Do you have an eye for design? Would you like to style in-store displays and plan exhibitions? If so, visual merchandising is the ideal career for you.
The Certificate of Visual Merchandising is an online professional development course that will tap into your eye for design and provide you with the knowledge and skills to work in the exciting visual merchandising industry.
In this online visual merchandising course you will learn how to plan and manage store advertising and promotions, pricing policies and merchandising displays. You will discover how to interpret organisational visual merchandising plans and manuals and monitor in-store displays to ensure they reflect current merchandising directions.
On completion of this course you will understand the fundamental design principles of visual merchandising and will feel confident to supervise and coordinate store displays to merchandising standards.
Course Structure
Unit 1 - Plan a career in retail
- Career opportunities
- Advisory services
- Education and training requirements
- How to access information
- Evaluate levels of interest in retail
- Retail buyers
- Optimum career preferences
- Skill development requirements
- Stages of skills development
- Current personal skills and knowledge
- Taking ownership of career
- Personal learning needs
- 3 steps to gaining skills
- Professional development
- Skills development
- Career progression
- Collate skills assessment
Unit 2 - Visual merchandising displays
- Produce visual merchandise display
- Review display guidelines
- Seek clarification
- Displaying
- Research expeditions
- Determining products and themes
- Organisational requirements
- Constraints on displays
- Creative thinking
- Identify key checks
- Feedback
- Display planning
- Colour and symmetry
- Obtain merchandise materials
- Equipment for display
- Determine quantities
- Resource considerations
- Display area space
- Product labels and price tickets
- Individual tickets and shelf tickets
- Damaged or incorrect tickets
- Labelling and ticketing equipment
- Unpacking merchandise
- Manufacturer’s instructions
- Safety
- Display merchandise
- Produce the display
- Visual merchandising guidelines
- Depict information correctly
- Steps to producing a display
- Placing the merchandise
- Balance
- Focus
- Backdrop
- Lighting
- Risers and props
- Labels and tickets
- Product type
- Handling and moving stock safely
- Storing and displaying stock
- Legislative requirements
- Health and safety
- Manual handling
- Correct lifting technique
- Prompt return of excess stock
- Waste removal
- Minimising and separating waste
- Maintain display
- Review displays
- Effectiveness of display
- Reset and dismantle special displays
- Identify unsuitable displays
- Correct product and pricing information
- Maintain clear and correct pricing
- Competition and consumer legislation
- Damaged or out of date stock
- Rotate rotation
- Maintain appearance of display
- Cleaning of display
- Interactive displays
Unit 3 - Coordinate visual merchandising
- Coordinate visual merchandise requirements
- Visual merchandising guidelines
- Basic display purpose
- Organisational requirements
- Creative thinking rules
- Planning
- Symmetrical and asymmetrical designs
- Checklists
- Communication skills
- Use appropriate language
- Paralanguage pace and tone
- Body language
- Non-verbal communication
- Timing for dismantling a display
- Timeline plans
- Display requirements
- Communicate roles and responsibilities
- Promotional and special event displays
- Supervise visual merchandise activities
- Construction and maintenance of displays
- Balance and visual impact
- Health and safety requirements
- Manual handling
- Ensure display is accurately promoted
- Visual display checklist
- Label and tickets
- Minimise disruption
- Organisational standards
- Reset and dismantle special displays
- Identify unsuitable displays
- Replenishment of stock
- Stock rotation
- Impact of visual merchandise
- Evaluate promotions and special events
- Determine impact on sales
- Advantages and disadvantages of promotions
- Customer feedback
- Complaints
- Impact on sales results
- Reporting visual merchandise displays
- Graphical presentations
- Continuous improvement
- PDCA cycle
- Suggestions for improvements
Unit 4 - Visual merchandising
- Visual merchandising plan
- Window displays
- Source resources
- Presentation construction
- Promotions and special events
- Balance and visual impact
- Monitoring displays
- Maintaining displays
- Changes and additions
- Merchandise and stock rotation
- Merchandise pricing
- Elasticity of demand
- Ticketing
Unit 5 - Plan, create and maintain displays
- Identify purpose, audience and products
- Organisational requirements
- Budget and resources to create display
- Constraints that may affect creation of display
- Display ideas
- Creative thinking techniques
- Creative thinking rules
- Test ideas against display requirements
- Display options
- Modify display ideas
- Plan and build displays
- Develop simple display plans
- The key to the previous steps
- Checklists
- Source resources, materials and products
- Create display
- Seek assistance from relevant personnel
- Review display
- Make refinements
- Maintain displays
- Clean and tidy displays
- Replace products as necessary
- Make changes and alterations
Unit 6 - Merchandise products
- Merchandising displays
- Merchandise placement
- Unpacking merchandise
- Health and safety
- Stock levels
- Aesthetics
- Access and safety
- Product promotion
- Visual impact
- Balance and symmetry
- Stock rotation
- Labels and tickets
- Merchandise presentation
- Electronic ticketing
- Reset and dismantle displays
- Identify unsuitable displays
- Maintain correct pricing
- Identify optimum stock levels
- Protect merchandise
Unit 7 - Manage store presentation and pricing
- Manage store merchandising
- Visual presentation standards
- Layout and traffic flow
- Stock characteristics
- Product placement
- Space allocation
- Pricing and promotions
- Displays
- Profitability
- Merchandising and display plans
- Layout assessment checks
- Design and layout
- Stock layout
- Manage housekeeping
- Store policies and procedures
- Housekeeping schedules
- Housekeeping rosters
- Contingency planning
- Manage store pricing
- Cost plus pricing
- Competitive based pricing
- Target pricing
- Skimming
- Penetration pricing
- Prestige/Premium pricing
- Variable pricing
- Price cutting
- Psychological pricing
- Pricing trends
- Market trends
- Finance market
- Other indicators/trends
- Ethical purchasing
- Plan and manage promotions
- Market research
- Advertising and signage
- Staff training
- Negotiating with suppliers
- Returns and unsold goods
- Reporting on promotions
Study Hours
Estimated duration 100 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Testimonials
The experience was very good, information was well written and presented
M.Bartucca, Airport West, VIC | Certificate of Visual Merchandising
I found studying online a very simple and convenient way of gaining a new qualification.
I would highly recommend AOC to others
K. Gilley, Old Beach, TAS | Certificate of Visual Merchandising
Been fantastic, thank you for all your assistance and support
T. Pantic, Kensington, NSW | Certificate of Visual Merchandising
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no entry requirements or pre-requisites for entry into this program.
How long will it take to complete this course?
The approximate study hours for this course is 100 hours. Twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply).
Can I purchase optional printed materials?
Yes! The cost for printed materials for this course is $50 per unit. Total cost for optional printed materials is: $350.00. Printed materials are available for purchase at any time and not require to complete this course. Everything you need to complete the course is provided online via our e-learning system.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
Will I receive a certificate upon completion of this course?
Yes! You will receive a Certificate of Attainment upon successful completion of your assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our e-learning system and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and Direct Deposit
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
- Visual Merchandiser
- Senior Visual Merchandising Coordinator
- Retail Sales Assistant
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