Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the students will have acquired skills on the following topics:
- The drivers of store format innovation;
- New formats in the international scenario;
- The management of the in-store marketing levers;
- Layout models;
- Display models;
- The principles of visual communication;
- POP communication;
- KPI of point of sale and shopper behaviour.
Skills and understanding skills applied
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
- understand the different phases underlying the design of a new format;
- translate the conceptual tools into empirical rules for the design of new formats;
- plan and manage the store marketing levers in the various sectoral contexts, both in the perspective of industrial companies wishing to enhance their brand within modern structures, and in the perspective of commercial companies wishing to design new formats;
- develop distinctive skills in the area of merchandising, visual merchandising and store design.
Independence of judgment
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
- evaluate the format strategies pursued by the companies;
- identify the most innovative formats in the national and international scenario;
- identify the best practices in managing in store marketing levers;
- evaluate the effectiveness of space management.
Communication skills
Through lectures managed in an interactive way, company testimonials
and group work, the student will be able to:
- clearly communicate, in a concise, timely and coherent manner, to different interlocutors (both academic and business), information and concepts (including complex ones) related to retail and shopper marketing issues;
- communicate effectively using an appropriate language;
- manage contents and timing of a presentation.
Learning skills
The course aims to transfer the ability to translate the economic principles into empirical rules of decision. The main topics are detailed through the presentation of successful case studies in the context of the Italian, European and U.S. markets. At the end of the course the students will have gained the ability to expand and update the level and range of the knowledge acquired from lessons and course textbooks.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of basic concepts related to management of retailing.
Course unit content
The point of sale has taken on new roles and new functions and has gradually transformed from a point of purchase to a place where industry and distribution plan the communication and relationship process with the final consumer.
In line with the new context, the course aims to provide the conceptual and operational tools to plan marketing and merchandising initiatives guided by "insights" aimed at satisfying the needs of shoppers, improving the shopping experience and increasing the KPIs of the store and brand equity for distributors and producers. The context is mainly that of unspecialized distribution.
The first part of the course describes the profile of "mainstream" and "lifestyle" food distribution formats, and illustrates the innovation strategies of best in class retailers operating in the international context.
In the second part of the course, the levers of store marketing (layout, display, communication and store design) are illustrated, which are maneuvered by retailers in order to condition and guide the choices of the Shopper, improve the KPIs of the store and develop a store identity and store loyalty .
Finally, the course describes the shopper marketing levers of the brand industry (category plans, POP communication, etc.), aimed at enhancing the brand within the store with the aim of increasing the penetration of the industrial brand into the banner and increase brand equity.
In addition to lectures in the classroom, the course includes interventions by managers, case discussions, classroom exercises and group work.This way, students are offered the opportunity to integrate theoretical knowledge with business practice in order to stimulate problem solving and decision making skills.
Full programme
− The drivers of store format innovation;
− New formats in the international scenario;
− The management of the in-store marketing levers;
− Layout models;
− Zoning;
− Display models;
− Retail design;
− Interior and exterior design;
− The principles of visual communication;
− POP communication;
− KPI of point of sale and shopper behaviour.
Bibliography
Textbook
Maria Grazia Cardinali, Retail Ibrido,
Egea, Milano, 2017
Karin Zaghi, Visual Merchandising. La comunicazione del punto vendita per dare valore all'esperienza del cliente,
Franco Angeli, Milano, 2018
Capitoli 1,4,5,6, 7,8,9,10
Teaching methods
Acquisition of knowledge: lectures
Acquisition of the ability to apply the analysis methodologies and Acquisition of technical language: project works and cases studies
Acquisition of the autonomy of judgment: project works and managerial lessons.
Acquisition of learning skills: during the course a group work is scheduled. The group work consists in the realization of a field research, on a particular theme of Shopper Marketing that will be illustrated during the course. The final work must be presented in oral form through a power point presentation. All groups must present the work at the end of the course, on the day that will be defined and communicated in class.
The slides used to support the lessons will be available at the photocopy office before the start of the lessons.
Non-attending students are reminded to check the available teaching materials and the indications provided by the teacher through the Elly platform.
Assessment methods and criteria
The learning outcomes will be assessed through an online oral exam (via Teams).
Depending on the number of students, the exam might last several days.
Each student regularly enrolled in the exam will be notified by email via
Esse3 on the date and time range of his/her oral exam the day before the official date of the exam.
Students must respect the deadlines for registering for the exam, uploading their I.D. (up to 2 days before the date of the official exam) and
connecting on the date and time range communicated.
During the exam, the use of any type of notes, books, phones, media etc. is strictly forbidden, with the exception of the device used to connect.
During the exam, the followings are assessed: the achieved knowledge
and understanding capabilities, ability to apply the acquired knowledge, autonomy of judgment, ability to learn and to communicate with an
appropriate technical language.
During the oral exam, the followings are assessed: knowledge and understanding, the ability to apply knowledge, the autonomy of
judgment, the ability to learn and communicate with adequate technical language.
The Group Work will be evaluated with a score, from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 3, which will be added to the final grade.
“30 cum laude” will be awarded to those students who have demonstrated an appreciable knowledge of the topic, an excellent ability to apply the knowledge acquired to the specific problem, a considerable autonomy of judgment, as well as excellent communication skills.
Results will be published on the Esse3 platform when all students have taken the exam.
When the health situation will allow the return in presence, the verification of learning will be in written mode (3 open questions).
Other information
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