Careers in Retailing

An Introduction to the Retail Sector

Size of Indian retail market --------------------------------US$ 450 billion

Employees- --------------40 million

13 million new jobs will be created by 2012

*Retail has created more jobs than any other sector over the last five years

The Myths: What Retail isn’t…..

Poor salary prospects Graduate salary starts as

high ..

Long, unsociable hours Varied hours, giving flexibility

to suit your lifestyle

Not creative or stimulating Brand specialists and visual

merchandisers to name just two important roles

Dead end job Training programs encourage

your development and progress

Anyone can do retail Retail apprenticeships are a

recognized route in; 29% of all the graduate join the retail

Careers in Retail: Key ThemesVarietyProfitProgressFlexibilityLifestyle

With a huge choice of roles and opportunities to move around, there’s something for virtually everyone.

Variety: breaking it downStore operationsHR and trainingFinance and administrationBuying Customer contact centersMarketingLogisticsITVisual Merchandising

Variety: roles for everyoneSome specialized occupations

Sales assistantBrand managerVisual merchandiserSenior buyer

Some broader occupationsDirector of financeHR managerWeb assistantCustomer service representativeWarehouse operator

Progress: Salary and DevelopmentEarn while you learn

with an apprenticeship

Graduate training programs starting salaries of

Progression towards manager level salaries of

Great perks and extras in all posts

Continuous professional development

Profit from qualifications and experienceRetail apprenticeship routesRetail diplomaPopular graduate career path- from virtually

all degrees disciplinesMoving from other sectorsBenefit of work experience

Summer placementSaturday jobDealing with customers

Work experience guides

Flexibility: A break from the norm

Getting away from 9 to 5Fit your life around your work

Part-time workingOpportunity to move around the business

Lifestyle: in your best interest

People often buy things they’re interested in….

So who better to sell them?Sport, music, technology, games……

Working with goods and services of personal interest.

Trends in Retail: the current marketRetailers need to respond quickly to new

fashions and new productsMobile retailingInternet -e-tailingImpact on customer interface

Websites and contact centersHome delivery for groceries and many other

items

Skills required: what employers wantEmployability skillsPeople skillsSales skillsPersonal presentationThe right attitudeEnthusiasm and reliabilityNumeracy and literacyTeam workingManagerial potential

Careers in RetailingSales executive or market executive

Responsibilities

Explaining to all walk-in customers about the products and providing any additional information that would help customers to make the right product choice.

Taking part in the entire selling process from prospecting to closing the sale.

Achieving the personal sales targets set by the store manager.

Managing in-store inventory and cash counter.

Conducting product demonstrations when necessary.

Store ManagerResponsibilities

Achieving predetermined monthly and annual targets.

Leading and motivating a team of in-store sales executives.

Preparing pre-sales reports like- potential client lists and sales progress charts.

Preparing post-sales reports like- daily and weekly reports.

Coordinating with logistics to ensure timely deliveries to customers and to maintain optimum inventory levels in the branch.

Developing human resources at the branch level.

Preparing business plans for the financial quarter.

Supervising the overall merchandising of the store and designing the look of the store.

Designing and carrying out promotional schemes within the store.

Desired skill-set required for Sales Executive/Store Manager

Good communication skills (ability to persuade customer).

Patience to deal with all kinds of customers.Good product knowledge (in terms of

features).Knowledge of competitor’s products.Good knowledge of store dynamics in terms

of hot selling products, hot traffic spots (in the store), and merchandising requirements.

Ownership OpportunitiesSet up a new business

Buying an existing business

A Franchise

Emerging career in RetailingSales and Merchandising Representative (SMR)

Responsibilities

Earning mind share and shelf-space of the retailer.

Educating sales teams in stores about the nature and working of the product.

Motivating retailer’s salespersons to promote the manufacturer’s products.

Collecting information on new products and buying patterns of retail customers.