Optimizing Retail and Merchandising for Growth
Maximize Retail Performance through Strategic Merchandising, Consumer Insights, and In-Store Excellence
Course Schedule
| Date | Venue | Fees (Face-to-Face) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 – 15 Aug 2025 | Dubai, UAE | USD 3495 per delegate |
Course Introduction
In a fast-changing retail environment, success hinges on a company’s ability to understand consumer behavior, optimize merchandise mix, and deliver seamless in-store experiences. This training focuses on equipping participants with advanced retail and merchandising strategies that align with current market trends, digital influence, and evolving consumer expectations.
Participants will gain practical tools to manage product assortments, planograms, pricing, and promotional tactics, while leveraging data analytics for smarter decisions. Whether you manage a retail chain or operate in a niche market, this course empowers you to boost customer satisfaction and drive revenue growth.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
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Analyze and respond to consumer trends and purchasing behavior
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Develop effective merchandising plans and assortment strategies
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Optimize store layouts and visual merchandising for maximum impact
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Implement retail KPIs and sales performance measurement tools
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Integrate omnichannel strategies for consistent customer experiences
Why you Should Attend
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Learn best practices in strategic merchandising and inventory planning
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Discover how store design and layout influence shopper decisions
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Gain tools to enhance product visibility and improve category performance
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Understand key retail analytics and shopper behavior insights
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Get inspired by successful retail case studies and in-store innovations
Intended Audience
This program is designed for:
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Retail and store managers
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Merchandising planners and visual merchandisers
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Category and product managers
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Sales and marketing professionals in retail
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Brand managers and retail strategists
Individual Benefits
Key competencies that will be developed include:
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Strategic merchandising and assortment planning
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Visual merchandising and planogram optimization
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Retail data analysis and sales forecasting
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Store layout design and shopper behavior insight
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Integrated retail marketing and promotion planning
Organization Benefits
Upon completing the training course, participants will demonstrate:
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Improved sales through optimized product placement and planning
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Greater alignment between retail strategy and customer needs
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Better inventory turnover and reduced stock-outs
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Enhanced customer experience and store performance
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Stronger brand presence and customer engagement
Instructional Methdology
The course follows a blended learning approach combining theory with practice:
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Strategy Briefings – Deep dive into retail strategy, merchandising models, and omnichannel integration
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Case Studies – Real-world examples from global retailers and innovative merchandising practices
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Workshops – Hands-on exercises in layout design, inventory planning, and promotional strategy
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Peer Exchange – Group discussions on retail challenges and success stories
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Tools – Templates for retail KPIs, merchandising calendars, planograms, and pricing strategy
Course Outline
Training Hours: 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Daily Format: 3–4 Learning Modules | Coffee breaks: 09:30 & 11:15 | Lunch Buffet: 01:00 – 02:00
Day 1: Understanding the Retail Environment
Module 1: Retail Trends and Consumer Behavior (07:30 – 09:30)
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Global retail landscape and evolving consumer expectations
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Impact of technology and digital disruption
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Identifying shopper motivations and buying patterns
Module 2: Retail Formats and Channels (09:45 – 11:15)
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Store-based, online, and omnichannel formats
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Role of customer experience in format success
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Retail channel integration and alignment
Module 3: Workshop – Consumer Insight Mapping (11:30 – 01:00)
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Analyze customer segments and map key motivators
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Build customer personas for retail planning
Module 4: Peer Exchange (02:00 – 03:30)
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Sharing challenges and trends in regional retail markets
Day 2: Strategic Merchandising and Planning
Module 1: Merchandising Principles and Objectives (07:30 – 09:30)
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Role of merchandising in driving sales and brand loyalty
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Key components of an effective merchandising strategy
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Understanding the product lifecycle
Module 2: Assortment Planning and Inventory Management (09:45 – 11:15)
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Product mix strategies
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Seasonal planning and stock allocation
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Inventory optimization and demand forecasting
Module 3: Workshop – Merchandising Calendar Design (11:30 – 01:00)
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Build a seasonal merchandising calendar
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Plan product launches and promotions
Module 4: Case Study – Best-in-Class Merchandising Models (02:00 – 03:30)
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Analyze successful merchandising strategies from global brands
Day 3: Visual Merchandising and Store Layout Optimization
Module 1: Visual Merchandising Concepts (07:30 – 09:30)
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Psychology of visual merchandising
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Product display, color, lighting, and signage tactics
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Creating impactful window displays
Module 2: Space and Planogram Management (09:45 – 11:15)
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Store layout principles and zoning
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Shelf planning and planogram execution
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Data-driven planogram adjustments
Module 3: Workshop – Store Layout Design (11:30 – 01:00)
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Create or critique a store layout and fixture plan
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Identify zones for featured products and promotions
Module 4: Peer Exchange – In-Store Innovations (02:00 – 03:30)
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Discussion on layout experiments and customer feedback
Day 4: Pricing, Promotions, and Shopper Engagement
Module 1: Pricing Strategies in Retail (07:30 – 09:30)
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Psychological pricing techniques
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Competitive pricing and markdown management
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Linking pricing to customer value perception
Module 2: Promotional Planning (09:45 – 11:15)
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Building effective promotional campaigns
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Aligning offers with customer journey stages
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Measuring promotional effectiveness
Module 3: Workshop – Pricing & Promotion Planner (11:30 – 01:00)
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Design a promotional calendar with pricing tiers
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Define objectives, offers, and KPIs
Module 4: Case Study – Retail Campaign Execution (02:00 – 03:30)
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Study a retail brand’s multi-channel promotion
Day 5: Retail Analytics and Continuous Improvement
Module 1: Retail Performance Metrics (07:30 – 09:30)
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KPIs: sales per square foot, conversion rates, basket size
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Using POS and customer data for insights
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Performance benchmarking and dashboard tools
Module 2: Driving Continuous Retail Improvement (09:45 – 11:15)
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Retail audits and mystery shopping
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Staff training and customer service standards
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Feedback loops for rapid adaptation
Module 3: Workshop – Retail Improvement Plan (11:30 – 01:00)
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Design a retail performance improvement action plan
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Define metrics, actions, and monitoring tools
Module 4: Final Review and Certification (02:00 – 03:30)
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Course recap and lessons learned
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Group presentations and feedback
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Certificate distribution
Certification
Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion in Retail & Merchandising Optimization, confirming their mastery in designing and executing retail strategies that improve performance, shopper satisfaction, and revenue growth.