Retail Enviroment project

RETAIL ENVIRONMENT (MERCH 1550)
WRITTEN COURSE PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
IMPORTANT– SAVE AND REFER TO!!!
PURPOSE: To broaden the students knowledge of a contemporary retail channel. SCOPE: To investigate, in depth, a retail channel- product or service (store, non-store, [vending machine, TV home shopping, direct sales, etc.] catalog [including direct mail], websites, kiosk [including cart and wall unit], call center and franchises and report on their findings in both written and oral form. The written report will take the form of a research paper (a written record of personal experiences, reactions as well as emotions, events and actual information based on research (library, journals, internet, company brochures, etc) and through personal interviews.
5 written homework assignments will also be assigned during the course of the class that focuses on specific areas of the retail channel including target market, location evaluation, merchandise mix, promotional strategies, and competitive analysis.
The written course project must include the following information/answer the questions at a MINIMUM in order to meet the basic requirements of the research paper.
1. Type of retail channel (retailer) chosen: Product or service, store or non- store (web based, catalog, TV home shopping, direct sales, kiosks, etc)
2. Are they a multi- channel retailer? What formats do they use to reach the customer (i.e. – store, catalog, on line sales)? Which format is your paper focusing on?
3. Why you chose this particular channel?
4. Why you chose this particular channel location?
5. Background of the chosen channel, including:
History who started the company, when, where, private or public ownership, key dates, other companies under same ownership.
6. Mission Statement or explanation of company’s overall
philosophy—reason for existence.
7. If a franchise, terms of franchising agreement.

8. Sales volume (for the store or the company overall), industry rank, stock price (if applicable), brief history or overall sales or profit performance. Top 100 US Retailers, Top 250 Global Retailers, Hot 100 Retailers, and Top 50 Apparel Firms, Fortune 500 etc.
9. Target Market- HW #1 (revision)

10. Location Evaluation – HW #2 (revision)
Include listing of locations where they operate — cities, states and countries, Total number of stores by state, US, by country and worldwide. List headquarters address. List the other locations within a 20 mile radius of your retail channel stores.
Include directions from FIDM to your specific store’s location.
11. Customer Service Philosophies and Loyalty/Rewards Programs
Include exchange and return policy, gift cards, and credit cards if offered. Include credit card applications. Which payment methods do they accept? Memberships with coupons.
What do they do for their customers? In stores, online or by catalog.
12. Employee Relations, Philosophies and Programs
Include employee benefits/discounts, training program and diversity in the company. What are their advancement opportunities in the company? Employee recognition? Include employee handbook, employment application, job postings etc. What do they do for their employees? Were they in the Fortune Magazine –Best 100 Companies to Work. – Summarize info- do not just include brochures, handbook etc.
***Remember you will only be able to get a handbook if you work for a company****
13. Merchandise Mix -HW #3 (revision)
Include photos of merchandise or services, restaurant menus, brochures of
services
14. Price Range (average price point, category, include specific prices of selected merchandise.
15. Promotional Strategies – HW #4 (revision)
Include copies of advertisements, sales promotions, editorials, fliers, catalogs, postcards, website home page, blogs, Facebook and Twitter pages.
16. Competitive Analysis – HW #5 (revision)
Include literature or photos from each competitor on areas of assignment.
17. In conclusion, looking to the future, what strengths and weaknesses (areas of opportunities) does your channel posses? Please also include with your oral presentation.

Your written report must include the following:
1. A signed cover page – includes name of student, time and day of class, date of submission, retail channel and email address. Your signature verifies that all included work is your own! NOTE: if direct quotes are used, then the original source must be identified according to MLA practice.
2. A Table of Contents with page numbers, page numbers on each page.
3. An introduction and conclusion
4. A work cited page at the end of the report according to MLA standards.
If you work, or have worked at your chosen retailer, you must disclose this work in the cited page. Include dates of employment.
5. All graded returned homework assignments at the end.
6. If you changed companies after the first homework assignment was turned in, you are required to re-do assignments for the new company (that you are doing the course project on)
You are encouraged to include the following:
1. Include Photos (merchandise, location etc.)
2. Include sample ads
Your report must be:

1. Typed –double-spaced.
2. Bound, or in appropriately sized binder. (Feel free to be creative)
3. Do not put written portions of report in sheet protectors — it makes
corrections difficult.
4. Report must be submitted in order as specified numerically in the scope section on page 1. Additional sections chosen by the student are placed either with the homework assignment that they coordinate with, or placed towards the end of the project in the order of the student’s choice.
About the Research:

1. You must use at least 4 different kinds of resources (company website, store manager, government statistics, text book, Hoovers, Clarita’s, magazines etc.)
2. START NOW!!! Ask questions early! Start to compile information once channel is chosen.
I encourage you to pick a channel that you are interested in, or a customer of, is convenient for you (especially if you do not drive or have a car).
TOTAL POINTS FOR WRITTEN PROJECT: 95
Content = 45; Research = 25; Mechanics = 15; Organization = 10.
Rucker – revised 1/2013