Kara Nicole Hamalainen
Perry's Department Store
This course was a simulation of a fake department store, called "Perry's", where students were broken up into groups and represented a different "department" in the store. Within these "departments", each student was then assigned a category in which they were required to focus their individual projects toward. My group's assigned "department" was Men's Contemporary, and my specific category was men's outerwear. Found below are all the major projects completed in this course, including the three individual assignments along with the final group project.
01
Trend Research
The first step in the process was to research current fashion trends, utilize industry resources, and forecast future trends. This project allowed me to understand and develop strategies in the distribution channel that links manufacturers to consumers. I also learned how to apply qualitative and quantitative analytical skills to illustrate planning, sourcing, and buying products for profit. Click the button to the left to view the entire assignment.
02
Sales Plan
The sales plan was made to determine the amount of inventory needed to meet the required sales goal. This assignment provided me with a way to practice with concepts such as average inventory, stock/sales ratio, markdown purchases at retail/cost, and gross margin. Click the button to the right to view the entire assignment.
03
Assortment Plan
After creating the sales plan, the assortment plan is required to map out how the purchase dollars will be spent. These purchase dollars must be spent on inventory tailored to the needs of the target market. The assortment plan allows each classification (color, size, fabric, and price line) to be evaluated independently to pinpoint areas for sales growth and enable precise planning of dollar sales. Click the button on the left to view the entire assignment.
04
Group Project
After completing all three individual projects above, our group came together to compile all of our research into one project for the men's contemporary department. We observed places in which our research overlapped and even created a combined sales plan to represent the sales for the department as a whole. This project really gave me great practice with concepts such as demographics, SWOT analysis, micro and macro environmental trends, industry trends, key drivers, and filling a white space. Click the button on the right to view the full paper.
