The retail industry - namely, the business activity of selling goods or services to the final consumer - is an important element of most developed economies, and employs significant numbers of people.  Indeed, the power and influence of major retailers now greatly exceeds that of many manufacturers.  The key aim of this module is to provide an appreciation and understanding of the functions and challenges inherent in the management of retail organisations, including the management of a large assortment of products/services, the complexities and risks of selecting new locations and managing a store network, and managing a constant and direct interface with customers.

(LO1) Understand the role of retailing in developed economies, and define the structure and key characteristics of the retail industry

(LO2) Evaluate and apply consumer behaviour theory to the choice of stores and goods/services by consumers, and to the choice of suppliers and merchandise by retail buyers.

(LO3) Evaluate appropriate frameworks for the strategic planning and implementation of retail activities.

(LO4) Evaluate and apply the evaluative criteria underpinning decisions relating to the location and management of a store network.

(LO5) Understand the nature and range of management decisions taken in the management of the retail marketing mix.

(LO6) Explore a range of international retailing formats and understand how and why internationalisation is relevant in retail marketing.

(LO7) Demonstrate an understanding of aspects of ethical retailing such as circular economies, sustainable supply chains and cultural change

(S1) Adaptability

(S2) Commercial awareness

(S3) Resilient and Adaptable

(S4) An Excellent Communicator

(S5) Digitally Confident

(S6) Global awareness

Teaching Delivery: Mixed, hybrid delivery with social distancing on campus

Teaching Method 1 – Online Asynchronous Learning Materials
Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 12
Attendance Recorded: No

Teaching Method 2 - Tutorial
Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 12
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method 3: Group Study
Description: Weekly 1 hour session to foster student community and engagement by working with others on their ‘active learning’ activities
Scheduled Student Hours: 12

Teaching Method 4: Online Synchronous Session
Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 12
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Attendance Recorded: No

Self-Directed Learning Hours: 102

Skills/Other Attributes Mapping

Skills / attributes: Global Awareness
How this is developed: A global perspective will be taken on some retail marketing topics. Achieved via a thorough reading of up to date retail marke ting news stories and via lectures.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Examination

Skills / attributes: Digitally Confident
How this is developed: Students will use internet research skills to complete coursework. Achieved via searching and reading online materials.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework

Skills / attributes: An Excellent Communicator
How this is developed: Reports must be cogent, fluent and presented to a high standard. Achieved via the crafting of a 3000 word assignment and through open group discussions within seminars.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework

Skills / attributes: Resilient and Adaptable
How this is developed: Students will complete an independent research project to a deadline. Achieved via full participation in the module and organising themselves to produce a clearly articulated 3000 document on time. This develops organisational skills.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework

Skills / attributes: Commercial awareness
How this is developed: Up-to-date examples of retail marketing will be used throughout teaching and within assessment. Achieved through learning about the business of retailing and its implications in society
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework

Skills / attributes: Adaptability
How this is developed: Retail marketing demands inherent adaptability through its changing nature. Through the application of knowledge to four different coursework questions within the 3000 document. Achieved via a thorough reading of up to date retail marketing news stories and via lectures
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework

1. The Nature of the Retail
Industry Types of retail organisation, store format types, theories of retail change, the nature of the retail marketing function.
2. Analysis of Retail Markets  
Identification and segmentation of retail markets, researching consumer motives for selecting stores and shopping centres, consumer images of retail companies and stores, target marketing and positioning.
3. Strategic Planning in Retailing
Alternative strategies for growth and differentiation from competitors, frameworks for evaluating strategic alternatives in a retail context
4. Retail Location and Planning  
Approaches to the identification of optimum store locations and the assessment of specific sites, GIS and models of retail location, management of store networks, relevant issues relating to town planning.
5. Retail Marketing Mix Decisions  
Introduction to the retail marketing mix, product selection and buying, product range dev elopment and private labels, merchandising, space allocation and display, retail design and atmospherics, retail pricing strategies, retail promotion and advertising, innovations in PoS technology and electronic shopping.