Course 2022-2023 a.y.

After a full immersion in the dynamics of visual merchandising and store management, the student will use theory and methods for observing and understanding store experience. After an attentive analysis of the transformation of the individual derived through observation, the students (in groups) will re-define the buying process and its meaning. In a final project applied to a specific area of retail, each group will create a store concept and strategy, indicating possible transformations to the buying process. 

In short, the topics discussed during the course include:

• The store as a tool to communicate, consolidate the brand equity, maximize space productivity.
• The store design planning process.
• The space experienced, the space perceived, the ideal space.
• Social interaction vs privacy
• The reaction to the ambient
• Visual merchandising aims and tools.
• Visual merchandising and communication outside of the store.
• Visual merchandising and communication inside of the store.

Acquire advanced knowledge related to:

• Issues of strategic retailing and scenario analyses, in particular:
  • The new role of the store as a communication tool adding value to the brand and the store identity.
  • The store design planning process.
  • The behavior of shoppers in terms of space experienced, space perceived and ideal space.
• Issues of operational and tactical retailing, in particular:
  • Processes of configuration and management of store atmosphere.
  • Methods of in-store communication management.
  • Methodologies and tools for managing visual merchandising.

1. Apply acquired knowledge related to issues of strategic retailing and scenario analyses, in order to:

• Work out strategic marketing analysis to support innovative retailing decisions.
• Identify the key factors that influence shoppers emotions and purchasing behaviors, as well as apply various research methodologies to them.
• Develop a retail innovation project to take advantage of the opportunities related to the development of omnichannel retailing.

2. Apply acquired knowledge related to issues of operational and tactical retailing, in order to:

• Define store positioning, its elements, assess store image, store identity and implement actions of in-store brand equity.
• Manage in-store communication.
• Plan the store atmosphere from external communication, to internal design, layout and display.

• Face-to-face lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Company visits
• Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
• Group assignments

In addition to one-on-one lectures, the course includes:

• One or more guest speeches by managers from retail and/or brand companies aimed at better understanding the main trends in the retail sector and how visual merchandising and/or in-store brand equity are applied as well as the relationships among clients-products-space.
• A group assignment that consists of creating an innovative project for a concept at the distribution level.

Attending status is envisaged with the constraint imposed by Bocconi University of the 75% attendance threshold (also online in synchronous mode) to assign the “attending” status to a student, because the interaction between class, professor and managers is an essential condition for learning.

The course requires attending students (attendance: 75% in class and also online in synchronous mode) to:

1)    answer a written exam based on the course materials. It is made up of open and closed answers questions.The exam will not cover face-to-face and video testimonials.

2)    prepare a group project on store innovation in English based on requisite put forth in class. Evaluation criteria: method followed (analysis, process, results); proposed solutions (creativity, innovation, coherence); document graphics (user-friendly, clarity, organization, editing); in-class presentation (synthesis, clarity, interest evoked).

Grading modality will be as follows: 40% individual exam, 60% group project.

The assessment method for non-attending students is based on a final exam in written form. It is made up of open and/or closed answers questions referring to the concepts and models contained in the course materials. The exam will not cover face-to-face and video testimonials.

The open and/or closed answers questions are aimed at verifying learning of the analytical and management abilities and their correct comprehension, and at assessing the ability to apply the knowledge students learned when studying the course materials.

K. ZAGHI, Visual Merchandising, In-store Communication to Enhance Customer Value, Egea, 2018: chapters 4-5-6-7.

K. ZAGHI, Visual Merchandising, In-store Communication to Enhance Customer Value, Egea, 2018.