Buying & Merchandising
This individual assignment requires students to produce a 2,500-word investigative report comparing the bricks-and-mortar environments of, and the merchandising strategies employed by, two competing fashion retailers. Students may use the same store/retailer/business from assignment one – comparing relevant material with that obtained from an identified competitor – or can examine any two retailers operating at a similar market level.
As the practice of merchandising is concerned with transactions of products appropriate to the retailer’s target market, the goods stocked are determined not only by fashion trends but also by the type of customer the store caters to. Accordingly, students should mobilise academic theories regarding consumer behaviour alongside consideration of the clothing offer made by each the two outlets. In addition, the following aspects should be addressed: store layout, interior design and architecture, window displays, promotional imagery, atmospherics, product presentation and service culture.