Retailing is a science and an art; both of these genres come together in the revolutionary ‘ Black Belt in Retail’ series. ​

​It is ideal for anyone who is starting their career in retail as well as for those who have escalated through the ranks without any formal development.

Retail has long been a game of testing and learning: trying different things, finding out what works, and doing more of it. ​

But as the industry matures, disciplined mid-and long term strategic planning and focused execution are becoming indispensable for sustainable performance. 

​Retailers need to be able to identify pockets of future growth in new categories, new target groups , or new regional markets.

This course provides learners with insight into strategic decision making, retail marketing mix and the retail business model. ​

They will learn to enhance their business acumen and awareness in terms of internal, external and competitive forces. ​

Learn how to adapt business models ,value propositions, and format strategies to the dynamics of emerging local and international markets. 

Powerful in messaging, the simple to understand  "Black Belt in Retail series" can truly be great market differentiation and a game changer if followed and executed well. 

This e-learning course can instantly change the life of an organisation in retail space.

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of this course, participants will have the skills and knowledge to:

Develop a clear plan on how it will succeed in an increasingly crowded retail landscape. 

This requires the business owners to formulate a coherent approach to developing that strategy, communicating the strategy to all relevant stakeholders, executing the strategy consistently and excellently and evaluating the strategy.

Understand the traditional drivers that are unique to retailing and that distinguish the retail industry from others.

Understand the rapidly changing trends in retail that have become today's new drivers for success. 

Understand the need to adopt a strategic orientation to their businesses in order to maintain growth and prosperity.

Understand some of the global retail challenges that require urgent attention by all retailers if they are to remain profitable. 

Understand the different elements of strategic planning for a retailer and the sequence to follow.

Understand how to define your market as a retailer to be able to deliver the right product to the right customer. 

Understand how to create a strategic vision for any retail business but also a clear and consistent understanding of how the business strategy fits in with the company strategy.

Learning Outcomes :​

part 1. the strategic framework and essence of strategy

part 2. the traditional drivers of success

part 3. the new drivers of success

part 4. delivering the retail offer

part 5. the elements of strategic planning

part 6. retail evolution and reinvention

part 7. define your market

part 8. strategic vision

part 9. retail strategy and buying strategically

part 10. improving sales performance

part 11. the retail strategy mix

part 12. the purpose of a retail business and retail business model

part 13. evaluating strategy

part 14. the strategic profit model

part 15. financial objectives

part 16. the changing value equation

part 17. implementation of pricing strategies

part 18. marketing objectives and retail brand

part 19. private brands

part 20. the new segmentation for the future

part 21. the challenge of width and depth

part 21. the challenge of width and depth

part 22. introducing innovation

part 23. Strategic out of stocks

ASSESSMENTS

The current ultra-competitive retail environment imposes great pressure on retail profitability. 

Customers are demanding better value for money and a low inflation economy has removed opportunities for upward revaluations of inventory. 

It is therefore essential that all functional managers in a retail enterprise understand the consequences of reductions in margins.

You must understand increases in expenses and the linkages between sales, margins, markdowns and ultimately, return on investment.

Many buyers and planners find themselves having control over hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of sales and inventory despite having a relatively basic understanding of the ’numbers‘ within the business. 

Computer reports provide information on margins, market share, growth rates and productivity ratios. 

So much is calculated for retail buyers that many have lost the basic skills necessary to perform the calculations themselves. 

Some are even unaware of the basis of the calculations they need to perform. 

While most of us are exposed to percentages in the early years of schooling, most of us also happily move on to a more exciting curriculum as soon as we can.

Entrepreneurial and analytical skills are generally more highly prized and rewarded in the retail sector than numerical skills. 

An attitude of leaving the numbers to the ‘bean-counters’ often prevails (and even the use of such a pejorative term demonstrates how poorly numerical skills are valued).  

Unfortunately, this attitude is no longer viable. 

Retail managers from all functional areas, including store management, merchandise management and distribution, must understand the impact of pricing, sales and asset management if they are to make a full contribution to the bottom line.

