Management of retail buying / R. Patrick Cash ... [et al.]

An overview of retail buying : Estimating consumer needs : The support staff : Organizing the buying process : Evaluating and motivating the buyer : Organizational models of stores : Centralized buying and merchandising : The distribution point : Education and training -- The roles of buying groups : Special services of buying offices : The independent buying office : Corporate buying offices : Associated buying offices : A final word about buying groups : A closer look at the buying-selling cycle -- Understanding the consumer : Anticipating demand : Consumer motivation : Trend extension : Doing consumer research : Types and sources of information -- Merchandise assortments : Differentiation through branding : Assortment planning : Breadth and depth of assortments : Planning sales by selection factors : Other concepts of assortment : Setting assortment policy -- Planning and control : Top-down versus : The general marchandise plan : Making the merchandise productive : Staple stock control : Model stock and buying plans : Planning data for model stock and buying plans -- Technology and internet commerce in retailing : How technologically advanced are we? : Labeling the producs : Ringing up the sales : Inventory and ordering : Doing business online -- Choosing vendors : Choosing a source : Types of vendors -- International vendors : How "free" is "free trade"? : Consumer attitudes and buyers responses : Buying foreign goods from domestic sources : Buying foreign goods from foreign sources : Getting goods through customs -- Translating plans into purchases : The buying trip : Selecting new items : Stock relationships : Decisions by committee : Buying job lots and irregulars : Specifications, starndards, and product testing : Environmental awareness -- Negotiating the buy : The spirit of the negotiation : Price negotiations : Types of discounts : Shipping and insurance charges : Allowances -- The buyer's order and vendor relations : The order form : Order follow-up : Working with vendors : Vendor services : Packaging and labeling : Sales assistances : Protecting yourself and your store -- Pricing and selling : Profit margin controls : Pricing indivigual items : Group pricing : Repricing : Maximizing sales and profit : The buyers responsibility for selling