Course in Strategic Merchandising in Retail Stores

The retail sector is undergoing rapid transformation driven by shifts in consumer behavior, technological innovation, and intensifying market competition. In this evolving landscape, traditional retail management is no longer sufficient to secure growth or even survival. Instead, the need for strategic merchandising has become critical for delivering strong commercial results, enhancing customer experience, and securing market share.
Geneva Institute of Business Administration presents this specialized course, "Strategic Merchandising in Retail Stores," designed to equip professionals in the retail field with the insight, tools, and strategic mindset needed to manage retail performance intelligently, align store-level execution with corporate goals, and anticipate future trends with confidence and agility.

Target Group

• Store and branch managers seeking to improve overall sales performance and operational efficiency.

• Business development professionals and commercial directors involved in retail expansion strategies.

• Retail marketers and in-store promotion specialists working on enhancing product visibility and turnover.

• Category managers and commercial planners responsible for designing merchandising plans and seasonal campaigns.

• Retail entrepreneurs aiming to transition from operational focus to strategic retail leadership.

• Floor managers and teams responsible for customer experience and space planning.

• Consultants involved in optimizing retail operations or restructuring retail business models.

Objectives

• Understand the core principles of strategic merchandising in the ever-changing retail environment.

• Analyze the key factors influencing customer behavior inside the store and translate them into actionable merchandising plans.

• Equip participants with the ability to build effective sales strategies based on market realities and consumer expectations.

• Enable data-driven decision-making by using performance metrics and sales analysis.

• Strengthen skills in category management and designing product displays for maximum impact and profitability.

• Explore global best practices in seasonal planning and promotional execution.

• Align store-level execution with broader business strategies to support long-term growth.

• Improve coordination with suppliers and business partners to ensure consistent, value-driven collaboration.

Course Outline

• Foundations of Strategic Retail Merchandising

  • Evolution of retail merchandising from basic sales to integrated strategy

  • The relationship between commercial planning and store performance

  • Types of merchandising strategies and their business objectives

  • Distinguishing between operational management and strategic growth

• Market Analysis and In-Store Consumer Behavior

  • Identifying shopping patterns and behavioral shifts

  • Key psychological drivers of in-store decision-making

  • Recognizing seasonal trends and their impact on demand

  • Using field data to inform internal merchandising decisions

• Category Management and Commercial Planning

  • Principles of category management and its role in profitability

  • Organizing product categories for maximum visibility and turnover

  • Defining core, complementary, and traffic-driving products

  • Building a yearly commercial plan for each category

• Space Planning and Store Layout Optimization

  • Merchandising principles for product placement and zoning

  • The impact of displays and shelf positioning on purchasing

  • Customer flow analysis and space utilization techniques

  • Designing layouts that support sales and brand identity

• Pricing Strategies in the Retail Sector

  • Overview of retail pricing models by category and target market

  • Price sensitivity and consumer response management

  • Developing pricing policies that balance margin and volume

  • Comparing competitive, psychological, and strategic pricing methods

• Promotional Campaigns and Seasonal Planning

  • Planning effective promotions based on product lifecycle

  • Aligning promotions with expected consumer behavior

  • Measuring the performance and ROI of campaigns

  • Structuring the promotional calendar to support retail flow

• Sales Performance Analysis and Business Decision-Making

  • Key retail performance indicators (KPIs) for store management

  • Analyzing sales data to identify strengths and gaps

  • Making informed decisions from data insights

  • Reviewing merchandising results to drive continuous improvement

• Managing Supplier and Partner Relationships

  • Building strategic relationships with suppliers and vendors

  • Commercial negotiation and win-win collaboration

  • Aligning supply operations with merchandising goals

  • Inventory management integrated with promotional strategy

• Digital Transformation in Modern Retail

  • Emerging digital trends reshaping the retail landscape

  • Leveraging big data to improve planning and forecasting

  • In-store technologies to track customer behavior and preferences

  • Integrating brick-and-mortar with digital retail channels

• Aligning Merchandising with Corporate Vision

  • Connecting store merchandising plans to corporate objectives

  • Synchronizing marketing, finance, and operations in planning

  • Strategic reporting tools for top-level management

  • Building an internal culture that supports commercial excellence