This e-learning course provides you with a deeper understanding of the numerical side of retailing. 

This doesn’t mean you need to have an accountant’s insight into the numbers. 

As a retailer, you should view the world from a different perspective. 

Retail is about taking risks and seizing opportunities. 

Focusing too much on risk and risk mitigation will simply slow your ability to respond quickly to changing market demands. 

The arithmetic of pricing is covered in depth within this course to enable you to calculate the impact of discounts and markdowns.

This e-learning course will not only add to your numerical skills, but will also enable you to take initiatives that will raise your own performance and the company’s profitability.

Learning Objectives:

You will have the skills and knowledge to:

• Use percentages and ratios to measure and manage sales, profit and stock
• Identify options for pricing strategy and understand the implications for range decision making
• Calculate the percentage margin of cost and sell
• Calculate the average margin using the Contribution to Margin (CTM) method
• Calculate the effect of changes to product mix on average margin
• Calculate the retail price point from cost and the required first margin
• Calculate the required cost from retail price point and the required first margin
• Calculate first margin from required Buyer Gross Margin (BGM) and planned markdowns
• Calculate BGP from first margin and markdowns
• Calculate markdowns using the product sell-through mix
• Calculate and manage stock turn
• Understanding the retail business model 
• Understanding how to manage inventory productivity
• Understand profit and loss statement
• Understand cash flow 
• Understanding the strategic profit model
• Assessments

A store cannot optimize sales, market share, profit or cash without a viable and accurate plan.

Guessing about inventory balance, timing, flow and management is no longer sufficient for success.

Merchandise planning has a direct impact on your business.

In addition, you must be well versed in how to select the right source for your merchandise plans. 

Great buyers and great sellers are critical to retail success.

However, most do not have the love of budgeting, planning, controlling cash flow and managing inventory that is imperative for a healthy bottom line.

It's time to stop operating from the gut and study the facts.

This course provides an end to end look at the process of Merchandise Planning.

It examines the critical functions of buying and planning. It engages through interactive and practical exercises which will assist in grounding you in the fundamentals and sharpening the skills and insights of those who are more experienced. 

This course will help you add significant dollars to your bottom line.

Learning Objectives :

• Understanding how business strategy provides structure and direction for assortment and financial planning
• Understand the critical relationship between assortment and financial planning and the respective roles of the planner and buyer
• Link key tasks in the role as a Planner to the overall plan for the business category
• Work constructively with buyers to optimize sales, margin and stock turn
• Identify six assortment strategies
• Develop a "bottom-up" sales forecast using history and external trends and data
• Understanding the role of the planner in forecasting, ordering and allocation and applying knowledge to improve performance
• Implement three different forms of analysis in their appropriate context– for tracking, trend and for forecasting
• Develop an action-oriented approach to analysis to improve financial outcomes
• Identify the required sell-through rates of products at various stages in the selling cycle, taking into account:

• Type of product (level of fashion)

• Product life cycle
• Implement appropriate and timely markdown action on slow selling lines
• Review sales to identify high performance lines in order to initiate action to capitalise on the performance
• Review forward cover and take appropriate action to ensure product availability
• Monitor the performance of trials and implement appropriate action to capitalise on winners and reduce risk to non-performers.
• Work in partnership with stores to understand the reasons behind the planned performance above/below and use that understanding to develop appropriate and timely action.
• Work with a planner to develop "exception reporting" tools that capture high and low performers
• Identify and document factors affecting sales performance in order to build the information into future seasonal forecasts
• Conduct a post-season review to identify opportunities to improve range performance in future seasons

Regardless of how big or small a retail store and/or format, a Retail Store Manager has a huge impact on the profitability of the store. 

​In fact, the ability of the Store Manager is the single, biggest success factor when it comes to profitable retail store operations.

The fact that you are reading this, we feel pretty certain that you are the type of retail leader who has a desire to make a difference in your business every single day.

