Buying Decisions in a Soft Market

<p>When a market goes soft, the instinct is to assume demand has disappeared. It usually hasn&#39;t. Your customer is still there, but she&#39;s taking longer to decide, buying one item where she used to buy two, and waiting for a reason to commit. </p><p>In this episode, Elisabeth Mac Hale breaks down what actually needs your attention when trade slows down: full price sell-through, forward cover, intake phasing, and the commitments sitting behind your OTB. </p><p>She walks through why a decision that looks safe for one buyer, like pulling a delivery forward, can become a real cost once you multiply it across a team, and what separates buyers who hold their credibility in a difficult season from those who don&#39;t.</p><p><strong>Key Takeaway</strong></p><p>In a soft market, the question changes from &quot;will this sell&quot; to &quot;when will it sell, and at what margin&quot;. The buyers who navigate this well can account for every unit of their commitments, not just their product choices.</p><p><strong>Links &amp; Resources</strong></p><p>Online Buying Course: <a href="https://designdirectiveme.com/online-fashion-buying-course"><u>Thrive in Fashion Buying</u></a></p><p><strong>Connect with Elisabeth:</strong></p><ul><li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/designdirectivedubai/"><u>@designdirectivedubai</u></a></li><li>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabethmachale"><u>Elisabeth Mac Hale</u></a></li><li>Website: <a href="https://designdirectiveme.com/"><u>The Design Directive</u></a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><em>If this episode was useful, a review on Apple Podcasts helps it reach more buyers navigating the same conditions.</em></p><p><br></p>