Over 20 students participated in the ‘Introduction to Merchandising’ programme conducted by Gemological Institute of America (GIA) India at its Mumbai campus in March 2018. The comprehensive four-day course covered the planning, development and implementation of a strategy to meet sales targets.
“Merchandising, both product and visual, is a key component of any jewellery business. There was great interest in this course from jewellers and professionals wishing to build a career in merchandising. The participants gained insight from the course to benefit their businesses and add value to the industry,” said Nirupa Bhatt, managing director of GIA India & Middle East.
The Introduction to Merchandising programme helped participants develop an understanding of the Indian jewellery marketplace and its target markets. This included learning how to choose a market position and appropriately target customers and understand relevant product assortment development, planning and marketing. Participants were also taught the concepts of budgeting and forecasting, the development of category and price point plans, how to make manufacturing and buying decisions, the concept of inventory management, and how to use visual merchandising strategies to maximise the sales process.
One of the participants, Prachi Adeshra, a GIA graduate gemmologist, said, “It’s a useful course for newcomers and millennials interested in retail, wholesale or merchandising or manufacturing jewellery. The programme is also a great platform to network with people coming from all around the country with real experiences.”
GIA India also offers full-time courses on diamonds, coloured stones, pearls, jewellery design and more. In addition, GIA India conducts trade education seminars and retail sales associate training programmes on various topics across more than 180 cities in India.