How do you decide what initial amount of a new line to bring in? If you are bringing in a new line, make sure you have enough initially to make a visual and effective presentation. How large that opening order should be depends mostly on the line, how you will be merchandising it, and how well it fits your existing market niche.

When writing opening orders, be sure to take into account these key ideas:

think in terms of quantity, not dollar amounts...

When writing your order, think in terms of number of pieces to order, not dollar amounts. Even numbers display better than odd, and multiples of six make inventory and display easier. Allow for some back stock. You don't want your collection to look piece-y after just a few pieces have sold.

determine how the line will be merchandised...

How you plan to merchandise the line will affect the size of the opening order. Plan on enough for your display, plus an additional 5 to 15% (or even more) back stock, depending on the speed of delivery for the line.

Displays too easily look piece-y if stock levels drop. You don't want to lose sales because your customer thinks they are looking at leftovers. Keeping some back stock to keep the case fresh and new creates interest and excitement, even for those frequent customers.

visualize your collection...

Once you have decided how you will display the line and the size of your order, try to visualize the entire collection you will want before you start choosing actual pieces. Choose color groups, strong themes or styles to help unify the order. Some styles may not be your personal favorites, or even best sellers, but they round out the collection and complete the look. A grouping of only the "best sellers" can often spell disaster.

think ahead for reorders.

When placing your opening order, think ahead to your reorder. Should you hold back on a certain color or look to allow for a new and fresh second act? For some lines, it may even be helpful to write the reorder at the same time; it can almost always be changed or altered later. Note your lead times, so your collection will not fizzle before reinforcements arrive.

Putting together a strong opening order can be the difference between just mediocre sales and sales that are red-hot. Weak or piece-y opening orders do not give the customer confidence in the product, or a selection to choose from.

Thinking out your opening order before you choose the actual styles will greatly improve the sell-through of the line. It can save you from buying a weak line, or too little of a strong one.