Retail Training

Types of Retail Outlets

Retail is quite a broad category, and the retail industry is made up of several different types of stores, products, and consumers. The demands and requirements for employees and managers shift slightly depending on the type of retail store they work in. A few examples of retail stores are listed below:

• Department Store: Usually a very large store with a variety of products and services.
• Specialty Store: Specialty stores can be either large or small, but as the name implies, they usually only focus on one specialized product or service.
• Boutique: Boutiques are usually quite small and are selective when choosing brands. Many only sell one brand, and that brand has control over the store.
• Supermarket: Supermarkets are self-service stores that mainly sell groceries and toiletries or common household items.
• E-tailer: These retailers provide their services online, and customers can shop and purchase from their online retail store.
• Automated: Automated retailers are self-service machines available in malls, grocery stores, airports, etc. that accept credit cards and are usually open 24/7.

Retail Sales Techniques

In order to be ahead of the competition, it is important to use effective sales techniques. There are professional training courses that focus solely on how to best market products and which techniques and styles will attract the most buyers. When enrolling in a retail training course, you will learn about the different types of sales techniques that are most effective and those that are best to target certain products and certain audiences.

Customer Service and Retail Training

One of the most important skills in the retail industry is customer service. When working face to face with customers, it is important to make them feel welcome and at ease while browsing. On the other hand, working with customers over the phone requires customer service agents to equip themselves with a similar set of skills that allows the customer to feel like they’re having a genuine and positive experience. As we are all customers ourselves at one time or another, we know what makes a good customer experience and a bad one. It is important to keep these in mind while working in the retail industry. Building positive customer relationships is the key to attracting new customers and retaining old ones. Eventually, these customer interactions and feedback will reinforce the foundation of a company’s reputation, and will give them a competitive advantage.

Retail Careers

As stated, the retail industry has a field for almost every interest. If you are interested in fashion, computers, interior design, or any concentration related to retail, there is likely to be a position to fit your needs. Outside of the general sales position there are multiple roles needing to be filled in the retail industry. A few professional career paths in the retail industry are listed as follows:

• Supply Chain Management
• Corporate
• Operations Management
• Consultant
• Manufacturer
• Entrepreneur

Retail Training Formats

In-House

Retail training courses can take place in-house in order to allow organizations to tailor the training to their specific needs.

Classroom

There are universities who have specific certifications in certain areas of retail training. Courses such as these allow students to learn retail training processes with the added bonus of being able to ask the instructor questions while in person.

Online

There are many online certifications available, as well, for people seeking further specialization in this field. Working professionals are even more attracted to these online courses because of their convenience and detailed lessons on specific aspects of retail training.