Course Curriculum
The 6 month Diploma in Merchandising is a highly focussed and vocationally oriented programme covering specialized knowledge and skills for students seeking a career in merchandising, fashion buying, marketing and inventory management in the retail and export industry.
The programme develops knowledge of both theoretical and practical issues relevant to current practices in the merchandising industry. It equips students with the professional skills necessary for product sourcing, product pricing, vendor and channel management. The programme imparts practical knowledge on how to make a merchandise plan and explains the need for range planning. The distinctive feature of this course is the strong interface it provides to students through classroom simulation and field visits with the Indian retail and export industry.
Industry formats covered in the course include department stores, specialty stores, design houses, as well as developing products for exporters and sourcing for buying houses representing international retail chains. Special emphasis is laid on the product knowledge of home furnishings, apparel, leather and handicraft categories including costume jewellery.
The course provides career opportunities in the field of product merchandising, buying, quality assurance, store management and shopping mall management. The programme also benefits professionals already employed in similar areas without formal education to meet the challenges in the coming years.
| Unit 1: Introduction To Merchandising | |
| 1.1 | Definition of Merchandising |
| 1.2 | Merchandising Concepts |
| 1.3 | Merchandising Process |
| 1.4 | Merchandising Technology |
| 1.5 | Merchandising: A Business Function |
| 1.6 | Retail Merchandising |
| 1.7 | Merchandising and Fashion Industry |
| 1.8 | Managerial Process and Merchandising |
| 1.9 | Career Opportunities in Merchandising |
| Unit 2: Merchandising Systems And Processes | |
| 2.1 | Merchandise Budget and Assortment Plan |
| 2.2 | Planning and Controlling Merchandise Assortment |
| 2.3 | Merchandise Pricing: Basic Cost Sheet Analysis |
| 2.4 | Product Life Cycle, Sourcing & Replenishment |
| 2.5 | Sampling Process in Exports: Procedure, Buyer Specific Sheets & Photo offer Systems |
| 2.6 | Sampling Process in Retail |
| 2.7 | Quality Management & Control |
| 2.8 | Social Compliance and Factory Compliance: Industry Specific |
| 2.9 | Product Packaging & Labelling |
| 2.10 | Product Presentation & Value Merchandising |
| Unit 3: Supply Chain And Vendor Management | |
| 3.1 | Relevance of Supply Chain Management: Exports & Retail Industry |
| 3.2 | Vendor Management |
| 3.3 | Quick Response System & its Application |
| 3.4 | Channel Management |
| 3.5 | Merchandise Mathematics |
| Unit 4: Merchandising And Fashion Industry | |
| 4.1 | Introduction to the Fashion Industry |
| 4.2 | Fashion Business Practices |
| 4.3 | Classification of Fashion |
| 4.4 | The Fashion Line & Fashion Life Cycle |
| 4.5 | Fashion Merchandising: Principles and Techniques / Planning and Control |
| 4.6 | Range Planning & Line Development |
| 4.7 | Fashion Forecasting: Design Concepts, Design Elements & Colour |
| Unit 5: Retail Merchandising | |
| 5.1 | Indian Sourcing Environment-Constraints and Opportunities |
| 5.2 | Sourcing Raw Materials |
| 5.3 | Design Efficiency |
| 5.4 | Economies of Scale |
| 5.5 | Landed Cost vs. Price |
| 5.6 | Negotiation Tools |
| 5.7 | Vendor Support |
| 5.8 | Warehousing and Distribution |
| 5.9 | FMCGs |
| 5.10 | Quick Response |
| 5.11 | Inventory Tracking |
| Unit 6: Merchandising : Import & Export | |
| 6.1 | Supply Chain and needs for Imports |
| 6.2 | Trade Fair |
| 6.3 | Logistics Cost and Minimum Order Lots |
| 6.4 | Import Regulations |
| 6.5 | Pricing |
| 6.6 | Export Marketing |
| 6.7 | Product Identification |
| 6.8 | Export Pricing & INCOTERMS |
| 6.9 | Range Planning |
| 6.10 | Partner Selection |
| 6.11 | Documentation |
| 6.12 | Terms of Payment |
The duration of the course is Six months. The classes are held three days a week.
Morning session :
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
The candidates have the option to pay the programme fee in lump sum or in two installments. The second installment falls due at the end of the second month. If a candidate fails to pay the second installment in time, his/her name shall be struck off the rolls of FTDC
Lumpsum : Rs. 22,000/- plus 10.3% Service TaxInstallments: Rs. 11400 plus 10.3% Service Tax / Rs. 11400 plus 10.3% Service Tax
Mode Of Payment
The fee can be paid either in cash or in the form of Demand Draft drawn in favor in "Foreign Trade Development Centre", payable at New Delhi.
The performance is evaluated on the basis of terminal written test, project study and group presentations. Successful participants who obtain a minimum 70% attendance in lectures and secure 50% and above in the examination would qualify for the Diploma.
