Welcome to Retail Immersion
Retail Immersion (RI) is a team-based immersive learning programme where delegates experience, first-hand, the reality of managing a retail business.
Set over two days, RI is an interactive and educational programme that sees teams take full responsibility for the management of a live retail business within a virtual marketplace guided by real-time data and outcomes. Retail Immersion challenges delegates via a series of learning experiences that span the many complexities required to successfully manage a retail business. These include retail strategy, financials, operations and management to enable your people to better understand and operate as retailers (I.e., your customers).
Developed by retailers and wholesalers, this immersive experiential programme embeds learning for immediate ROI and long-term improvement in your team’s commercial capability. Led exclusively by senior commercial leaders with a wealth of first-hand experience and knowledge, RI delivers an accelerated apprenticeship in retail management.
The Programme
During the two days, teams are required to manage a full retail P&L over four financial years with the purpose of becoming the most successful retailer in the marketplace.
Participating in a series of exercises, modelling financial scenarios and making strategic and tactical decisions, the teams are required to strategise and manage at every level of a retail business model, including:
| Strategy | Operations | Inventory | Portability |
| Retail Execution | Store layouts | Category | Supply chain |
| Ranging | Pricing | Staff | Expenditure |
| Investment | Depreciation | Competitors | Economic factors |
Much like the real world, teams receive market updates and competitor data, challenging them to think strategically and problem-solve in real-time.
At the conclusion of the programme, delegates possess an in-depth understanding of the strategic, tactical and operational demands required to manage a successful retail business.
Learning Outcomes
Retail Immersion aids first-hand experience and understanding. Empower your team with first-hand knowledge and an understanding of how retailers think and the pressures they face. This will enable them to influence retailer behaviour for mutually beneficial outcomes.
- Understand the ‘why’ behind retailer decisions and behaviours
- Understand ‘how’ retailer needs and priorities influence in-market actions
- Understand ‘what’ the complexities of running a retail operation are
Experience and understanding for a competitive advantage. Retail Immersion provides your people with first-hand experience in, and an understanding of, managing a retail business. This experience and understanding leads to wholistic thinking, collaborative strategy setting and improved decision making, giving you a strategic advantage with your customers versus your competition. Leveraging a deeper understanding of retailer business models enables you to:
