Retail Tips on Pre-booking
We use the term pre-booking to describe the process of booking orders for goods, well in advance of their intended ship dates. The term helps us to differentiate between those orders that are needed immediately, and those orders that are intended to fill future needs. As a vendor, pre-booking allows us to better plan our inventory and production needs for major seasons, particularly the Fall/Xmas period, and the Spring outdoor season. By securing early commitments from a substantial portion of our account base, we can lessen the impact of our required lead times and more accurately assess demand for our products.
There are some important elements in securing a successful pre-booking.
- Promotions must be structured to incentivize customers to pre-book…..the best terms are available at the earliest points in the process
- As a retailer, it’s incredibly important to pre-book: this puts you first in line for the “what’s new” shipment. It’s always important to be the leader of new in your area.
- Manufacturers base much of their production quantities on their pre-book amounts. Pre-booking helps manufacturers understand what products you like and assures that you will have inventory to buy through the season.
- Inventory may not always be available if you wait! As mentioned above, if you wait, you’ll only have excess or closeout inventory to choose from. It’s important to have new items in your store for seasonal and timely events.
As customers, if you pre-book now I can give you the best deal. By pre-booking, you allow us to better plan our inventory and to be in a position to have adequate stock available to fill your reorder needs during the season. The season for which we are pre-booking is fresh in the retailers’ minds. They can quickly recall their feelings about the season, and have current data on which to base decisions.
For Evergreen, we consistently offer promotions that make it beneficial to the retailer to pre-book. Second, we properly set the expectation…..when we book the appointment, we tell the retailer that we are going to be there to pre-book, and to write first orders or reorders for current goods. Third, we are typically showing them the complete line for a season, at the time that we are pre-booking.
Because pre-booking is so important for Evergreen in creating production projections, and we understand how important it is to you to be the first to provide your customers with what’s new, we offer you incentives and great opportunities to pre-book your orders. If you’d like more information, contact your sales rep today!
Tom Steinmetz
Director of Sales
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