28 retail careers chapter permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.©...

28

Retail Careers

Chapter

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Objectives• Explain retail career generalities.• Describe retail sales positions.• Summarize the merchandise

management career track.• Explain the store management career

track.• Describe the jobs of other retail

employees.


Industry Facts• Many career opportunities exist in

retailing for people who are interested in textiles and fashion

• Retail jobs are available in all geographic locations, with large and small stores, mail-order operations, TV and e-retailers

• Retailing has many levels of employment and degrees of responsibility


Is a Retail Career in Your Future?• A two-functional organization has

one manager employed to oversee all merchandising duties and another manager in charge of operations

• A financial manager may be added for a three-functional organization

• In large retail companies, specialized tasks are assigned to different employees

continued


Is a Retail Career in Your Future?• Chain retailers have jobs at centralized

headquarters in various divisions• Individual store managers, away from

the headquarters location, have selling, customer service, security, and facility responsibilities– Those who want a career in fashion

retailing should be outgoing, well organized, and able to handle figures and details well

continued


Is a Retail Career in Your Future?• For a professional career, a program in

fashion merchandising is recommended–Most large retailers offer management

training programs for those with college degrees

• Executive (management) trainee candidates are interviewed for management careers shortly before they graduate from college


Retail Sales Positions• Retail salespeople, often called sales

associates, sell goods directly to customers

• Salespeople meet the public and represent the company and its image to the outside world – Sales associates in ready-to-wear

departments may be expected to assemble various fashion looks for customers

continued


Retail Sales Positions• Salespeople may assist in stock counts

and suggest reorders of fast-selling items– Retail sales work can be tiring, with most of

the time spent walking or standing– The pay for apparel sales work is generally

low to medium

• Sales work provides an excellent background for almost any higher-level job dealing with fashion

continued


Retail Sales Positions• A salesperson may advance to

assistant buyer or head of stock• A checkout cashier rings up customer

purchases, collects and records payments, makes change, and bags the items– This entry-level job is readily available and

is a good way to gain experience


The Merchandise Management Career Track• The merchandise management career

track moves executive trainees to assistant buyer, buyer, and up through merchandise management positions

• These jobs deal directly with decisions about the merchandise lines that are selected and sold in the stores where these employees spend their careers


Retail Buyers• A retail buyer selects and buys the mix

of goods to be sold by a retail company• In the traditional department store

format, a departmental buyer plans and purchases goods for only one department– Departmental buyers instruct salespeople

about new merchandise at meetings

continued


Retail Buyers• Huge retail organizations centralized

the procedures of both buying merchandise and distributing goods to stores

• They use many classification buyers who specialize in only one category of goods– These buyers locate new and exciting

sources of merchandise, make selections, and place orders

continued


Retail Buyers• The central buying system has been

accused of not being responsive to various retail customers or geographic locations– Thus, some retailers are moving toward

category management– Category managers oversee business units

that customize merchandise and service for individual retailers to better satisfy local needs


The Buying Job• The principles of buying are the same

regardless of the type of merchandise or the organizational structure – A buyer who understands the job should be

able to adapt quickly to buying different price lines or types of merchandise

• Collaboration and long-term partnerships streamlined some of the buying duties

continued


The Buying Job• More retail private label merchandise is

being stocked, which involves product development or specification buying– Buyers sometimes become product

managers, responsible for private label corporate programs

– Buyers might become product sourcers who identify, research, and develop production sourcing markets and vendors

continued


The Buying Job• College graduates in apparel design or

apparel production might start their retail-related careers as product development trainees

• Buyers work long, irregular hours and some weekends and holidays

• Retail companies usually pick their top executives from the best buyers


Buyers’ Qualifications• Buyers must keep up with fashion

trends to anticipate styles and prices that will be accepted by their customers– Buyers must have technical knowledge

about the merchandise, as well as a keen business sense

– They need enthusiasm, dedication to their work, and good emotional and physical health

continued


Buyers’ Qualifications• Buyers must be good with figures and

details to evaluate sales, margins, markdowns, and inventories– Buyers are paid medium to good salaries– Experience, hard work, and proven talent

are required– To become a buyer, it is best to have a

college degree in merchandising, fashion, or business


Assistant and Associate Buyers• An assistant buyer is an entry-level job

for a college graduate, after completing the management training program– Assistant buyers help trace items during

shipment, return unsatisfactory goods, place reorders, and perform other duties

– Very large firms also have the job of buyer’s clerical, a lower-level job that involves clerical tasks


Resident Buying Office Buyers• Resident buying office buyers help their

member retail firms do a better buying job, but they have no responsibilities over retail sales or profits– They research wholesale markets and

report on trends, make some buying decisions for their members, and place reorders

