What is the practice of visiting other boutiques to view merchandise selection called?

The practice of visiting other boutiques to view merchandise selection is referred to as comparison shopping. This approach allows fashion professionals to analyze and assess the variety of products offered by competitors, gaining insights into current trends, pricing strategies, and inventory choices. By engaging in comparison shopping, one can evaluate how their own merchandise aligns with or differentiates from others in the marketplace, thereby making informed decisions about product offerings and merchandising strategies.

While networking plays a crucial role in building relationships within the industry, it does not specifically pertain to observing and analyzing the merchandise of competitors. Market research is broader and encompasses various methods to gather data about consumer preferences, behaviors, and market trends but does not only focus on visiting boutiques. Product sampling usually refers to the distribution of sample items to potential customers for evaluation, rather than the observational practice of analyzing store merchandise. Thus, comparison shopping stands out as the most accurate term to describe the act of assessing the merchandise selection of other boutiques.