MARC is an established global business to business merchandising consultancy and purchasing partner for its clients - international retailers, wholesalers, national retailers and importers.  Our global merchandising domain expertise is product group aligned, broadly defined into Garden Furniture and Outdoor Leisure; Hardware & DIY; Nursery & Horticulture; Home Interior & Furniture; Contract Furniture; Seasonal Items and Building and many more Specialist Products. 

Our unique business positioning enables us to understand in depth the global business dynamics of the manufacturer (supply-side) and the global needs of the retailer (buy-side).  Our consulting skills combine our vast product experience with our understanding of the buy-side issues such as product sourcing, delivery logistics, store layouts, labelling/packaging and inventory management.

a “When service is so much more than price” MARC

Our clients vary in size and focus.  Whether you are a senior buyer for a large multiple, a retail chain or a wholesaler, we will work with you to define a specific programme or source a product line.  We will be your global “eyes and ears” identifying new product or developing new purchasing programmes. 

We are more than an “AGENT” we are striving to build long-term relationships which are backed-up by a quality service delivery team.  Our proactive service provides new ideas and products ranges, tailored to our clients existing product base.   Such is the depth of our service, a number of clients use MARC as their own “Purchasing House” thereby completely outsourcing procurement cost and time, yet retaining programme control.

Our business know-how in global merchandising sourcing and our supply-chain expertise is now recognised by many leading wholesalers and retailers as unrivalled in the UK market.  We offer a proactive sourcing and logistics service.  The keys to our programme are:

• Vendor Management

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• Order Manage

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• Product Innovation

Key to our continuing success is the development of relationships with our global manufacturers who now span Hong-Kong, China, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Africa and India.

Over the last 20 years we have developed a rigorous vendor selection methodology.  We have heavily invested in this ongoing process, which is supported by our own local employees in core overseas markets.  Vendors are chosen on their ability to consistently deliver quality product on a timely basis to exact product specification.  MARC review production and quality control procedures and assess product portfolio.  Vendors are also chosen according to strict criteria of product quality, depth of range, product development and price. 

Our continual visits to our supply base ensure we are up to date with their product ranges and new products.  Each of these products is available to view on our “Product database”.

Once an order is taken we will manage the complete process from inception until delivery- point to point – we also call this “Shop floor to your door”.  We are in constant contact with our local offices and we will keep you up-to date on any issues affecting delivery timescales and shipping.  Each container is inspected for quality control before it is shipped ensuring the correct product, labelling and container specification. Banking, shipping documentation and road transport can be arranged and monitored by our team.

As part of our vendor management process we are constantly developing new and existing ideas to propose to our client base.  We often run product focus groups with selected clients to assess our vendor’s new product innovations, product packaging and product design.  Based upon these focus groups we have successfully: assisted in the development of new exclusive product ranges; developed new ranges of client’s own brands; worked with clients to re-engineer key product specifications. 

Our product knowledge and vendor linkage means that an idea can be rapidly developed allowing our clients to gain a critical time advantage over their competitors and with product life-cycle times shrinking this means genuine revenue gains.

Where clients prefer to use a recognised brand rather than their own we have developed our own brand  (OAK GLADE)

“Don’t follow the herd” – be different as there is space for everybody providing you differentiate!

We at MARC are developing a new client service.  We realise that certain components of this offering are “rolled-up” in some of our existing services.  However we are experiencing strong demand to have these services discreetly delivered to our new and existing clients.  We recognise that not all of our potential clients wish to take advantage of our purchasing programme and may rather engage our consultants on fee based consulting assignments.

This service leverages our vendor knowledge and existing domain knowledge in certain niche retail areas.  We are constantly updated with new product information and innovation.

We recognise that many clients continue to sell based upon “price” whilst adopting similar product ranges as their direct competitors.  Whilst we understand that this is essential there are many other ways to differentiate a product line and achieve full margins in the process.  We are able to advise on product labelling and packaging, colours and new and exclusive product ranges.   Being the first out with a product range allows you to leap frog the competition.

Product audit

We will review pricing, product design, labelling and product positioning.  We will assess the depth and quality of clients product range (design, colour and packaging).  If required we also review store layouts. The audit is concluded by a written report with finding, recommendations and proposed timescales.

Market Analysis

We can review product domains and analyse market trends and analyse new product developments.  The report may cover many areas such as: trends in other channels (Multiples, direct mail, wholesaling and buying groups), product design, quality standards etc.

Benefits

An independent review carried out by consultants can assist in benchmarking your existing external procurement processes.  More importantly clients are able to explore new ideas in an open and refreshing manner.