Unit 9 Retail Mathematics For Buying and Merchandising: Structure
Unit 9 Retail Mathematics For Buying and Merchandising: Structure
Unit 9 Retail Mathematics For Buying and Merchandising: Structure
Structure
9.0 Objectives
9.1 Introduction
9.0 OBJECTIVES
describe various Retail financial formulas that are applicable while buying
and merchandising;
explain how are these formulas helpful for different strategies of pricing.
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9.1 INTRODUCTION
In Retail, all the activities are directly related to the sale of goods and services to
the final consumer for personal and non-business use. It is simply an exchange of
goods and service for final consumption. While doing so, though the exchange of
goods and service for a value or transaction is very important, the focus is on the
customer satisfaction, so as to retain the customer for the repeat patronage. In this
unit, you will learn about the definitions and meaning of terms that are used while
practicing Retail buying and merchandising. You will further learn financial
while buying for Retail as well as for merchandising. Your will also learn about
different pricing strategies in Retail.
These above financial formulas are helpful to study the basic of Retail Store’s
cost, margin, performance indices of the Store and its constituents.
The changes in retailing operation are rapid and competitive. The merchandisers
and front end associates are always under pressure to meet twin primary
expectations that are, customer satisfaction and Store’s better performance. The
tools or formulas for financial are defined as follows. (For better understanding,
you should substitute the formulas with numbers and practiced over and again.)
The purpose of studying the formulas of Retail financials is to prepare you to take
right decision while performing activities related to merchandising and its
implications on the function of Retail. This chapter will explain you the key
formulas and methods that help to take financial decisions you are required to
learn and apply in the Retail profession. A thorough understanding of the retailing
mathematics is essential for the successful completion of your learning
programme. The following problems are intended to give you a better idea of the
type of math you will be applying as part of your learning.
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An understanding of these types of problems will give you the edge you will need
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in order to succeed in the Retailer . Retail math formulas have been provided to
guide you in working through these problems.
There are several terms which are frequently used in buying and merchandising.
Let us learn them in detail.
Cost is the amount the Retailer pays for the merchandise while doing the
purchases.
Retail price is the price at which Stores offer the merchandise to consumers.
Operating Income is sales volume (net sales) indicates how much merchandise
has been sold.
Cost of Goods Sold is the amount paid for the goods sold also known as COGS.
Operating Expenses are all the expenses, other than COGS, incurred in the
buying/selling process. For example, the cost of freight, insurance, transportation,
warehousing, electricity, packing, storing, material movement, labeling, marking,
visual merchandising, Store design and decoration etc.,
Gross Sales – the sum amount received for goods during a given period. This
does not take into account any goods returns or price reductions.
Net Sales – Total sales minus customer returns and allowances from the gross
sales. Merchandisers must determine the retail price for the items they purchase
based on the amount they can afford to pay a Supplier for the merchandise. If the
retail price is fixed without checking the cost of goods at purchase, the Retailer
may end up in loss. There are many factors which govern the pricing of the goods
including the cost at which the goods are purchased. 111
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Direct Expenses : Expenses that are specific to merchandise or a department and
would exist till the merchandise or department continues in the Retail Store. For
example – if the Store sells umbrella, rainwear, caps etc. during the pre and
during monsoon seasons, the salaries of buying and sales teams, departmental
advertising, In-Store promotion, selling supplies, and customer delivery expenses
are known as direct expense for the merchandise mix or department.
Gross Margin
Gross margin is the difference between what an item cost and for what it sells.
Retailer s use the different method of inventory calculation. But general method
112 of calculating inventory is stated below:
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The purpose of calculating the inventory is to know how much stock of
Buying and Merchandising
merchandise is in the Store at a given point of time and to determine the cost
value of the stock. The Retail Store cannot afford to over or under stock of
inventory of any kind. It shall stock only on the basis of meaningful sales
projection, demand estimate, season’s forecast and merchandise planning.
1. Define Cost.
…………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………
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9.3.1 Vendor Negotiations
While negotiating with the Vendors following discounts are taken into
consideration:
Trade Discount
Quantity Discount
Promotional Discount
Seasonal Discount
Cash Discount
Delivery Terms
Let us learn them in detail.
List price – Rs. 1,000 per kitchen set. Trade discount is offered at 20% that is Rs.
200 per kitchen set. This discount of 20% is given if a Retailer achieves the target
of selling 1000 units in specified period or a season. Assume that the Retailer
achieves the sales of 1000 units, then his cost of goods is Rs. 800 per kitchen set
as he is offered 20% as a trade discount by the seller.
Cash Discount: It is a discount offered to the Retailer for the prompt payment of
bills (within a specified period of time).
End-of-Season (EOS): allows the Retailer to take a cash discount and the full
payment period to begin on the first day of the following season instead of on the
invoice date.
In addition to these discounts, the delivery terms are also an important area of
Vendor’s negotiation.
There are several losses in the merchandise Store. Let us learn a few losses.
Shrinkage: It is the loss of merchandise due to theft, loss, damage, or
accounting or book-keeping errors.
Employee theft: It occurs when employees of the Retailer steal merchandise
where they work.
Shoplifting: It occurs when customers or individuals disguised as customers
steal merchandise from the Retailer ’s store.
Check Your Progress B
Open-To-Buy
Good retailing is all about serving the customer well by maintaining the likable
merchandise. Good inventory management is critical to ensuring an adequate
level of stock on hand for the amount of sales being generated. High inventory (or
the wrong type) during certain periods (say lean period, can slow your cash flow
and reduce profits with too many markdowns (which refers to reduction in Retail
price of merchandise). At the same time, Low level of inventory may cause the
Retailer to miss sales opportunities and resulting in losing potential profit. To
help the Retailer to overcome this dilemma, and to stock the right amount of the
right products at the right time, use of Open-To-Buy (OTB) plan is a handy.