– They must have a good sense of fashion


Merchandise Managers• A merchandise manager coordinates

the merchandise of several retail departments– They are usually promoted after proving

their hard work and abilities in lower jobs

• Category managers are management employees who use data and analytics for strategic decision making to choose goods– They focus on product category results

continued


Merchandise Managers• A divisional merchandise manager

(DMM) supervises a group of buyers and/or coordinates the merchandise of several related departments, divisions, or stores to maximize profits– They advise buyers about budget control

and work out problems with vendors– They also serve as liaisons between upper

management and buyers

continued


Merchandise Managers• In most retail organizations, all

divisional merchandise managers report to a general merchandise manager (GMM)

• This executive is responsible for the total retail merchandising operation– The GMM represents the merchandising

organization to top management


Industry Facts• A retail company’s fashion director

makes sure that all buyers, fashion departments, and stores of a large retail business are kept updated on the latest trends– Fashion directors assist with assembling

and harmonizing what goes on display in promotions

– They cover worldwide fashion centers to get advanced information


Fashion Director• A fashion director must be familiar with

fashion cycles and understand what affects consumer acceptance or rejection

• They must be able to schedule time well and make sound decisions while adapting to many situations– An assistant fashion director helps the

fashion director with details


The Operations Management Career Track• For the store operations management

track, an executive trainee first becomes an assistant department manager– This person helps the department manager

• A department manager runs a department or group of departments according to the company’s overall plan– This is the liaison between the buyer and

the sales staffcontinued


The Operations Management Career Track• Assistant store managers help in all

phases of store operations• A store manager is the top person in

charge of every aspect of one store’s operations

• Store managers are in charge of overall customer service, promotional activities, financial accounts, and community relations

continued


The Operations Management Career Track• For department store organizations that

are growing, the job of branch coordinator is important– This person keeps tabs on all the branches

to see that stock, selling techniques, and general operations coordinate with company policies

• At a higher level, specialty store chains would promote a successful store manager to district manager

continued


The Operations Management Career Track• A district manager is responsible for

growth and volume of up to a dozen stores

• Above the district manager is a regional manager, who oversees several districts and may have responsibility for up to 75 or 80 stores–Merchandising jobs generally pay higher

salaries than operations management jobs


Stockkeeping Employees• Other tasks that must be accomplished

to help retail stores operate efficiently• Stockkeeping involves receiving goods,

protecting them, and controlling their movements– Tasks involve checking incoming goods and

securing and properly storing and placing merchandise for sale to prevent shoplifting, internal theft, and damage

continued


Stockkeeping Employees• Controlling the goods includes sales

analysis to evaluate how items are selling, transferring merchandise between stores, and handling returned items– A stock clerk is an entry-level position for

someone without college training– They check the condition of delivered items

and file a report if any damage or soiling is found

continued


Stockkeeping Employees• Stock clerks prepare the merchandise

for selling, with price tags or hangers if needed– The job involves handling merchandise

carefully, quickly, and accurately

• The head of stock is in charge of the merchandise for a given department or area and reports to the department manager or buyer

continued


Stockkeeping Employees• Large retailers have distribution

planners (or distribution managers) at their central or regional distribution centers to keep track of the merchandise– They also communicate with buyers and

merchandise coordinators to allocate various needed items of stock and update records of all movements of goods


Additional Retail Jobs• Training supervisors give orientation

classes in large retail companies to new salespeople

• Loss prevention managers protect company assets and improve profitability by developing and implementing security and safety programs for employees and customers

continued


Additional Retail Jobs• Information technology (IT) employees

are extremely important, especially for e-retailers and omni-channel retailers

• A human resources director is a manager who oversees the hiring and benefits for employees

• A customer service manager serves as an intermediary between the store and its customers

continued


Additional Retail Jobs• Alterations experts reshape garments

that do not fit the purchasing customer properly

• If an outside alteration service is used, a garment fitter may mark or pin changes wherever they are required

• Comparison and secret shoppers compare prices, services, displays, and advertisements of competitors

continued


Additional Retail Jobs• Personal shoppers, also called fashion

consultants, select merchandise in response to customers’ mail or telephone requests

• Quality assurance testers evaluate merchandise to determine if quality standards are met– Only a few large companies maintain their

own product testing laboratories


In Summary• Various levels of retail jobs are

available in all geographic locations• The largest number of employees

in most retail companies do direct selling

• The merchandise management career path includes buying jobs

• Fashion directors update merchandisers about the latest fashion trends

continued


In Summary• The operations management career

path goes from department to store to district to regional managers

• Stockkeeping employees receive, protect, and control the movement of goods

• Other retail positions are available, such as training supervisor, personal shopper, and customer service manager

28 retail careers chapter permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.©...

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