Findings

This study is conducted to find out the comparative nature of on-

season and off season sales strategies.

Majority of respondents are belonging to age group 20years- less

than 30 years.

Majority of respondents are unmarried.

Majority of respondents are male.

Majority of respondents are students.

Majority of respondents are belonging to annual income group 3

lakhs – less than 6 lakhs.

Majority of respondents are recalling about readymade men’s wear

whenever they hear the brand name Peter England.

Majority of respondents have visited Peter England showroom

earlier.

Majority of respondents have visited Peter England showroom 1 -3

times in a month.

Majority of respondents are feeling motivated to purchase Peter

England products during special occasions.

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Majority of respondents are searching for different offers while

purchasing Peter England products.

Majority of respondents are thinking about being provoked to

purchase Peter England products during off-seasons as a result of

discount.

Majority of respondents are thinking about being provoked to

purchase Peter England products during on-seasons as a result of

discount.

Majority of respondents are thinking that both off-season and on-

season offers are necessary.

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LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

First limitation of this project is the very short time limit.

A portion of the respondents are not cooperative.

The researcher is inexperienced.

Biasness or prejudice of some of the respondents regarding any sort of

the information which is required for such study.

Not much of importance was attached to this task by some of the

Respondents.

The sample size of the respondents is very small.

The method of sampling is judgment sampling.

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CONCLUSION

On-season and off –season are two sides of a coin. All organizations have to

face fluctuations in sales due to off season. Peter England is not the exception of

that rule.

Peter England should have a clear understanding of the different factors that can

influence supply and demand. Managers should be able to capitalize on

increased demand and look for cost saving and opportunities provided by

increased supply. Failing to understand supply and demand will make it difficult

to anticipate and manage supply shortages and many increase the negative

impact of a reduction in demand.

Supply can be negatively affected by factors totally outside of the control of

organizations further down the supply chain. For example, a factory that

supplies raw materials to a manufacturing plant is badly damaged in a fire and is

unable to operate for two weeks. The manufacturing firm that relies totally on

their supplier has no contingency plan in place and as a result, they have to

close for two weeks. As a manager at a retail store, you run out of products to

sell, are unable to replenish your inventory and your sales are badly affected.

This example highlights the risks of total reliance on a single marketer. Ideally,

managers should aim to source products from more than one marketer to reduce

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their risk, or alternatively, they should have an arrangement with a backup

marketer in case of emergencies.

There are also factors that can negatively affect the demand for an organizations

products and services. An example of this would be a downturn in economic

conditions. Customers have less money to spend, resulting in them purchasing

less and impacting on demand for products and services. As supply chains

become more global, variable economic conditions continue to have a greater

impact on the effective management of supply chains.

It can often be difficult to address factors resulting in reduced demand;

however, Peter England can use marketing, competitive pricing and product

diversification to maximize its profit making potential during difficult times.

Demand can be impacted by either independent or dependent factors.

Independent demand is the demand for a primary product, for example a car.

Dependant demand is the demand for a secondary product related to the primary

product, for example car tyres. The demand for the secondary product is

dependent on the demand for the primary product.

During periods of increased demand, it is vital that managers are able to work

towards maximizing the profit earning potential of their organization. Demand

may be increased due to favorable economic conditions, seasonal changes or

emerging and popular trends. Positive changes in supply can be caused by new

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suppliers entering the market, beneficial environmental factors or even through

changes in government policy. An increase in supply should provide managers

with an opportunity to reduce costs through new agreements and seek

opportunities with new marketers.

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RECOMENDATIONS

The off season affects every business; and it affects every business differently.

Retailers may see their incomes soar during the Christmas season. Tourist traps

may see their incomes soar during the summer. Some businesses may burst at

the seams when the school year starts. Others may burst at the seams during the

short spring break in February or March.

Ultimately firms should be prepared with Plan B. Peter England, a branded

ready-made mean’s wear should follow the following strategies to deal with the

off-season.

1. Follow up with old customers. Admit it: during the busy season, it's not

likely that organizations are able to spend a lot of time following up with

customers. In fact, it's not likely that you could spend a lot of time sleeping,

vacationing, or doing anything else other than filling orders. Now that you've

got the time, get into the habit of following up with customers. Even if it's

been six months or a year since they bought the product, give them a call or

drop them an email and see how the product is functioning. Take the time to

ask them about upcoming needs.

