C class takes Lojas Marisa to heaven
DCI
Marisa, considered one of the biggest clothing retailers (women's, men's and children's) of Brazil, with businesses mainly aimed at the C class public, celebrates an improvement in the results in this first half: the net profit was 98% better than that of the same period of last year, and amount to R$ 33.6 million (US$ 17.7 million). In order to get to that number, the company adopted a series of successful measures, such as the management of stocks, regionalization of prices and wide negotiation with suppliers.
According to the president and main shareholder of the chain, Marcio Goldfarb, son of the founder of Marisa, Bernardo Goldfarb, there are no more problems with stocks. "In the first quarter we protected ourselves and we were wrong in being too protected, but now the stocks are doing fine and we also had a greater gross margin in the retail, which went 4 points percent up". The president of the chain explains they are working the relation with suppliers in order to help them negotiate raw material, such as fabrics and other products. 88% of the sales of the chain are of the brand Marisa and the rest are of other brands, but the whole production is outsourced.
Another measure being taken in account is the adequacy of products and prices to each region of the Country. "In the month of June, for instance, that is a good month because of Valentine's Day (June 12 in Brazil) and St. John's Day, we work with two different collections, one for the South and Southeast and another one for the North and Northeast", explains the president of the chain.
With all that, the chain affirms to have managed to offer lower prices without having losses in the margins. For the rest of the year, the expansion of the chain, which should open three more stores than was expected, amounting to 9 stores open in 2009 and an investment of R$ 26 million (US$ 13.7 million), was reviewed up. Today, the chain has 221 units.