The purpose of this study is to examine and adjust as needed the Kang (1999) assortment planning model to fit the planning process of bridal retail buyers. Five buyers who are owners or managers of small, independent bridal retail businesses were selected purposively and participated in in-person interviews about their assortment planning practices. A model was developed for each company interviewed, depicting the order of the assortment planning steps as practiced by bridal retail buyers. The final models were confirmed with follow-up interviews. Findings from this study suggest that the assortment planning steps used by bridal retailers are similar to the steps used by women's dress buyers, as found in Kang's (1999) study. Bridal buyers use the six steps proposed by Kang to be included in the assortment planning process, however the bridal buyers' assortment plan is more intuitive, integrated, and loosely constructed than that of women's dress buyers. Three following variables were considered for their affect on the bridal retail buyer's process: (a) product-specific factors, (b) company-specific factors, and (c) buyer characteristics. Within the factors, the characteristics of product type and organization size were thought to have the most effect on the process. / Master of Science

The purpose of this study was to investigate the saleability judgements of retail store buyers of women's and men's wear. A sample of 81 women's and men's wear buyers, representing two specialty stores and one mass merchandiser, was sent questionnaires. Principal Components Factor Analysis with Varimax Rotation was used to reduce the number of product, vendor and information source variables to eight factors. Three significant differences existed between the women's wear and men's wear buyers, verifying that not all retail buyers are alike. Results will benefit educators in preparing students to become more effective buyers, retail management can incorporate this same information into a buyer training program and apparel manufacturers can use the study in planning product strategies to retailers.