10 Free Retail Training Programs
We’ve selected some of the best retail training programs to tap into the most important sales knowledge and skills that each retail worker needs to compete successfully in this fast-paced industry. The topics range from retail ergonomics, stocking, visual merchandising, and digital retailing, each prepared in videos, games, and short modules. Keep scrolling to learn more.
1. Ergonomics (for Retail)
Investing in retail ergonomics secures a safe and comfortable working space for your employees, which can help motivate them to provide well-rounded customer service. In this 5-part course by EdApp, you’ll learn more about the principles of retail ergonomics and the how-tos of applying this solution to your workstation. You and your team will also get to know better the proper lifting techniques, recommended working posture, preferred work zones, and merchandise stocking tips to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which are increasingly common among retail workers in America.
Built to fit the busy schedule of your retail team, the content of this mini training has been separated into short but more concentrated modules that will only take as little as 5 minutes to complete. Unlike other learning management systems, EdApp allows your workers to complete their courses even while they're on the go.
Price: Free
Scope: Ergonomic principles and their benefits, the how-tos of applying the solution to the workplace, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), storewide ergonomic solutions such as proper lifting, working posture, work zones, and stocking tips
Created By EdApp
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2. Heavy Lifting (in Retail)
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2018 that the number of injuries and illnesses in retail trade has increased by approximately 4%, and 40,000 of those cases are strains and sprains caused by heavy lifting. One of the best ways to prevent these unfortunate incidents is by implementing a regular employee training program or onboarding courses that can help educate your team on the current safety standards on heavy lifting. Look no further - this EdApp course touches on the key principles of heavy lifting, including its potential hazards and equivalent retail solutions. It also outlines some safety lifting techniques alongside some expert tips to stay safe and injury-free throughout this risky task.
This EdApp course contains gamified quizzes such as true or false, letter jumble, and elevator games to make the learning experience more fun and exciting for your learners. To encourage friendly competition among them, a scoring system, leaderboards, and real prizes can be enabled as well.
Price: Free
Scope: Principles of lifting, potential hazards and solutions, safety lifting techniques and tips so stay injury-free
Created by EdApp
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3. Preventing External Theft
Even with advancements in security measures, external theft remains a consistent issue in the retail industry. This course by Retail Training Services focuses on topics that will help you and your team understand further how external theft can hinder your business's success. It will also teach you how to recognize counterfeit bills and credit card frauds to prevent and combat these types of crimes.
While extremely useful, this course isn’t free. Unfortunately, learners will only have access to this course for 90 days upon purchase. A certification, however, will be provided once all units are completed.
Price: $25 USD
Scope: How to recognize and prevent external theft, avoid and check credit card fraud, recognize counterfeit bills
Created by Retail Training Services
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4. Business 101: Cash Flow Forecasting For Retail Business
Skillshare has put together this online training on cash flow forecasting to help retailers like you build a proper budget and forecast for your business. Here, you will learn how to use Microsoft Excel to monitor how your money flows per day, month, or year, depending on your preference. It will also teach you how to use this information to predict future cash positions and make informed decisions about your business.
This course has a total of 17 video lessons that you can complete in an hour or two. Unfortunately, this type of learning isn’t exactly the best option if your team struggles with a short attention span.
Price: $8 to $15 USD per month (Subscription basis)
Scope: Building the proper structure for budget and forecast using Microsoft Excel, format spreadsheet, how to track cash flow forecast and budget, how to make informed decisions about your business
Created by Skillshare
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5. Stocking
Stocking is a vital task in retailing that needs to be carefully planned and monitored to prevent understocking and overstocking, and maintain an efficient revenue stream. This free Stocking course by EdApp has virtually everything you need to learn about the fundamentals of stock management, from the types and examples of stocks to handling costs. It will walk your employees through the best techniques for managing and controlling stock levels and ratios, as well as reorder level formulas and diagrams from a wholesaler to prevent items from stocking out. An outline of responsible receiving and offloading of goods is also discussed to increase warehouse safety and efficiency while also reducing errors and injuries. Accessible via mobile devices, this microlearning course can be taken on the go and completed at your own pace.
Price: Free
Scope: Fundamentals of stock management, stock levels, ratio, and control systems, receiving inventory, offloading stocks
Created by EdApp
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6. Visual Merchandising (for Fashion Retail)
Perhaps you’re pursuing a business in fashion retail? One way to attract and sell to a fashion consumer is through attractive displays and brick-and-mortar store layouts, which you can learn with EdApp’s retail training on Visual Merchandising. This course will discuss the value of visual merchandising and display types that every fashion retailer should know, as well as essential elements and strategies to consider to captivate your customer’s attention and boost overall customer engagement. You will also learn the role of color association, fixture and fittings, signages for retail stores, and lighting in creating an impact on your visual merchandising display. At the end of the course, you and your team are expected to gain a deeper understanding of the art and science behind visual merchandising, which you can use to boost your business sales, drive profits, and gain a competitive advantage.
