The Master's experience ends with an internship and / or the "Retail Start-up ”, designed to integrate the knowledge acquired throughout the course formative. Students are accompanied through a coaching path thematic in a series of workshops in which they design a retail start-up that participate in a contest organized with the partners of the Master.

The path includes the support of Mentors who guide students in the definition of their start-up ideas by supporting them in specific work sessions.

Among the companies where the participants in the Master have carried out internships or stages, there are: Alpine (Renault), Acqua dell’Elba, Biffi Boutique, Calzedonia, Cartier, Coca Cola, Conad, Ferragamo, Feltrinelli, Logotel, Monnalisa, Oviesse, Pinko, Rialto, Rinascente, Scarpe&Scarpe, Strega Alberti, Triboo, Unes, Unilever.

Program of study ed. 2022/2023

Module 1 — Brand Experience & Customer Behavior

• Brand Management
• Brand experience in retail
• Consumer Behavior

Module 2 — Retail & Sales Management

• Retail Management and logistics
• Trade Marketing and purchasing function
• Management of distribution networks and personal selling processes
• Economic management of stores and retail chains

Module 3 — In-store Experience Management

• Retail mix and Category Management
• In-store sales experience
• Behavioral branding
• Store check & auditing (mystery shopping)

Module 4 — Customer Experience Design & Touchpoint Management

• Retail innovation and Omnichannel Management
• Service design, sustainability and integration of touchpoints
• Visual merchandising & retail visual identity

Module 5 — Data & Digital Management

• Digital management and e-commerce
• KPI performance indicator for retail
• Systems for sales data
• CRM for fashion retail

Module 6 — Human Resources Management & Soft Skills

• Organization of the store’s staff and sales force
• Soft skills laboratory
• Personal branding & CV rules

Aiming to provide the most comprehensive overview of the different application areas of retail, the Master in “Retail Brand & Customer Experience Management” offers a transversal study of different sectors, with a particular focus on:

• Luxury / Fashion in English (15% of the course);
• Fast moving consumer goods (e.g. beauty, accessories, etc.);
• Durable goods and services;
• GDO and Food.

The study program includes on-site activities such as visits to retail stores in Milan and in a European capital, company visits and store visits with direct testimonies from boutique managers and employees, useful to understand the customer experience in different sales channels.

Important note: 85% of the program's courses are taught in Italian. Therefore, Italian language skills are mandatory.

Workshops are planned that engage students on briefs directly indicated by the companies. Such workshops may include field activities and end with the presentation of the project work in front of the company management, with the possibility of having a direct evaluation by industry professionals.