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The School Uniform "Fitting Day" Program

By: Isaac Grauke, Sat Dec 10th, 2005 12:40:38 AM

We have heard from a number of schools recently who are all running into the same problem: it is difficult to find a uniform supplier who will carry their plaid if they don't buy from them exclusively. More and more schools are running into this problem. In Utah, for example, charter schools are required by state law to offer more than one supplier to parents. What's to be done? First of all, you have to understand the problem. Generally speaking, uniform suppliers can only carry a school's plaid if the school buys from them exclusively because they need to be able to gauge the amount of inventory to stock. When a school offers their parents more than one option, suppliers don't know how many uniforms they will sell and so it becomes difficult to know how many to stock. If you have run into this difficulty, ask your supplier if they can set up a school "fitting day" program. Here's how it works: your supplier will bring in one of each size of every item in your dress code. Towards the end of the school year in June, they send the items out to your school. Your school will advertise the fitting day to parents so that they can have their kids try on the items that they are interested in. When they know what size they need, they can place an order with the school. The school then gives the orders to the supplier so that they can order the exact items from the manufacturer. Why does this help? It helps because kids are able to try items on to find their exact size, and because they place their orders in June, suppliers can order the exact sizes from manufacturers. The result is that students don't have to worry about returning items because they don't fit. Uniform suppliers don't have to worry about how much to stock. And schools can get any plaid, in any style, and still have two suppliers.

About the author: Isaac Grauke is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Hall Closet Uniforms and Apparel, http://www.hallclosetuniforms.com

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