We recommend that you do the Financial Excellence for Retail Store Managers course and you’ll be guaranteed to increase your own knowledge and understanding of retailing in the 21st Century and learn how you can contribute more to the success of your organization.

To reach the top, and to be considered a ‘Highly Successful Retail Manager’, a Store Manager needs real understanding of all the financial levers which propel them to Retail Store Management Success and they’re all included in our Financial Excellence for Store Managers course. 

The day to day management of the stores is a critical factor in the successful management of any retail business. 

Stock represents a large percentage of the working capital in many organisations. 

Minimising loss or damage makes a significant contribution to the overall profitability of the business and is a key part of the stores' function.

This, along with many other operational factors, needs to be tracked on a day-to-day basis. 

This course will engage learners with methodologies, principles and practices of good store financial management to build confidence, knowledge and awareness of the different facets of cost in a store. 

It will assist store management in acquiring the knowledge necessary to effectively plan stores and improve efficiency. 

It deep dives into understanding and analysing store financials and taking appropriate measures to meet targets. 

Learners will learn through working examples and solutions so that they can be confident to do it themselves. 

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of this module, participants will have the knowledge and skills to:

Understand how to benchmark your retail store with others to help raise the level of your own performance.

Understand the concept of Return on Store Assets, and KPI’s, which drive the financial productivity of your retail store.

Understand how to determine Gross Profit and the different levels of profit

Understand how to drive GPROL (GROSS PROFIT RETURN ON LABOUR) labour productivity within your store

Understand the difference between variable and fixed cost and how this can impact the store contribution

Understand Business Break even and the additional uses of break even analysis.

Understand GROSS PROFIT RETURN ON INVENTORY (GPROI) 

Understand how to calculate Stock Turn and GPROI

Understand how to calculate GPROF ( GROSS PROFIT RETURN ON FLOOR SPACE)

Understanding the financial drivers of GPROF

Understanding the difference between Drivers and Outcomes

Understanding the different levers of profitability

Learning Outcomes :

1. BENCHMARKING YOUR BUSINESS 

part 1. what is benchmarking?

part 2. how does benchmarking work?

part 3. benchmarking objectives

2. RETURN ON STORE ASSETS

part 1. store assets

part 2. the ROSA model

3. OPERATING LEVERAGE

part 1. variable and fixed costs

part 2. contribution

4. BUSINESS BREAK EVEN

part 1. fixed and variable expenses

part 2. break even plus profit

5. IMPROVING PERFORMANCE

part 1. the store as a system

6. GROSS PROFIT

part 1. levels of profit

part 2. determining gross profit

part 3. about markdowns & shrinkage

7. GROSS PROFIT RETURN ON LABOUR (GPROL)

part 1. percent of sales ratios

part 2. financial productivity of labour

8. GROSS PROFIT RETURN ON INVENTORY (GPROI)

part 1. ROSA and GPROI

part 2. the GPROI model

9. STORE OPERATIONS FORMULAS

1.  CONVERSION RATE (TRAFFIC TO SALES)

2. UNITS PER TRANSACTION (UPT)

3. AVERAGE UNIT VALUE 

4. AVERAGE BASKET SIZE 

5. CUSTOMER RETENTION RATE

6. CUSTOMER LIFETIME VALUE

7. STAFF TURNOVER RATE

8. SALES PER HOUR

9. FULL TIME EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEE CALCULATION

10. SALES PER FTEE

11. SERVICE INTENSITY

12. GROSS MARGIN RETURN ON LABOUR (GMROL)

13. SELLING SALARIES %

14. STORE ASSETS CALCULATION

15. STORE CONTRIBUTION CALCULATION

16. RETURN ON STORE ASSETS (ROSA)

17. OCCUPANCY COST %

18. LOYALTY PROGRAM %

Negotiation is a critical activity of every retail buyer.  

Why? Because the extremely competitive retail marketplace environment will continue to put increasing downward pressure on margins. 

Most buyers won’t only be negotiating with suppliers, but also with their managers, stores, logistics departments and other internal departments. 

