Learn Practical Skills At Home

Your comprehensive lessons are clear and well-organized; easy to follow, yet challenging and engaging at the same time. Each lesson begins with an introductory note from your instructor, plus a preview outlining the subject matter and study objectives.

Next comes the reading assignment from your textbook, lesson book or supplemental references. Practice exercises help you check and review the key concepts you’ve learned. Then, turn in your open-book exam (available online) for the lesson, whenever YOU are ready.

In addition to your regular study materials, we'll send you color Me Beautiful’s Looking Your Best. This fascinating guidebook is included with your course at no extra cost. It gives you hundreds of tips on enhancing your personal style. Beautiful photos show you how to select and apply makeup…select clothes and accessories that bring out your best…find a color palette that conveys the image you want…and much more.

Enroll online or call 1-800-535-1613 to speak with an Admission Advisor!

Meet Your Instructor

Kimberly Schorr is chief instructor of The Professional Fashion Retailing Program. She has had more than ten years of progressive experience with Macy's Department Store, where she served as a Regional Merchandise Manager, Buyer, Group Manager, and Sales Manager. She was also a Store Manager for The Limited Stores, Inc. She earned a B.S. in Marketing from Miami University.

Kimblery, along with our courteous, knowledgeable career tutorial staff, will closely monitor your progress. She'll be behind you every step of the way, and is eager to share her many professional secrets with you.

What You’ll Learn Lesson By Lesson in this Course

Lesson 1, Fashion Merchandising: An Introduction. A history of fashion retailing; types of retailers; direct marketing; trends in the retail industry; qualifying for employment; options for self-employment in fashion.

Lesson 2, What is Fashion. The fundamentals of fashion; fads and trends; how fashions develop and spread; the role of style and fashion in contemporary society.

Lesson 3, Consumer Behavior. The psychology of consumer behavior; the sociology of consumer buying patterns; how consumers make fashion purchasing decisions; spending characteristics at different stages of life.

Lesson 4, Store Organization & Management. Creating an organization chart; departmentalizing and decentralizing; recruiting, training, evaluating, and compensating employees.

Lesson 5, The Buyer’s Job. The global marketplace; deciding what and when to buy; buyer and assistant buyer duties; negotiating purchases; fashion forecasting; using reporting services.

Supplement: Time Management Guide. How to work more efficiently and productively.

Lesson 6, Merchandising Pricing. Markup; factors affecting pricing: competition, quality, inventory turnover, promotional activities, store image, alterations, pilferage, and markdowns.

Lesson 7, Advertising & Promotion Sales promotion and advertising basics; promoting the small store; preparing advertising; selecting media; special events; fashion shows; publicity.

Lesson 8, Store Layout & Visual MerchandisingSelecting the right site; exterior and interior layout and design; changing window displays; interior graphics, signage, and display fixtures; using color; props; selecting a theme.

Lesson 9, Fashion Direction & Research. The responsibilities of fashion directors, coordinators, and stylists; fashion trend forecasting; sources of data.

Lesson 10, Preparing a Fashion Show. The three types of fashion shows; working with the promotion calendar; how to develop a theme and budget; publicity; staging, lighting, and music.

Lesson 11, Executing & Evaluating a Fashion Show. Choosing clothes and accessories; selecting and notifying models; the fitting; packing and shipping merchandise; rehearsing; commentating; the closing; critiquing the show.

Lesson 12, The Marketplace. The market calendar; working with store buyers, designers, and wholesale reps; the fashion director’s roles in a buying office, the textile industry, and manufacturing.

Lesson 13, Direct Retailing. Why direct retailing is growing; from retailer to cataloger; competition; kiosks; direct mail; targeted mailing lists; opportunities in cable television.

Supplement: Franchising. Kinds of franchises and franchise arrangements; the mobile franchise; finding a franchiser; franchising costs; understanding the contract; franchise trends.

Lesson 14, Personal Shopping. Essentials for the salesperson; keys to successful selling; suggesting additional merchandise; promoting future business; sources of product information.

Lesson 15, Merchandise Handling & Loss Prevention. Centralized receiving; branch and chain store receiving; inventory shortages; detecting and preventing shoplifting.

Lesson 16, Inventory Control. Accounting procedures; inventory, dollar, unit, and expense control; stock turnover; the expense budget; classifying the various expenses.

Lesson 17, Customer Service & Credit. Why retailers give credit; kinds of retail credit; personal shopping; gift wrapping; the gift registry; alterations; approaches to improve customer service.

Supplement: Career Search Guide. Finding career opportunities; your résumé; acing the interview; getting off to the right start.