Thanks to EdApp’s powerful and user-friendly authoring tool, you can import this course directly from the course library and edit its content according to your company and branding needs.
Cost: Free
Scope: The value of visual merchandising, types of merchandising displays, essential elements of visual merchandising, techniques to consider
Created by EdApp
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7. Fashion Retail Transformation
Another fashion retail course worth pursuing is Coursera’s Fashion Retail Transformation, designed and delivered by the fashion experts of The Parsons School of Design. This course tackles the fusion of a retail platform and entertainment while also exploring the importance of an omnichannel retail selling approach, which you can use to provide a seamless customer experience upon entering the store up to POS. You’ll also get to learn more about the digital future of fashion retail along with various e-commerce strategies that can help you keep up with your customer expectations and maintain shopper satisfaction and loyalty. This retail training program is 100% online and can be completed on your own time.
Cost: Free
Scope: Fusion of retail and entertainment, omnichannel customer relationships, digital future of the retail experience fashion system methodologies and strategies
Created by Coursera
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8. Retail Management: Retail Technology and Security
Gone are the days when we all had to do everything by pen and paper. With the advancements in retail technology and security, it is now easier to monitor cash flows, maximize sales, prevent stock loss, and combat fraud and crime. This free retail course by Alison will introduce you and your team to various innovative retail technologies like RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Devices) and Customer Relation Management (CRM) systems and how they can be used to your company’s advantage. You will also learn the behavior of modern shoppers, which rely heavily on their desktops and mobile phones to purchase anything. This information will help you build a better retail selling strategy that will appeal to them and help your business become more profitable.
Certification of completion is available for purchase with this Alison course, but only if you pass each course assessment with at least 80%.
Cost: Free
Scope: Introduction to retail technology and security, loss prevention, crime and customers
Created by Alison
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9. Digital Skills: Retail
FutureLearn’s Digital Skills: Retail course also touches on the concepts of digital retail technology and how it is slowly transforming the retail industry in general. This course will guide you and your team on how to leverage advanced tools, devices, and automation to improve customer operations and business performance, ensuring growth and success in the future. It also dives deep into the vital role of digital platforms and social media in multichannel retail marketing and how they can drive more opportunities for your business. This course is developed by Accenture Digital Skills and accredited by The CPD Certification Service. The lessons are prepared in mixed formats, including bite-sized videos, long and short articles, audio, and activities, ensuring higher engagement and participation from your team.
Cost: Free
Scope: Retail in the digital age and creating new customer experiences, retail tools, devices, and automation, retail in a connected world, automation, and AI, vital role of digital marketing and social media
Created by FutureLearn
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10. Crowd Management
Learn how to manage large crowds during big events such as Black Friday sales or Christmas shopping rush with the Crowd Management course by EdApp. There are a few principles and actions that you will discover in this course, ensuring that your customers remain safe during these frantic days. For instance, you’ll get to know when and how to provide second opinions in case of an emergency or manage large crowds to improve customer flow. This course also lists down the best practices when setting up lines on the sales floor, designating exit and entrance lines, or distributing wristbands or ticket subs to avoid risks and chaos.
Just like most of the EdApp courses, the content of this course has also been transformed into bite-sized training modules, with each lesson focusing only on the fundamental elements of crowd management. If needed, you may also activate push notifications and email reminders to remind your busy retail teams to take this retail training course.
Cost: Free
Scope: Planning for big events, event preparations, key principles and actions to manage large crowds during an event, handling event emergencies
Created by EdApp
Explore the courseAdvancing in the retailing industry with retail training
Retail training and retail buying training programs work beyond just boosting your company sales - they also plays an integral role in ensuring that your business runs efficiently and successfully as possible. Providing your retail team this type of support improves their skills and performance, resulting in increased sales and better customer relationships. It also enhances their strategic knowledge and management approach, helping your business to advance in the fast and competitive world of retail. Some companies, however, are still hesitant to implement regular retailing training due to the time and expenses that it traditionally entails - but this does not have to be the case. Our list above includes some of the best retail training programs that you and your team can take remotely, so you no longer have to overspend for an offsite training venue, pay for each team member to come in for a short Sunday night shift, or send your busy retail employees for a week-long conference. With all these online training programs on hand, all you need is a desktop, tablet, or mobile device to get started.