Retail Ready - Entry into retail with product manager and e-commerce

This course provides you with practical retail knowledge - from merchandise knowledge and checkout systems to customer communication, product range management, POS marketing and personnel management. You will also gain a sound introduction to product management and relevant knowledge of store systems, online marketing strategies, logistics and customer service for an entry into e-commerce. The course also gives you an insight into the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in this area.
  • Certificates: "Retail Ready - Entry into the retail sector" certificate
    Certificate "Product manager with TÜV Rheinland certified qualification"
    E-Commerce" certificate
  • Examination: Praxisbezogene Projektarbeiten mit Abschlusspräsentationen
    Produktmanager:in mit TÜV Rheinland geprüfter Qualifikation
  • Teaching Times: Full-time
    Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. (in weeks with public holidays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:10 p.m.)
  • Language of Instruction: German
  • Duration: 12 Weeks

Retail Ready - entry into the retail sector

Retail basics (approx. 2 days)

Structure and organization of the retail business

Tasks of the retail trade

Introduction to product ranges

Presentation of goods and prices

Overview: Forms of distribution and sales channels


Product knowledge (approx. 4 days)

Assortment classification

Production and nutrients of food

Textile raw materials and material composition

Labeling and storage (incl. shelf zones, product carriers)

Labeling and care of textiles

Handling packaging and sustainable packaging trends

Promotional placement of special offers

Dealing with unsaleable goods

Legal regulations (LMIV, Price Indication Regulation, textile labeling, etc.)


Artificial intelligence (AI) in the work process

Presentation of specific AI technologies and

Possible applications in the professional environment


Cash register systems and payment methods (approx. 3 days)

Basics of checkout systems

Payment methods, incl. contactless, mobile, digital

Cash register organization and instructions

Cash register training: keyboard, scanner, checkout processes

Cash register accounting and difference clarification

Security features of banknotes


Customer contact and communication (approx. 2 days)

Advising and informing customers

Basis of communication and body language

Complaints, returns and exchanges


Special sales situations (approx. 1 day)

Recognizing and reacting to shoplifting

Dealing with accompanying persons (e.g. children, pets)

De-escalation with difficult customers


Assortment and sales management (approx. 2 days)

Assortment optimization and development

Merchandise management systems (insight and control)

Key sales figures and purchasing behavior

Analyzing customer structure

Inventory management and replenishment processes

Planning sales, income and costs


POS marketing and customer approach (approx. 2 days)

Sales and advertising concepts

pricing policy

Sales promotion

Visual merchandising

Customer loyalty programs

Location-based public relations


Insight into personnel management (approx. 1 day)

Planning personnel requirements and personnel costs

Selection and recruitment of employees

Scheduling and shift models


Project work (approx. 3 days)

To consolidate the content learned

Presentation of the project results

Product management

Product strategy & vision (approx. 1.5 days)

Basics of product management:

What is product management?

Tasks and roles of the product manager

Stakeholder management in product management

Defining product vision and strategic goals

OKR (Objectives and Key Results)

Phases of the product life cycle


Design Thinking (approx. 1.5 days)

Introduction to design thinking as a human-centered approach to innovation

Environment, market and competition analysis Identifying potential and risks

Target group definition and market segmentation

Identifying and understanding user needs (pain points, gains)

Value proposition design

Idea generation and brainstorming

Prototyping and customer journey


Business Model Canvas/Lean Canvas (approx. 1 day)

Development and visualization of business models

Creating initial hypotheses for the business model

Identification of value propositions, customer segments, sources of revenue


Artificial intelligence (AI) in the work process

AI technologies and possible applications in product management

Prompting, automation, data analysis


User Research & Usability Testing (Qualitative Methods & Planning) (approx. 1 day)

Consolidation of qualitative research methods (interviews, focus groups)

Design and implementation of user research: planning studies

Usability testing: planning, implementation and evaluation of tests with prototypes


Minimal Viable Product (MVP) (approx. 1 day)

The concept of the MVP: How do I define the smallest functional part that delivers value and offers learning opportunities?

Identification and prioritization of features


Agile requirements engineering (approx. 2 days)

Basics and best practices

Agile methods in requirements elicitation (epics & user stories)

Techniques of requirements documentation and

-visualization

Prioritization and management of requirements (MoSCoW, Value vs. Effort, WSJF)

Stakeholder communication and requirements coordination

Product roadmap: creation and communication of strategic product plans


Product development 4.0 (approx. 2 days)

Agile and hybrid development methods

(Scrum, Kanban)

Digital product design and prototyping

Customized mass production

AI and machine learning in product development

Outlook: Digital engineering and IoT integration


Performance measurement and product optimization (approx. 2 days)

Modern methods of market research and consumer behavior studies

A/B testing and multivariate tests for digital products

Rapid prototyping and MVP (minimum viable product) tests

Data analysis and interpretation of test results

Continuous testing and feedback loops


Pricing (approx. 1 day)

Pricing strategies in digital competition

Pricing and price differentiation

Subscription and freemium models

Data-driven pricing and dynamic pricing

Financial modeling and product controlling


Digital marketing (approx. 1.5 days)

