better service, while some of the importers are of the opinion that Indian exporters should know more and more about business practices in the country they work with, it will help them to deliver better. However, some of the wholesalers are fully satisfied with their Indian vendors as Rafael Yarto, Commercial Director, Mexico sourcing garment as well as fabric from India says, “Everything is okay, I don’t have more expectations or suggestions as such.”
