Massimo Alba opened its doors in 2006 and made its debut in Milan in 2007. The luxury fashion brand came about after Massimo Alba himself gifted his wife eight essential pieces for a woman's wardrobe: a peacoat, a camel coat, three cashmere knits, and a few pairs of trousers. The brand has since dressed a number of A-list celebrities, including Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, and Leonardo DiCaprio.
In our case study, we outline how Massimo Alba took steps to digitize their wholesale process, which drastically improved the buying experience for their retail partners.
One major improvement that resulted from their upgrade is that they now offer multi-user access to retailers with multiple departments or doors. This means that multiple merchants representing the same retailer can place their orders independently, whether they are from different departments or different locations altogether. These orders are automatically synced and rolled up into each retailer under a consolidated view, giving the retailer clear visibility into all purchases across all departments or stores.
This gives retailers more control over the buying process, and helps them avoid delays, especially during busy seasons.
Buying wholesale can be stressful and time-consuming for retailers. That’s why a streamlined buying process is necessary for brands to form solid partnerships with buyers. A simplified buying process helps buyers avoid frustrating inconvenience as well as costly mistakes and delays. A better experience can also reduce abandoned orders and inspire buyers to continue doing business with your brand.
How to choose the right retailers for your brand
The key to building great relationships with your retail partners is by choosing the right ones from the start. This takes time and requires deep research. The best retailers will help promote your brand image and drive revenue. A few things to consider when choosing retailers to work with include:
Your brand vision
It’s important to work with retailers that align with your brand’s values and vision. For instance, if your brand focuses on sustainability or eco-friendly practices, working with retailers that agree with these practices can help promote your values to your target audience. These retailers are more likely to practice sustainability in their day-to-day operations, which would naturally attract your target audience.
Their physical or digital presence
Needless to say, how well retailers present themselves, whether in physical stores or online, will determine how well consumers respond to them. When researching retailers to work with, take into account how they present themselves to consumers. Is their store inviting? Is their website easy to use and attractive?
Their finances
Another thing to consider when choosing retailers is their financial standing. While it’s certainly acceptable to work with new retailers, it’s important to ensure they have good financial practices in place. Keep your ears to the ground to avoid working with retailers that are struggling with their daily operations — whether they’re newly established or they’ve been around for some time now.
Aiming for variety
Another thing to consider when choosing retailers to work with is variety. Working with multiple retailers will almost always work out better than working with a single retailer. If for whatever reason you lose a client, your entire wholesale revenue stream will not be disrupted. What’s more, you open the door to gain exposure to customers who may never have had the opportunity to discover your brand before.
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