For the purpose of this course, however, we will focus on the negotiations that take place between buyers and suppliers.

Retail negotiation is not just about achieving better purchasing prices; it is a continuing activity required to resolve problems and develop new opportunities for suppliers.  

How skilful a buyer is at negotiating has a major bearing on supplier relationships and merchandise profitability.

Retail Professionals are constantly in a stage of negotiation, not just with customers, but also internal and external stakeholders, but more importantly with critical suppliers. 

Negotiation is an essential skill when it comes to drawing up contracts and building key long-term relationships. 

The success of a negotiation is not just through potent convincing power but through managing the process, expectations and the perceptions of all parties in the negotiation. 

This E-learning course will introduce methods and tactics used by professional negotiators. 

It focuses on careful analysis and good process management to arrive at the best possible deal for both sides in a negotiation, an agreement that is enthusiastically implemented and accepted. 

Negotiation is not just the gift of the gab, but it holds great accountability for putting together an offer that is seen as a win/win and achieves closure without damaging the on - going relationship between the parties concerned. 

Negotiation has a lot to do with persuading, bargaining, and trading concessions to achieve the best outcome that will satisfy both parties. 

Negotiation therefore involves a degree of mutuality. Both parties must be prepared to live with the result. 

Unfortunately, in many instances, the mutuality element is missing and what passes for negotiation ends up being not far removed from an ultimatum or a form of blackmail.  

This situation usually happens because the supplier (or in some cases the retailer) has become dependent on the other party for their survival. 

This sort of dependence can result in irrational decisions being made by the dependent party.  

Learning Objectives :

Determine the most effective strategic approach by applying an understanding of the relative importance of outcomes and relationships

Identify the relative importance of power elements in a negotiation and apply them to the specific negotiation context

Understand the influence of personal style on communication within negotiation and apply that knowledge to improve outcomes.

Identify the variables within a negotiation and prioritise them by developing a negotiation map 

Use concession trading to improve outcomes without compromising your objectives

Use knowledge of how suppliers are trained in order to control the negotiation and improve outcomes

Apply tactics that are appropriate to your objectives, leading to improved outcomes whilst maintaining the relationship.

Learning Outcomes :

LESSON 1. THE MEANING OF NEGOTIATION

part 1. The meaning & importance Of negotiation

part 2. the context for negotiation

LESSON 2. SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS AND NEGOTIATION

part 1. supplier selection

part 2. knowing the supplier

part 3. how suppliers are trained

LESSON 3. COMMUNICATION SKILLS 

part 1. the map of reality

part 2. skilful questions 

part 3. active listening 

part 4. observant seeing

LESSON 4. PLANNING THE NEGOTIATION

part 1. the planning checklist

part 2. market and product knowledge

part 3. identifying the supplier's needs and assessing relative power

part 4. identifying the negotiating variables

part 5. establishing objectives

part 6. setting up the negotiation

LESSON 5. THE TACTICS OF EFFECTIVE NEGOTIATION

part 1. negotiation styles or modes

part 2. the organisational mode

part 3. the personal mode

part 4. important tactical issues

LESSON 6. WHAT MAKES A TOP NEGOTIATOR

part 1. What makes a top negotiator

LESSON 7. ASSESSMENTS

part 1. Assessments

Retail Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the oversight of materials, information, and finances as they move in a process from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. 

Transforming your retail business & your supply chain FROM WEAK LINK TO CORE strength.

Streamline your end to end operations and add millions of dollars to the bottom line.

This course will take you on a journey to transform any broken supply chain and transform it into the best in the world.

Now, this is serious business. 

Sneaking, peaking into your business model while claiming to be on your toes at all times will not work. 

We saw how connecting and communicating with clarity, not only with customers but also internally, is crucial. 

Cross departmental and intra-departmental networking is mandatory. 

In other words, management cannot rest delegating nor can independent heads of sectors take it for granted that their jobs are done, once employees and briefed. 

You need to be in the know… and now, the next moment and the next and the next that follows…Always. 

