A field trip provided Macao University of Tourism undergraduates with practical knowledge on the pivotal role of merchandising when it comes to resort retailing and marketing operations at The Venetian Macao and The Londoner Macao properties
A group of students from the Chinese-language stream of Macao University of Tourism’s (UTM) Tourism Retail and Marketing Management Bachelor’s Degree Programme recently had a field trip to The Venetian Macao and The Londoner Macao, to boost their knowledge of merchandising.
Two representatives from the retail operations department of Sands China Ltd. – the operator of The Venetian Macao and The Londoner Macao – led the visitors on their tour. They were Retail Operations Merchandising Manager Ms. Mandy Leong and Retail Operations Assistant Merchandising Manager Ms. Vivian Chong. Ms. Chong is an alumna of UTM, having graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Retail and Marketing Management.
The visit took place on 12 March. It was for Year 2 students enrolled in the Merchandise Management course, and was arranged by Lecturer Ms. Belina Lei.
Ms. Leong and Ms. Chong covered several topics during the field trip, including brand positioning and differentiating merchandising strategies for the respective target markets of The Venetian Macao and The Londoner Macao.
The Sands China representatives highlighted The Venetian Macao’s merchandise development strategy to the UTM group, including its use of the resort’s Venice theme. This included utilising colours typically associated with Italy and Venice, and elements such as gondolas, Venice carnival masks, tricorne hats, and Venetian costumes.
Another example discussed during the field trip was a newly-launched set of biscuits branded after the property’s Chinese-food restaurant “North”. The flavours of the biscuits are lychee red tea, and original butter. The restaurant also sells its own “North Tea”: either lychee red tea or rose tea, available in various packet sizes. Ms. Leong said it took the company almost a year to develop this product – from the tin used to the flavour selection, brand approval, and management approval.
The Sands China representatives added that the firm was currently working on renovating The Venetian Macao’s gift shop concept and further developing its merchandise portfolio.
Regarding the neighbouring The Londoner Macao resort, Ms. Leong and Ms. Chong explained its design was inspired by famous London themes. They discussed how Sands China also applied those themes in the design of The Londoner Macao-themed souvenirs. For instance, they reviewed the use of Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” as inspiration for afternoon tea-themed pottery, porcelain, and food and beverage.
The next part of the visit involved a discussion of definitions related to merchandising, covering topics such as: merchandise development, the role of merchandise assortment planning, the corporate-level buying process for sourcing merchandise, the levels of production and distribution required for merchandise used within the hospitality industry, various buying strategies, namely wholesale or consignment, pricing and promotion strategies, display strategies, and the role of gift shops.
The representatives from the Sands China retail operations department emphasised the importance of merchandising in resort retailing, and pointed out its essential role in different corporations. They highlighted that people involved in merchandising-related work needed strong communication skills, as such work required liaison across multiple teams within an organisation, including management, marketing, operations, finance, design, and the supply chain.
Ms. Leong and Ms. Chong also discussed the fundamentals of merchandising procedures, including areas such as the function of merchandise, intellectual property, regular replenishment, stock turnover rates, and sales forecasting.
Students participating in the visit said it had helped them to advance their knowledge of merchandising.
Among them were Kenny Lam, Joyce Chan, Leslie Cheong, and Phoebe Cheong. They said the field trip had given them a better understanding of the importance of regularly refreshing product displays in a souvenir shop, in order to boost sales.
The students also stressed the importance of providing products that can attract consumer traffic. Additionally, they highlighted – as noted in a group report about the field trip – the need to feature a portfolio of products capable of catering to customer groups with different spending power.
The Tourism Retail and Marketing Management Bachelor’s Degree Programme is to be rebranded in the upcoming academic year as the Marketing and Brand Management Bachelor’s Degree Programme. The revised curriculum will focus on marketing and branding theory and practice, equipping students with essential skills for future careers in these fields.
Content: UTM Lecturer Ms. Belina Lei
Editor: UTM Public Relations Team
