4 Most Important Factor for Supplier Evaluation in Apparel Industry

Introduction

Most 4 important factor for supplier evaluation in apparel industry is described in this article. The basic requirement of vendor evaluation or supplier evaluation is to develop an objective way to evaluate vendors or supplier for selecting the best within the best. The evaluation process is done to keep in consideration all the relevant factors for supplier evaluation and subjective issues that can influence selection are considered. Supplier evaluation is an important task in the apparel industry. There are two types of suppliers in the apparel industry. They are

Nominated supplier
Non-nominated supplier.

In small garments factory, total sourcing process is done by a merchandiser. sometimes merchandiser select the supplier or vendor. So, a merchandiser should be know about supplier evaluation. Because, right supplier can delivery product with high quality. However, every merchandiser have to know factor for supplier evaluation. But in big garments factor, there are another department name supply chain management department. They works to provide proper product with quality to meet up the shipment of the garments. Beside,

Factor for Supplier Evaluation

The important factor for vendor evaluation in apparel industry can be classified into 4. They are:

Pricing factors
Quality factors
Delivery factors
Services factors

Now, I will discuss all the factor for supplier evaluation in the apparel industry one by one.

1. Pricing Factors

There are various pricing factors which influence the supplier evaluation in apparel industry such as price stability, accuracy in pricing, competitive pricing, price change notification in advance, price sensitivity, and billing.

Price stability: Price of garments is important factor. Prices should be stable over time and should not be increased or decreased frequently.
Accuracy in pricing: All supplier should be ensure price accuracy. If a difference exists between the purchase and invoice prices, it should be minimal, thus ensuring greater pricing accuracy.
Competitive pricing : The pricing given in the quotation by the vendor should be competitive and should be more equal to other vendors who have given the quotation. Vendors should provide pricing based on competition if their pricing is on the high side.
Price change notification in advance: Suppliers should notify customers well in advance of price changes.
Price sensitivity : To price the product appropriately, the supplier should understand the customer’s needs and pricing sensitivity. He/she should also suggest ways to reduce costs.
Billing: Invoices from vendors should be accurate, easy to understand, and free of errors. The invoices should be prepared by the vendor properly.

2. Quality Factors

In apparel industry, the quality factors to be considered are purchase order compliance, and conformity to specifications, reliability, long life, service, after-sales support, latest technology usage.

Purchase order compliance: Suppliers should comply with purchase order terms and conditions.
Conformity to specifications: Material delivered should meet the customer’s specifications as requested in the purchase order.
Reliability: It is an important measure of the quality of the product. Failures should be minimal and within a reasonable range. Service factors should be clearly mentioned in the quotation.
Long life: Products and services delivered should have a long life and be durable.
After sales support: Vendors must resolve any product or service issues after sales as soon as possible. Warranty details should be clearly stated during quotation issues and product delivery.
Latest technology usage: Products and services delivered should be based on the latest technology.

3. Delivery Factors

The delivery factors to be considered are time, quantity, lead time, packing and documentation.

Time: It is important for the supplier to adhere to the delivery date listed on the purchase order. He or she should not deviate from it.
Quantity: The delivered items should not have any deviations in quantity.
Lead time: Suppliers should maintain a shorter lead time than their competitors.
Packing: A product’s packaging should be according to the requirements of the customer and should not be easily damaged. It should also be free of leaks or pilferage.
Documentation: Suppliers should provide all the required documents during delivery, such as packing lists, delivery challans, warranty cards, invoices, and product manuals.

4. Service Factors

Vendor evaluation and selection are influenced greatly by service. Poor service may cause a vendor to be avoided. It is imperative that the vendor has a win-win attitude toward the customer and ensures the customer gets the best product at a reasonable price by always taking a win-win approach. As well as adopting a professional approach, he/she should be able to handle customer complaints and issues with more courtesy. Customers should be able to resolve their technical issues with the product or service if the vendor has technical expertise

Sample Supplier Audit Format

Category	Selection	Fully meets-1	Partially meets-2	Does not meet-3	Critical failure-4	Not applicable-5
Management responsibility	Management commitment and review
Fundamentals	Infrastructure
	Sanitation
	Pest control
	Chemical control
	Personnel practices
	Training and education
	Handling, storage and delivery
	Vendor approval
	Control materials
	Traceability and crisis management
	Calibration, measuring and test equipment
	Food security
	Maintenance
Food safety and HACCP systems	HACCP testing
	Microbiological testing
	Environmental monitoring
	Chemical sensitivities
	Foreign material control
Manufacturing quality systems	Conformance to customer specifications
	Good laboratory practices
	Process control
	Document control and record keeping
	Continuing guarantee
	Corrective and preventive action
	Continuous improvement
	Customer service
Regulatory consideration	Labelling approval
	Regulatory compliance
Audit score:………………………………Reviewed by:……………………………………….. Follow-up required? ……………………. If yes, provide details:……………………………………………………………………………

Table 1: Supplier audit format

Reference

Belal, P. D. (2016). Understanding Textiles for a Merchandiser. Dhaka: L.B Graphics and Pringing.
Corbman, B. P. (1987). Textile Fiber to Fabric. Singapore: McGraw Hill Book Co.
Kadolph, S. J. (2006). Textiles. New Delhi: Pearson Education.
R. Rathinamoorthy, R. S. (2018). Apparel Merchandising. Chennai: Woodhead Publishing India Pvt. Ltd.

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