Learning Outcomes :

7 SECRETS OF RETAIL SUPPLY CHAIN

AVATARS MYRIAD

EFFICIENCY OR EFFECTIVENESS

NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL

SIZE OF ORDERS AND FLEXIBILITY

COST TO SERVE

KEY POINTS OF KNOWING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

MUST DO OR NICE TO DO

CUSTOMER SERVICE OR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

NAVAL GAZING AND SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGY

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

THE BURNING PLATFORM

One of the secrets to retail success is pricing your products appropriately. ​

Correctly priced products can enhance how much you sell, creating the foundation for a business that will prosper.

When it comes to retail buying the contribution to margin (CTM)  and open to buy (OTB) concepts are essential. 

​It is also useful for determining the profits that will arise from various sales levels.  

These formulas can be applied throughout a business, for individual products, product lines, profit centres, subsidiaries, distribution channels, sales by customer, and for an entire business to determine the cash resources , profitability and stock levels in a retail business. 

EBIT is another powerful indicator that every retailer must keep their eye on.

This is a measure of a company’s earning power from ongoing operations.

Being productive in retail is all about managing and turning in your stock. ​

Being able to keep just the right amount on hand and yet avoiding a stockout is crucial if one is to maximise sales and profitability.

Many retailers will manage their inventory holdings based on a predetermined optimal week’s cover of stock. 

We also need to determine if all our other assets and activities are giving us the return we expect.

Whilst leaders need to motivate and mobilise their troops, they also need to be able to understand and measure the important financial formulas and ratios. ​

These ratios assist in understanding the financial health of the company and to be able to compare it with industry benchmarks. 

Having an efficient supply chain means that it needs to be measured and monitored at all times.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) requires management of complex dependencies between teams, departments and partner companies across international boundaries. 

​It is a natural area for formulas and metrics. 

Supply Chain Metrics may include measures of procurement, production, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, packaging and customer service.

Retailers that understand and leverage key data within their business are not only aware of their store's past performance and current standing, but position themselves to be able to forecast and make the right choices and adjustments for their business to improve efficiencies and their bottom line Retail Store KPI’s and Formulas give you a clear picture of your store’s retail performance and assist you in sharpening your competitive edge in the future. 

Learning Outcomes: 

