Fashion Buying & Merchandising

Course details

The Fashion Buying & Merchandising FETAC level 5 course is a comprehensive course designed for aspiring fashion planners, fashion buyers, merchandisers, retail managers and those involved in fashion sales promotion. It is an excellent choice for anybody interested in adding new skills to their existing role or who wish a career change or to gain employment.

This course is delivered by qualified and skilled professionals who offer unique insights and years of experience in fashion merchandising and buying. You will gain practical insights into the exciting world based on real national and international global brands.

Fashion Buyers have an important role withing the retail sector, from observing the latest trends, to choosing the right product line, to arranging continuity of supply for that season, to final product decision making. The complex and challenging nature of this role involves negotiating the best prices and during the course you will have the opportunity to participate in mock negotiation scenarios.

You will be encouraged to attend trade shows, fashion shows and other events during the course, to ensure you are aware of the latest trends in men, women's or children's wear and other product lines. You will engage in trend forecasting to ensure that the season's collections match with consumer expectations.

An important aspect of the course is learning to know the customer. You will study the market context in which fashion buyers and merchandisers operate, along with the commercial viability. The role the customer plays in influencing and informing buying is essential and you will learn new techniques in customer profiling.

There is no exam but an emphasis on practical assessment which you will find highly engaging . You will be required to prepare a project around an organisation of your choice as well as a Collection of work made up of completed assignments made up throughout the course.

Course Aims

To provide you with critical understanding of :

• Relationships between retailers, buyers, manufacturers and customers
• Characteristics, processes and terms involved in fashion merchandising
• Role and impact of customer profiling
• Range of current factors and influences which affect the fashion cycle
• Different types of retailing organisations
• Organisation charts which illustrate roles and staffing within a retail store
• Seasonal calendars, range plans, and financial range plans
• Boards with customer profiles and/or factors which are influencing the cycle of fashion
• The purpose and activities of promotion
• Market analysis and promotional plan for a fashion retailer
• Analyse the importance of visual, technical and aesthetic qualities when presenting work

Eligibility

Open to people from a wide variety of backgrounds.

What do I get doing the course?

• A complete Complete set of Course Notes for each unit is yours to have when you join the course.
• Access to online resources is available through a secure login page. .

What are the progression routes?

You can automatically progress on to the Managing the Supply Chain Diploma level 6 upon satisfactory completion of this course.