Monobrand vs. Multibrand retail

Here at The Talent Mill we work with so many different brands and businesses that are both monobrand and multibrand. We often get asked by candidates what the benefits or differences are between working in the two settings – so here’s our take!

Multibrand

Pros: Multiple brands together in a one-stop-shop allowing you the ability to work with a huge range of products and style clients head to toe (with accessories!)

Exposure to a variety of brands so that you can learn and compare how they are made, priced, fabricated and marketed and expand your general product knowledge.

Draws in a wider audience who perhaps come in for one particular brand or product who you can then introduce to new brands and pieces – cross selling!

Challenges: Product knowledge! It is still important that you have an in depth product knowledge and demonstrate your ability to proactively seek that out yourself.

Stock control can be challenging with such a wide variety of product and brands and creating effective and efficient storage and record-keeping methods is key.

Objection handling can be a bigger part of your role because you may have two almost identical products from different brands and a client will be asking you to justify the price difference – product knowledge once again is key here.

Examples: Coco & Lola, The New Trend, Harrold’s, Parlour X, Incu

Monobrand

Pros: It is much easier to create an engaging and consistent customer experience in store when working within the one brand.

You can really delve into product knowledge and become an expert in your craft as you will work with similar fabrications and silhouettes across seasons.

Inventory management and visual merchandising are easier to implement as you have a more consistent product and can group pieces based on the story or collection they come from.

Challenges: Working with only one brand you are limited to the product they produce, and only that product so you will need to know your range inside out and think outside the box to recommend pieces to a client that may be adjacent to what they originally had in mind.

Some clients may be unfamiliar with your brand so you must educate them on the story behind the brand in order for them to form an emotional connection and become a return customer.

Examples: Valentino, Chanel, Scanlan Theodore, Coach, Rachel Gilbert, Oroton