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IIMBx: Introduction to Retail Management

This course will introduce the basic concepts of retailing to the participants. The key take away would be understanding how a retail business works; the core issues and challenges involved; the key terms and terminologies associated and an appreciation of Indian retail sector.
Introduction to Retail Management
6 weeks
3–5 hours per week
Instructor-paced
Instructor-led on a course schedule
This course is archived
Future dates to be announced

About this course

Skip About this course
This course is an introduction to understanding retail business. In this course, we will try to unravel the business model of a retail business – essentially the brick and mortar segment.

We will define and discuss retail formats and deliberate the evolution of retail formats. We will use various theories and illustrations that explain the retail business as it is today.

At a glance

  • Institution: IIMBx
  • Subject: Business & Management
  • Level: Introductory
  • Prerequisites:
    No previous experience required. However participants will benefit more if they have a willingness to know the basics of retail management.
  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated skills:Retail Management, Business Modeling

What you'll learn

Skip What you'll learn
An introduction to the retail business model for brick and mortar formats
Define the various constituents of retail strategy
How to develop and sustain a competitive advantage in retail sector
Define the practical tools and techniques of retail strategy
Week 1: Understanding Basics of Retail Business
  • What is Retailing?
  • How does Retail business work?
  • Retail verticals; Roles and responsibility, Organizational structure
  • What is organized Retail?
  • Why retail business is significant today?
Week 2: Understanding Retail formats and strategies
  • Retail classification system and retail formats
  • Traditional retail formats, mom and pop stores
  • What is ideal for India? Consequences
Week 3: Retail Strategy Decisions: Merchandising, Pricing
  • Retail strategy mix
  • Merchandising basics.
  • What is merchandising? implications
  • Pricing basics, methods
  • Retail pricing, consequences
Week 4: Retail strategy decisions.
  • Retail distribution network
  • Supply chain basics
  • Warehousing, physical distribution, logistics, examples
  • Basics of Retail Promotion.
Week 5: Retail scenario in emerging markets (India)
  • What is emerging market? Why it is significant today? What is the retail scenario in emerging markets?
  • Indian retail sector evolution in different sectors.
  • Characteristics of Indian consumers
  • Expert opinion on Indian retail sector – research reports analysis
Week 6: E-tailing
  • Basics of E-tailing basics
  • Various E-tailing business models 
  • What is the future in E-tailing? Consequences?

Interested in this course for your business or team?

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