The effectiveness of utilising merchandise planning as a change management strategy in the clothing retail industry in Cape Town

The purpose of this research was to identify how merchandise planning could be used effectively to manage the ever-changing clothing retail industry in a selected fashion retail store in Cape Town. A clothing retail company was purposefully selected, and 12 participants involved in management were also purposively selected. A qualitative approach was used, and interviews were conducted on the selected participants. The study revealed the major challenges faced by the clothing retail company which other studies have also documented. This study also revealed that merchandise planning is being used as a strategy to manage demand effectively. Throughout this study, there has been examination and, where possible, explanation of the intricate relationship between merchandise planning and its ability to adapt to dynamic shifts in supply chains, global market trends, and local external factors, such as load shedding and the over-dependence on non-local manufacturing.