Retail Essentials provides education and training for independent retailers whether they are owners & managers, or employees, so that the retail operation maximizes profits in an ever-challenging and competitive world.

Courses are delivered online for an anytime, anywhere level of convenience. Participants can learn and study at the office, at home or while travelling.

This is a list of the units and lessons in the Retail Essentials program. Lessons are accessed through the program page.

Courseware designed for staff

  1. UNIT 1 – Sales and Service
    (approximately 10 hours plus practice exercises)

    1. Professional Service – Representing yourself and the business
    2. Awareness, approach and greeting
    3. Qualifying customer value and customer need
    4. Understanding the buying imperative (today versus future needs)
    5. Offering a benefit
    6. Associated sales (related products, warranty, financing)
    7. Tiered customers, quoting and post-sale follow-ups
  2. Unit 2 – Managing the Customer Experience
    (approximately 8 hours plus practice exercises)

    1. Merchandising the Store
    2. Store layout and traffic plans
    3. Having the right customer service policy
    4. How to mystery shop your own store(s)
  3. UNIT 3 – Marketing Mix (the 4 P’s)
    (approximately 8 hours plus practice exercises)

    1. Place – Customer convenience and distribution models
    2. Product – What the customer wants and what you want
    3. Price – Elasticity and the marketing strategy
    4. Promotion – Telling the right story to the right people

    Courseware designed for owners & managers (can be shared with staff)

  4. UNIT 4 – Financial Management
    (approximately 10 hours plus worksheets & practice exercises)

    1. The business plan
    2. Break even calculations
    3. Category & product cost benefit analysis
    4. Scenarios and solutions
  5. UNIT 5 – Sales Statistics
    (approximately 12 hours plus worksheets & practice exercises)

    1. Sales per hour
    2. Sales per square foot
    3. KPIs – headcount, UPT, average $ per sale, top ten transactions, ASPC, conversion rate
    4. Comparable store growth
    5. Building the sales report
    6. Customer capture rate
  6. UNIT 6 – Inventory Control
    (approximately 8 hours plus practice exercises)

    1. Supply chain efficiency (drop ship, ordering system integration)
    2. Inventory turnover ratio
    3. Return rate by product/person/client
    4. Reducing shrinkage
  7. UNIT 7 – Online Retailing
    (approximately 4 hours plus self directed research and exercises)

    1. Email marketing do’s and don’ts
    2. Ecommerce in support of bricks & mortar – sell or be seen or both?
    3. Online ordering for drop ship – pitfalls and precautions
    4. Cost benefit analysis scenarios