Retail Management Degree Online
There was a time when all a person needed to secure a retail management position was to acquire a job at a clothing outlet, general merchandise shop, grocer or superstore, and work their hardest and at a high enough level to garner attention. However, times have changed and more and more these positions are going to individuals who have studied retail management online or at an accredited college or university. Nowadays, earning a retail management degree online is almost essential for professionals looking to advance in this industry.
Retail Management Degree Online Description
Fortunately, it is quite easy to study retail management online while still working part or full time, thus allowing aspiring managers to complete their education while still earning valuable work experience. Most programs that offer a retail management degree online focus on developing the necessary human relations, managerial, marketing, communication, and financial skills required for those working in a retail management position. Coursework should cover all of the tools and techniques required to perform the job at an exceptional level.
Web-based studies can result in a certificate, two-year, or four-year retail management degree online. While it is up to the individual which option they pursue, the fact is that many employers feel the more education a prospective manager receives, the better. Some sample retail management online courses offered at popular institutions include retail merchandise management, introduction to entrepreneurship, Internet marketing and e-commerce, brand development, customer service fundamentals, business statistics, and organizational communications.
Retail Management Careers
By studying retail management online aspiring professionals can prepare themselves for a multitude of different career options, including retail salesperson, retail manager, and purchasing manager. Retail salespersons help customers find merchandise, describe a product’s features, and often show a product in action. They are also required to complete financial transactions and may be asked to perform inventory-related duties. Both full and part time positions are available in this field, and according to the 2010-11 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, the roughly 4.5 million retail salespeople employed in 2008 earned a median hourly salary of $9.86.
On the other hand, department and store managers are the supervisors charged not only with overseeing the performance of employees, but making sure that all aspects of their department or store are in good working order. Retail managers are more likely to be required to possess a retail management degree online. They may be tasked with hiring and firing staff members, setting prices, ordering and promoting merchandise, and other business and financial tasks. Retail supervisors and managers earn a median wage of $16.97 per hour across all industries, according to the 2010-11 (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook.