1. 3.0 Understand fashion trends and forecasting.
Fashion Merchandising
3.02 Understand the use of technology in fashion merchandising and marketing.

2. Technology for Information Management
Advances in communication technology spread ideas and business transactions rapidly, causing an explosion of information.
All businesses communicate information internally within the company.
They also communicate externally with suppliers, the financial community, customers, competitors, government, labor, the local community and stockholders.

3. Technology for Information Management
Good information management can give a company a competitive advantage over other companies in meeting customers’ needs.
Information Management is comprised of the activities that generate an orderly and timely flow of relevant information to support business activities.
It is done with productivity-enhancing tools, such as computer systems.

4. Technology for Information Management
Communication technologies in the fashion pipeline have expanded the industry’s “information loop.”
More people are involved in the decision-making process because they can readily access the needed information and add their input.
Fast, accurate communications enable more timely merchandise decisions to be made.

5. Technology for Information Management
Software programs organize data to achieve company goals, such as to carry specific stock quantities or to improve turnover.
Studies have shown that expenditures on technology are cost-justified, yielding a competitive advantage.
As more computer-trained employees enter fashion- related industries, the importance of advanced systems for business functions will increase.

6. Technology for Information Management
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is when computer systems simulate human thought and reasoning.
AI involves both “expert” and “neural” systems.
Expert systems must be set up by an industry expert to go through specific processes.
Neural systems learn internally from previous activities.

7. Electronic Communication
Web design, the development and maintenance of internet websites, has become an important aspect of electronic communication and sales.
Retail sites with the best web designs have enhanced usability by consumers.
Consumers can use a website to find new merchandise, career opportunities, and current trends.
While shopping online you leave a virtual trail of data for the retailer, this is called click stream data. It follows all of your clicks on the retailer’s website.

8. Communication via Mobile Devices
Tablets and smartphones are now being used as e- retailing shopping devices.
They enable mobile payment processing or self- checkout.
With free and purchased applications (mobile apps) they have become mobile personal computers.
Apps perform specific functions on electronic devices.

9. Communication via Mobile Devices
Apps are good for retail customer engagement and loyalty strategy.
They can provide mobile shoppers with quick access to basic information, location of a retail store, and in-store maps to locate an item.
Retailers can use apps to offer coupons, award loyalty points, and certain products can be promoted or incentives given.

10. Social Media Communications
Social Media is personal content created and spread via electronic technology for interaction and sharing of information.
Ex. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat
Our society demands instantaneous one-to-one information, connections, and satisfaction.
Savvy retailers understand and try to capture communication opportunities to sell directly to their most loyal customer base via their social networking sites.

11. Going Deeper with Technology
Clienteling is the effort to increase sales and improve consumers’ shopping experiences by collecting and using data about individuals.
This is collected as customers research products digitally and make purchases over time.
Customer lifestyles and preferences are tracked.
With this information, companies try to enhance shopping experiences and create long-term customer relationships.

12. Going Deeper with Technology
Consumer privacy issues are sometimes questioned concerning clienteling, as well as when geotracking is done by businesses.
Geotracking is identifying a person’s physical location now and over time.
GPS data obtained from smartphones tells where people go.
Habits can be established about the end-users,-what they like, where they go, etc.

13. Going Deeper with Technology
Social media information is stored in an accessible format, about where people are, what photos they take, what music they like, what products they buy, or what information they are checking via specific mobile apps that have been placed onto smartphones and tablets.
This information is available long after it is gone on the user’s screen and is very valuable to companies that want to sell to these people.

14. Going Deeper with Technology
All of the social media data is compiled and available as “electronic discovery” to corporations that support these devices and services.
As a smartphone or tablet user you hope that the information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

15. Computer Aided Design (CAD)
Constant research and development have brought innovations in computerization to make textile design and manufacturing faster and better.
CAD, designing with computer equipment, has shortened product development cycles since both structural and applied designs can be created electronically.
Previously time-consuming hand manipulations are done quickly and accurately today with CAD systems.

16. Loyalty Programs
Retailers want to forge “friendships” with their customers to encourage regular repeat shopping.
Loyalty (frequent shopper) cards have long be used by grocery stores to track shopper purchases and offer special pricing on items bought by customers who use the cards.
Retailer credit cards provide similar information.

17. Loyalty Programs
Knowing what customers want and listening to their concerns enables retailers to make better assortment and pricing decisions.
Anticipating needs creates loyalty in customers and increases retail sales.
Happy, loyal customers bring referrals to build a large customer base.
Retailers also notice which customers stop doing business with them and try to figure out why.