Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for clothing stores.
A checklist built from how clothing stores work, to print or save as a PDF and bring to any supplier meeting.
What the software should cover
Tick each one that matters to your business.
- Style, size and colour stock
- Barcode tags and billing
- Exchange and credit notes
- Stitching and alteration orders
- Customer history and offers
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- For owners
- For the billing counter
- For floor and trial-room staff
- For the buyer and store keeper
- For tailors
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Sales by style, size and colour
- Size and colour gaps on the floor
- Pieces that have not moved this season
- Exchanges, returns and credit notes outstanding
- Alteration slips pending with each tailor
- Sales by counter staff and shift
- Purchases and ledger by wholesaler
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- SMS
- Card and wallet payments
- Accounting software export
- Barcode scanner and label printer
- Thermal bill printer
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Is it meant only for a clothing store?
- Can stock be kept by size and colour?
- Can we print our own barcode tags?
- How are alterations handled?
- Can an exchange be tied to the original bill?
- Does it help with season buying?
- Can two outlets share one customer list?
- Can we see which salesperson sold a piece?
- How do the figures get into my accounting software?
- Do we need this for a very small shop?
- What drives the price for a clothing store?
- How soon can billing start, and what should be gathered first?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- Fast sizes run out unnoticed
- Exchanges disturb the stock count
- Alterations and stitching sit on paper slips
- Regular customers are not recognised
Prefer to talk it through? See the clothing stores page.