1. CALCULATION OF PERCENTAGES

2. PERCENTAGE CHANGE ON PREVIOUS PERIOD OR BUDGET FIGURES 

3. REMOVE TAX FROM RETAIL PRICE

4. THE COST COMPLEMENT

5. TARGET COST PRICE USING COST COMPLEMENT

6. BUYER RETAIL PRICE USING COST COMPLEMENT

7. MARK UP%

8. FIRST MARGIN %

9. CONVERTING MARK UP% AND FIRST MARGIN %

10. FINAL MARGIN

11. DISCOUNT %

12. MARKDOWN%

13. SHRINKAGE%

14. MARKDOWN% ESTIMATE ON PROJECTED SALES

15. CONVERSION OF DISCOUNT % TO MARKDOWN %

16. CALCULATION OF FIRST MARGIN GIVEN FINAL MARGIN AND MARKDOWN TARGET

17. CALCULATION OF IMPACT ON FINAL MARGIN TO CHANGES IN FIRST MARGIN OR REDUCTIONS

18. INCREASE IN UNIT SALES REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN FINAL MARGIN $ WHEN DISCOUNTING

19. AVERAGE MARGIN USING THE CONTRIBUTION TO MARGIN (CTM) METHOD

20. INITIAL OPEN TO BUY (OTB)

21. AVAILABLE OTB 

22. BUSINESS BREAK EVEN

23. PROFIT CALCULATION USING BREAK EVEN FIGURES

24. CALCULATING THE IMPACT OF ADDITIONAL EXPENSES TO THE BUSINESS

25. BUSINESS GROSS PROFIT

26. PARETO ANALYSIS

27. NET PROFIT AFTER TAX

28. RETURN ON SALES

29. ASSET MANAGEMENT MEASURE #1 - ASSET TURNOVER

30. ASSET MANAGEMENT MEASURE # 2 - RETURN ON ASSETS

31. EARNINGS BEFORE INTEREST, TAX, DEPRECIATION AND AMORTISATION (EBITDA)

32. EARNINGS BEFORE INTEREST AND TAX (EBIT)

33. STOCK TYPE %

34. STOCK NEWNESS %

35. SLOW MOVING AND OBSOLETE (SLOB) STOCK %

36. AGED INVENTORY %

37. CONVERSION RATE (TRAFFIC TO SALES)

38. UNITS PER TRANSACTION (UPT)

39. AVERAGE UNIT VALUE 

40. AVERAGE BASKET SIZE 

41. CUSTOMER RETENTION RATE

42. CUSTOMER LIFETIME VALUE

43. STAFF TURNOVER RATE

44. SALES PER HOUR

45. FULL TIME EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEE CALCULATION

46. SALES PER FTEE

47. SERVICE INTENSITY

48. GROSS MARGIN RETURN ON LABOUR (GMROL)

49. SELLING SALARIES %

50. STORE ASSETS CALCULATION

51. STORE CONTRIBUTION CALCULATION

52. RETURN ON STORE ASSETS (ROSA)

53. OCCUPANCY COST %

54. LOYALTY PROGRAM %

55. AVERAGE STOCK ON HAND56. STOCKTURN

57. SALES TO STOCK RATIO

58.STOCK INTENSITY

59. GROSS MARGIN RETURN ON INVENTORY (GMROI)

60. HISTORICAL WEEKS COVER

61. FORWARD WEEKS COVER

62. SELL THROUGH RATE

63. SOLD AT FULL OR PLANNED PRICE

64. SALES PER SQUARE METRE OR SQUARE FEET

65. GROSS MARGIN RETURN ON FLOOR SPACE (GPROF)

66. PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTIVITY MEASURE #1 - RETURN ON PROMOTION (ROP)

67. RETURN ON MARKETING INVESTMENT (ROMI)

68. INCREMENTAL SALES INCREASE

69. RETURN PER LINEAR METRE OR FOOT OF SHELF SPACE

70. TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

71. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE (PLC)%

72. DELIVERY IN FULL ON TIME (DIFOT)

73. CAPACITY UTILISATION RATE

74. ORDER FULFILMENT RATE

75. PRODUCT LEAD TIME

76. INITIAL ORDER QUANTIFICATION

77. REPLENISHMENT ORDER QUANTIFICATION

78. SUPPLY CHAIN COST %

79. DISTRIBUTION CENTRE COST

80. DISTRIBUTION CENTRE UNITS PROCESSED COST PER HOUR

81. DISTRIBUTION CENTRE COST PER UNIT

82. ORDER ACCURACY %

83. OUT OF STOCKS %

84. COST OF GOODS SOLD %

85. COST OF DOING BUSINESS %

86. COST TO SERVE

87. PRODUCT BREAK EVEN PRICING

88. ALLOCATION CALCULATION - ONGOING ITEMS

89. ALLOCATION CALCULATION - INDENT LINES

90. WORKING CAPITAL RATIO

91. OPERATING EXPENSE RATIO

92. CAPITAL EXPENSE RATIO

93. RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)

94. RETURN ON CAPITAL EMPLOYED (ROCE)

95. CURRENT RATIO

96. QUICK RATIO

97. INVENTORY TO TRADE A/C PAYABLE RATIO

98. SALES TO A/C RECEIVABLE RATIO

99. SALES TO FIXED ASSETS RATIO

100. SHARE OF SALES 

101. INVENTORY DAYS

102. MARKET SHARE %

103. NET WORTH OR OWNER'S EQUITY

104. GEARING OR LEVERAGE RATIO

105. DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO (D/E RATIO)

106. RETURN ON NET WORTH (RETURN ON EQUITY, ROE)

107. THE STRATEGIC PROFIT MODEL​​