To make the most of seasonal discounts or volume discounts from the Vendors or
to take advantage of special buys or to add new products, some of the OTB
budget should be held back. This also allows the Retailer to replenish to fast-
moving merchandise and quickly restock the shelves. OTB plan and budget
summary can be maintained for the whole store or department wise. This measure
will give the Retailer an advantage of having good control over the stock and the
investment made thereof.
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The Open-To-Buy Formula
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Planned Sales
+ Planned Markdowns
+ Planned End of Month Inventory
- Planned Beginning of Month Inventory
----------------------------------------
= Open-To-Buy (Retail)
For example, a Retailer has an inventory level of Rs150,000 on February 1st and
planned Rs152,000 End of Month inventory for February 28th. The planned sales
for the Store are Rs48,000 with Rs750 in planned markdowns. Therefore, the
Retailer has Rs50,750 Open-To-Buy at retail.
Note: Multiply that number by the initial markup to reach the OTB at cost. If our
markup is 40%, then our Open-To-Buy at cost is Rs20,300. Look at Table 9.1
which shows sample table of Six month OTB plan as normally practiced in major
Retailer s.
There are few methods of calculation that help the Retailer to add or reduce the
margin depends upon the market dynamics. To react fast to the high demand or to
make the stock turn fast or sell off the non-moving or slow moving stock, the
Retailer has to make some decisions either by adding or reducing the margin. Let
us learn the formulas helpful to the Retailer to take decisions suitably.
Mark up: Markup is the difference between the cost of an item and the retail or
selling price of the item.
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Markup can be expressed in rupees or as a percentage.
Basic Markup: A percentage added to the cost to get the retail selling price.
Example:
Cost of an Electrical cooker: Rs 2000 (at purchase by the Retailer for selling)
Markup: 20%
In the above case, The Markup % is (20% added) worked out on the cost of the
goods purchased (Rs. 2000).
Please note the most Retailer s calculate the Markup percent on retail selling
price and not at the cost by which they purchased the goods.
Formula:
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Step 2: Cost (at purchase) = Rs 2000
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In simple words;
Margin %: Margin is the amount of gross profit made when an item is sold. And
if represented in %, then it is called as Margin %
Example:
= Rs 1500/ Rs. 20000 = 0.075 ( and to convert into %, then multiply 0.075 100)
= 7.5% = Margin %
Example:
Markdown is = Rs 2000 (10% of the Retail Price that is, 10% of Rs. 20000
Reductions
Reductions are the total sum of markdowns, discounts and shortages of all
merchandise in value terms of a particular period. The formula for arriving at
Reductions is as follows:
Retailer has to be sensitive about what the store buys and sells. The selling,
though is a simple transaction, for long term operation with profit, the Retailer
has to retail with some sensible decisions. Following are some of the tips on the
pricing decisions and selling practices.
There are many external and internal environmental factors that influence and
affect profitability and a Retailer 's bottom line. Fixing the right price is a right
step toward achieving that profit. Retailer s are in business to make a profit, but
figuring out what and how to price products may not come easily.
Before one can determine what retail pricing decision to set the right price, it is
essential to know the costs associated with the products. Two key elements in
factoring product cost is the cost of goods and the amount of operating expense.
The cost of goods sold includes the amount paid for the product, plus any
shipping or handling expenses (explained in earlier chapters). The cost of
operating the business, or operating expense, includes overhead, payroll,
marketing and office supplies.
Regardless of the pricing strategy used, the Retail price of the products should
more than cover the cost of obtaining the goods plus the expenses related to
operating and fixed expenses of the business. A Retailer simply cannot afford to
sell any merchandise for a loss.
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Pricing Strategies
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In above paragraph, you have learnt what and how our products actually cost.
Now, we should look at how our competition is pricing their products. Retailer s
will also need to examine their channels of distribution and study what the market
is willing to pay.
The pricing strategies explained here are for our clear understanding and one has
to choose an appropriate or set of pricing techniques depending on the
circumstances.
Competitive Pricing: Consumers have many choices and are generally willing
to shop around to receive the best price. Retailer s considering a competitive
pricing strategy will need to provide outstanding customer service to stand above
the competition.
Pricing below competition simply means pricing products lower than the
competitor's price. This strategy works well if the Retailer negotiates the best
prices, reduces costs and develops a marketing strategy to focus on price specials.
This is possible when the Retailer procures directly from the manufacturers
instead of doing so from the distribution channel members.
Keystone Pricing is not a popular one as though it was done earlier. This is
having more than 100 percent margin on the cost of goods sold. Doubling the cost
paid for merchandise was once the rule of pricing products, but very few products
these days allow a Retailer to keystone the product price.
Discount Pricing and Price Reductions are another common Retail pricing
technique. Discounting can include coupons, rebates, seasonal prices and other
promotional markdowns.
The practice of Retail financial management can be classified broadly into three
main areas, namely financial while buying and inventory planning for Retail,
financial while performing merchandising function for the Retail Stores and
financial while pricing of merchandise. These financial formulas are helpful in
studying the basics of Retail Store’s cost, margin, performance indices and its
constituents.
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or slow moving stock, the Retailer has to make some decisions either by adding
or reducing the margin.
The selling, though is a simple transaction, for long term operation with profit, the
Retailer has to retail with some sensible decisions and follow various pricing
strategies depending upon the situation.
Margin: Profit from the difference between costs and net sales.
Sales Projection: Estimation of the total sales to be made based upon partial sales
results.
Activities
1. Visit a Retail Store and prepare the six months open-to-buy plan for
an assortment category, say jeans.
2. Make a comparative chart for the pricing system of a Retail Store
during the festival season.
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