Season codes and why they set the price
Every piece of branded stock belongs to a season. The season code on a packing list or swing tag tells you when the product was designed to be sold. It is one of the main things that sets the price of a stock lot.
Reading the codes
Brands use their own formats, but most follow the same pattern: a short label for the season and two digits for the year.
SS or S: Spring/Summer, usually in stores from early in the year.
AW, FW or F: Autumn/Winter or Fall/Winter, usually in stores from late summer.
PF or Pre-Fall: a smaller collection between the main seasons.
Resort or Cruise: a collection that lands between Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer.
So SS24 means Spring/Summer 2024 and FW23 means Fall/Winter 2023. Some brands use numbers instead, such as 241 for the first season of 2024. If a code isn't clear, ask what it means.
Why the season sets the price
Age. The further back the season, the lower the price usually is. Brands want older stock out of their warehouses, and buyers expect a bigger discount for it.
Trend risk. Some products date quickly, such as styles tied to a trend, or a specific print or colour. Others hardly date at all, such as plain basics, classic bags or core fragrances. A two-year-old basic can sell as well as a new one. A two-year-old trend piece may not.
Weather and timing. Season codes also tell you what the product is for. Winter coats bought in spring may need to wait months before they sell, and that waiting has a cost. In warm markets, heavy winter stock may only suit certain customers or export.
Continuity styles. Many brands make some products every season with little change. These are sometimes called continuity, core or never-out-of-stock styles. Their season code matters less because they look the same as this season's version.
How to use season codes when buying
Group the lot by season using the packing list, and see how much sits in each.
Separate core styles from trend styles. Core styles hold their value better.
Match the season to your selling calendar. Buy summer stock when you can sell it in summer, or price in the time it will sit.
Ask for a better price on older seasons, especially on trend-led styles.
In short
The season code tells you how old the stock is and how fast it is likely to sell. Read it alongside the product type: an old season of core styles can be a good buy, while an old season of trend pieces needs a lower price to make sense.
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