01
Overview
Retail and wholesale for fashion and clothing: buying, merchandising, stock control, e-commerce and customer experience. Uses real margin and sell-through mathematics.
02
Aims of the Course
- Buy and range product with commercial judgement
- Manage stock, sizing and sell-through
- Build an online and physical retail offer
- Improve margin through pricing and operations
03
Course Structure
01
Retail Models
- Own store, marketplace and wholesale
- Brand positioning in clothing
- Customer and price architecture
- Channel economics
02
Buying and Ranging
- Range planning by size and colour
- Supplier negotiation
- Minimum order quantities
- Lead times and seasonality
03
Merchandising and Stock
- Sell-through and weeks of cover
- Open-to-buy planning
- Markdown strategy
- Stockroom and shrinkage control
04
E-Commerce
- Product photography and copy
- Size guides and returns
- Conversion optimisation
- Marketplace versus own site
05
Customer Experience
- Visual merchandising
- Service standards and fitting
- Loyalty and email marketing
- Reviews and reputation
06
Commercial Plan
- Build a season budget
- Cash flow through a season
- KPI dashboard
- Trading review and pitch
04
Learning Outcomes
- 01Build a season range plan with size ratios
- 02Calculate sell-through, cover and markdown
- 03Negotiate basic supplier terms
- 04Design a product page that converts
- 05Produce a season trading plan with KPIs
05
Assessment
- Range and buying plan
- Stock and margin analysis
- Season trading review
06
Entry Requirements
- Open access; retail interest essential
07
Progression and Careers
- Retail buyer or assistant buyer
- Store manager
- E-commerce merchandiser