2. Create a special. Consider trimming the profit margin slightly and creating a

seasonal sale to take advantage of bargain hunters. Although sales are

sometimes a great way to build business, be careful that they don't become

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expected, or the busy season will become the slow season when all of the

customers wait for organization’s products to go on sale at the same time each

year, "like clockwork."

3. Repackage your products. Sometimes, organizations can find a way out of

an off season by changing its niche or customer’s idea of the product. If one

sells gardening tools and the off season is fall and winter, consider packaging

those gardening tools together with soap, gloves, and seeds in a gift-wrapped

basket and promote the repackaged product as the perfect Christmas gift for

grandma.

4. Test a new product. If the organization was toying with an idea to add to a

new product line, now might be a good time to do it. Sales won't be great for a

little while, but it will give the organization time to test consumer reaction,

potential defects, and marketing angles...all while it have the time and without

having to stick a large amount of investment into inventory.

5. Schedule future business now. There's a famous story of an air conditioning

company that got around their off season by offering customers a discount if

they pre-paid for service they would receive later. Lawn care companies are

well known for doing this, too. So scheduling future activities are also

necessary.

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 An ongoing challenge for many business owners is the drop off in business

during their "off season".  Your "off season" may vary depending on what

specific types of products you sell or your geographic location.

This makes the “off season challenge” even more difficult because not only do

companies experience a loss in revenue, but they also risk losing skilled

workers who are the backbone of their retail business. These employees are at

risk of moving to other jobs to enjoy a more consistent and predictable income. 

Many of the business owners say that they’re frustrated with their inability to

grow their business, simply because they don’t have enough skilled staff and the

thought of losing their employees during the "off season" troubles them.

Starting a second line of business can be tricky. Running one business is tough

enough but opening a second business can present a new set of conflicting

priorities and strategies. The advantage you have is that you’ve been there

before. 

You are already familiar with many of the challenges that come with starting a

new business. Many of the issues you’ll face while opening the new business,

will be the same issues you’ve already tackled.

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Perhaps the biggest decision in starting a second line of business is what type of

business to start. Consider these steps when thinking about your new line of

business.

Step 1 - Identify the expertise that you already have in your business. Either

you or your key employees may have previous experience in other lines of

business. One company noticed that he and his employees had extensive skills

in the construction industry, which provided a foundation for his building

business.

Step 2 – Survey your current customers to determine what needs they may have

that you can offer during the off season months.

Step 3 – Create a plan for your new business that includes the four critical areas

of financing, people, product, and marketing . These are the four cornerstones of

any good business plan. They include the vital four questions you must ask

yourself when starting any business, whether it’s a side business or your main

business.

These questions are:

1. How will we finance the business?

2. How will I hire, maintain, and manage qualified employees?

3. What will my product or service look like and how will it be different?

4. How will I market my new product or service?

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During the business planning phase is when you would investigate and learn

more about the requirements to start your new venture.  You may find out that

they are two different animals and that the barrier to entry is too high.

Step 4 – Start marketing your services early in the season to your current

customers. What better group of people to market your new products and

services to than to those whom you already have a business relationship with

and who know and trust you.

Review your customer database and pull out all your customers with whom you

have done multiple transactions. These are the customers that have

demonstrated their loyalty to you and your business and are the most likely

people to buy from you again.

Marketing your additional lines of service is also a vital step in building a

successful diversified business. Many businesses that sell multiple services send

a “We do it all” message and attempt to market all their services in one

advertisement. This is confusing to the customer. Today, when consumers buy

services they want specialists or businesses that have specific expertise in doing

that one thing.

When advertising your new line of products and services, confine your

advertisement to just one product or service. Although this may cost more, your

ad will be far more effective. Once your prospect comes to your store, you’ll

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have an opportunity to cross-sell them on other products and services you

provide.

Beginning a second line of business to offset the winter month’s slowdown is a

smart move. Not only does it offset lagging income from slow months, but it

allows you to maintain key employees and diversify your business income. By

matching the skills and talents of your business to your customers’ needs or

wants, you’ll be able to find the right product or service to pursue.

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www.peterengland.com

www.maduragarments.com

www.indian-textile.com

www.marketshare.com

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