Digital marketing strategies

Sales psychology (e.g. storytelling)

market research

Marketing conception

Communication policy and advertising

Sales channels (direct and online marketing, sales promotion, public relations)

Analysis tools in product management

Marketing concepts - 4P's and 7P's


Product launch and scaling (approx. 2.5 days)

Go-to-market strategies for different product types

Omnichannel sales and e-commerce

Internationalization and local adaptation

Product and brand positioning

Agile project management for product launches

Legal aspects (data protection, product liability,

EU product safety regulation)


Project work, certification preparation and certification examination "Product manager with TÜV Rheinland certified qualification" (approx. 3 days)

E-Commerce

Basics of e-commerce (approx. 2 days)

Introduction to e-commerce and digital commerce

Business models and framework conditions

Players and enablers in e-commerce

Online sales channels and multi-channel strategies


Legal aspects (approx. 2 days)

Legal principles in online trading

Imprint, general terms and conditions and right of withdrawal

Data protection and DSGVO

International B2C online trade

EU product safety regulation: General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)


Artificial intelligence (AI) in the work process

Presentation of specific AI technologies

and possible applications in the professional environment


Online store systems and design (approx. 3 days)

Store systems and comparison of providers

Functionalities and design

Usability and user experience (UX)

Product presentations and descriptions

Checkout process optimization


Online marketing and customer acquisition (approx. 3 days)

Search engine marketing (SEA) and optimization (SEO)

Social media marketing and content strategies

Email marketing and newsletter optimization

Affiliate marketing and influencer cooperations

Display advertising and retargeting


Payment systems and finance (approx. 2 days)

Payment methods and providers in e-commerce

Risk management and fraud prevention

Debt collection and receivables management

Controlling and key figures in online retail


Logistics and fulfillment (approx. 2 days)

E-commerce logistics and shipping options

Warehouse and merchandise management systems

Returns management and optimization

International logistics and customs clearance


Customer service and CRM (approx. 2 days)

Customer service strategies in e-commerce

CRM systems and customer loyalty measures

Complaint management and conflict resolution

After-sales service and customer feedback


Web controlling and data analysis (approx. 2 days)

Web analytics tools and their use

Conversion optimization and A/B testing

Data analysis and interpretation

KPI tracking and reporting


Project work (approx. 2 days)

Conception and implementation of an e-commerce project

Presentation of the project result



Changes are possible. The course content is updated regularly.

You are familiar with the organization of retail businesses, the handling of goods, checkout systems and customers as well as sales promotion measures. You are also familiar with the basics of sales management and personnel management.

The course also offers you a sound introduction to product management, guides you through the key phases of product development and shows you how to develop product strategies.

Furthermore, after this course you will have acquired a sound understanding of all important aspects of online retail. You will be familiar with the legal principles, have mastered the selection and design of store systems and be able to develop effective online marketing strategies.

All persons who wish to acquire basic knowledge in the retail trade, also for professional reorientation.

The course is also aimed at product managers who would like to refresh their knowledge, as well as people from the areas of sales, development and marketing.

You will have a wide range of career prospects in sales, customer service and product presentation. The knowledge you acquire will qualify you for entry-level positions in retail.

As companies want to develop and market their products and services competitively, additional product management skills are in demand across all industries.

After completing the course, you will also have acquired a broad basic knowledge that will enable you to enter various fields of activity in online retail.

You prove your newly acquired knowledge with a TÜV Rheinland-certified qualification.

Didactic concept

Your lecturers are highly qualified both professionally and didactically and will teach you from the first to the last day (no self-study system).

You will learn in effective small groups. The courses usually consist of 6 to 25 participants. The general lessons are supplemented by numerous practical exercises in all course modules. The practice phase is an important part of the course, as it is during this time that you process what you have just learned and gain confidence and routine in its application. The final section of the course involves a project, a case study or a final exam.

 

Virtual classroom alfaview®

Lessons take place using modern alfaview® video technology - either from the comfort of your own home or at our premises at Bildungszentrum. The entire course can see each other face-to-face via alfaview®, communicate with each other in lip-sync voice quality and work on joint projects. Of course, you can also see and talk to your connected trainers live at any time and you will be taught by your lecturers in real time for the entire duration of the course. The lessons are not e-learning, but real live face-to-face lessons via video technology.

 

The courses at alfatraining are funded by Agentur für Arbeit and are certified in accordance with the AZAV approval regulation. When submitting a Bildungsgutscheinor Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein, the entire course costs are usually covered by your funding body.
Funding is also possible via Europäischen Sozialfonds (ESF), Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV) or regional funding programs. As a regular soldier, you have the option of attending further training courses via Berufsförderungsdienst (BFD). Companies can also have their employees qualified via funding from Agentur für Arbeit (Qualifizierungschancengesetz).

We will gladly advise you free of charge.

0800 3456-500 Mon. - Fri. from 8 am to 5 pm
free of charge from all German networks.

Contact

We will gladly advise you free of charge. 0800 3456-500 Mon. - Fri. from 8 am to 5 pm free of charge from all German networks.