12/26/2024 6:54:38 AM	FASH 57 Course Outline as of Fall 2010	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  FASH 57	Title:  FASHION BUYING
Full Title:  Fashion Buying
Last Reviewed:2/22/2010

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

This course will introduce students to all duties and responsibilities of a buyer with emphasis on buying strategy. Included are types of retail stores and locations, merchandise selection, sale promotions, merchandise plans, inventory and assortments, pricing and selling. This class will prepare students for careers in retailing.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

This course will introduce students to all duties and responsibilities of a buyer with emphasis on buying strategy. Included are types of retail stores and locations, merchandise selection, sale promotions, merchandise plans, inventory and assortments, pricing and selling. This class will prepare students for careers in retailing.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1997	Inactive:	Fall 2016
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Certificate Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1.    Identify the differences among discount stores, department stores, outlets, and membership-club stores.

2.    Differentiate among a strip mall, shopping mall, and discount mall.

3.    Explain the various methods used to communicate with the consumer.

4.    Describe fashion trends that relate to demographics or lifestyles.

5.    Distinguish the differences of various brand and labels in different types of stores.

6.    List resources from which retail buyers obtain merchandise.

7.    Recognize the differences between turnover and stock-to-sales ratios relative to ordering merchandise.

8.    Interpret various aspects of financial income statements.

9.    Illustrate importance of overages and shortages in inventory through problem solving.

10.  Prepare a six-month financial plan for sales relative to the retailer objectives.

11.  Evaluate the dollar amounts of the open-to-buy plan.

12.  Demonstrate negotiations skills using various techniques in purchasing goods at market.

Topics and Scope

I.  The Retail Environment

   A.  Today's buying environment

   B.  The buying function in retailing

   C.  Buying for different types of stores

II. Identifying and Understanding the Customer

   A. Consumer buying habits

   B. Analyzing market segments

         1. Demographic data

         2. Geographic data

         3. Psychographic data

   C.  Gathering and processing information/data

   D.  Resources for making buying decisions

   E.  Forecasting and making buying decisions

   F.  Buying fashion merchandise

III. Retail Business Operations Management

   A. Financial dimensions

         1. Net sales

         2. Cost of goods sold

         3. Gross profits (margin)

         4. Operating expenses

         5. Net profit before taxes

    B. Operations Dimensions

       1. Store format and size

       2. Personnel utilization

       3. Maintenance

       4. Inventory management

       5. Security

       6. Insurance

 IV. Purchase Planning and Merchandise Control

   A.  Outlining a merchandise plan

       1. What merchandise to stock

       2. How much to buy

       3. When to buy

       4. Where to store

   B.  Factors in merchandise quality planning

       1. Target market

       2. Retailer's image

       3. Store location

       4. Knowing the competition

       5. Manufacturer's brands versus promotional brands

   C. Pricing in retail

   D.  Inventory control

V.  Merchandise Resources

   A.  Selecting vendors and building partnerships with them

   B.  Buying from domestic sources

   C.  Buying from foreign markets

VI.  Buying Techniques

   A.  Negotiation in the market place

   B.  Making the purchase

VII.  Additional Responsibilities of the Buyer

   A.  Pricing the merchandise

   B.  Promoting the merchandise

Assignments:

1.  Visit and compare types of stores: chain stores, retail stores and independent stores and write 1-2 pages describing buying environment and fashion trends observed

2.  Write a fashion buying plan (approximately 10-15 pages)

3.  Conduct online research to determine demographics of a market segment in a particular area of California or the U.S. Write a 3-5 page analysis of market segments and projected buying habits.

4.  Track current fashions and forecast following season's merchandise by collecting photos and articles. Organize in a manufacturer's notebook and write a 2-5 page analysis supporting your forecast.

5.  Complete worksheets (2-5) on financial operations management

6.  Read text (10-30 pages per week) and prepare for participation in class discussions

7.  Tests (1-3); final exam

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 20 - 30%
Short papers; merchandise notebook; fashion buying plan
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 30 - 40%
Worksheets; questionnaire
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 15 - 25%
Role playing
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 25 - 35%
Multiple choice, true/false, completion
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 10%
Attendance and participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Merchandise Buying and Management, by John Donnellan, Fairchild Pub, 3rd Ed, 2007.

Optional additional text: Merchandising Mathematics by Antigone Kotsiopulos, Fairchild Publishing, 1995 (classic in field).

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