The Optimal Timing of Markdowns: A Decision Model for Jean Market

The purpose of this study is to develop a decision model that helps manufacturers and retailers determine the optimal timing of markdown in order to maximize their profit. An optimal timing decision model was developed based on three steps; conjoint measurement, scenario analysis and simulation. Data were collected from the sample of 149 out of 170 undergraduate and graduate students in Seoul in 1997. From the Jeans market, 8 brands; Levi's, lee, Guess, Calvin Klein, Pintos, Get used, MFG, and Basic, were selected as competitors for this study. In the conjoint measurement, respondents estimated the level of preference, from 1 to 100, for each item in which brand, price, style, and colors were used to explain product characteristics. Then, in order to reflect competitive situation in Jeans market, four types of scenarios were developed. In each scenario, simulations were applied to decide optimal timing of markdowns that leads to maximal profitability and sales volume. The profit was calculated based on the equation; Profit = Jean's market volume x market share of each brand - cost, where market volume was obtained by integral calculus for market utility function, and market share by logit value of part-worth from the conjoint analysis. For the purpose of the parsimony of the research, costs and the level of markdown were fixed to 30% of the regular price. In results, the optimal timing decision model identified 3 different types of brands. The brands that do not need to take markdown were Ievi's, MFG, and Basic Jeans characterized by the highest brand power and the highest price zone. The brands that needed to take early markdowns were Guess, Lee, Calvin Klein, and Get Used with the intermediate level of brand power and price. The brand that need late markdown was Pintos with the weakest brand power among the competitors and the lowest price. The optimal range of markdown remains for further research.

가격인하 최적시기 연구: Jean Market을 대상으로 한 Decision Model를 중심으로