Which denim range would you buy?
You are interviewing for a buying role at a fictional UK apparel retailer.
The question
Build a 220-pair range with at least 100 pairs priced below £50. Spend at most £4,700 at landed cost. Include at least 20 pairs of each selected fit. All prices exclude VAT.
| Straight | Wide | Barrel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full price (£) | 45 | 65 | 75 |
| Landed unit cost (£) | 18 | 23 | 27 |
| Demand evidence | Repeat style | Sold in a comparable range | Preview saves only |
The barrel fit has no retained sales history yet.
| Straight | Wide | Barrel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 120 | 80 | 20 |
| B | 100 | 100 | 20 |
| C | 120 | 60 | 40 |
Compare gross profit if every pair sells at its listed price. This is the same planning scenario for all three buys.
“Explain what each style adds to the range and choose which buy to recommend.”
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A strong answer, step by step
Open each step in turn. This is one strong answer, not the only one.
Step 1: What does each fit do?
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Put most of the buy into the highest-price fit
Tempting, but it misses something. The plan must cover the entry-price tier. Preview saves do not establish the depth the barrel fit can sell.
Use a proven entry fit and limit the untested fit
The strong move. This protects the entry tier and makes room to test a distinct silhouette.
Give all three fits equal depth
Tempting, but it misses something. An equal split would miss the requirement for at least 100 entry-price pairs.
See how a strong candidate says it
“Straight gives us a proven entry fit. Wide adds a fit that sold in a comparable range. I would give barrel a small place in the range and check how preview interest turns into sales.”
Why it works: The styles serve different shoppers. Depth depends on how much evidence each style has.
Step 2: Which buy fits the brief?
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Choose B for the highest planned gross profit within the limits
The strong move. B covers 220 pairs and 100 entry-price pairs, with £60 of cost headroom.
Choose A because it costs the least
Tempting, but it misses something. The brief can support all three costs. A gives £300 less planned gross profit than B.
Choose C because the most expensive fit earns most per pair
Tempting, but it misses something. C has more high-margin barrel pairs. It also has fewer wide pairs, and the total planned gross profit is lower than B.
See how a strong candidate says it
“A costs £4,540 and gives £7,560 planned gross profit. B costs £4,640 and gives £7,860. C costs £4,620 and gives £7,680. I would take B among these plans. It fits the entry-price rule and leaves £60 under the cap.”
Why it works: The choice compares gross profit under the same sell-out assumption and checks all the buying limits.
Step 3: What changes after the sample check?
The barrel sample fails the required colour-transfer test. An approved tapered fit is available in up to 20 pairs at £55 retail and £20 landed cost.
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Buy the barrels and put the failed sample in a later report
Tempting, but it misses something. The required sample check has failed. Margin cannot give the fit approval.
Replace all 20 barrel pairs with the approved tapered fit
The strong move. The alternative meets the volume and price constraints with a lower landed cost.
Remove barrel and leave the rest as planned
Tempting, but it misses something. That drops the buy to 200 pairs and misses the volume target.
See how a strong candidate says it
“I would hold the barrel fit and replace its 20 pairs with the approved tapered fit. The buy still has 220 pairs. The new cost is £4,500 and planned gross profit is £7,600.”
Why it works: The substitute preserves the size of the range and keeps the failed sample out of the order.
Step 4: How much depth goes into each fit?
A comparable trial supports 120 straight pairs and estimates demand for at most 80 wide pairs. The target stays at 220 pairs. The approved tapered fit is still limited to 20 pairs.
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Keep 100 straight and 100 wide because the first plan had higher gross profit
Tempting, but it misses something. That earlier calculation assumes 20 wide pairs can sell beyond the updated demand estimate.
Fill the gap with more tapered pairs
Tempting, but it misses something. Only 20 of the approved tapered fit are available.
Move 20 pairs from wide to straight
The strong move. The move fits the revised demand estimate and meets the 220-pair target.
See how a strong candidate says it
“I would buy 120 straight, 80 wide and 20 tapered pairs. That costs £4,400 and gives £7,300 in the planning scenario. I would check first-week sell-through and size availability by fit.”
Why it works: The revised depth follows the trial evidence while keeping the entry offer and total volume.
The answer, in short
- Decision
- Give each fit a role and check the cost of the total buy.
- Because
- The range needs coverage across price and fit, with enough demand evidence to support depth.
- What would change it
- New sample results or sales by fit would change the amount to buy.
Common traps
- Separate planned gross profit from a demand forecast.
- Check sample approval before committing units.
Check your answer
- I explained what each fit adds.
- I checked the unit and price limits.
- I revised the mix after the sample check.
- I named the first trade check.
Last reviewed Nov 11, 2026