MATSEC SEC Retail study plan

Distinguish at least eight retail outlet formats (convenience store, supermarket, hypermarket, department store, discount store, specialist retailer, category killer, e-tailer, market stall, franchise) and state for each the typical range, price positioning and service level.

Explain the retail supply chain from manufacturer to consumer and identify where a Maltese retailer sits within it, including the role of importers, wholesalers and local distribution.

Map the main Maltese retail settings (village groceries, Valletta and Sliema high-street shops, large supermarkets, petrol-station convenience, online sellers) to outlet types and note how opening hours, Sunday trading and seasonal tourism shape each.

Build a product-knowledge note for five products you already own, listing features, benefits, materials, care instructions, warranty terms and likely customer questions, and convert each feature into a benefit statement.

Label the elements of a merchandising display (fixture, sight line, focal point, signage, price ticket, cross-merchandising) and explain the sales logic behind each.

Describe the stages of the selling process (approach, needs discovery, presentation, handling objections, closing, after-sales follow-up) and write two example sentences of dialogue for each stage.

Apply open and closed questioning to uncover a customer's needs in three written role-play scenarios, recording at least four questions per scenario.

Classify six common objections (price, timing, need, competitor, trust, product feature) and write a response to each that acknowledges, clarifies and answers.

List at least eight customer-care standards (greeting within 30 seconds, eye contact, active listening, no personal phone use on the floor, complaint ownership, accessibility) and explain how each affects repeat business.

Compare how service quality differs between a small independent shop and a large chain, and identify what a small retailer can offer that a chain cannot.

Identify the components of a point-of-sale transaction (item scan, price verification, tender, change calculation, receipt, bagging) and list the correct sequence from start to finish.

Calculate correct change and totals for ten mixed cash transactions, including a refund and a part-payment, and describe how to count back change aloud.

Compare payment methods accepted in Malta (cash in euro, contactless and chip-and-PIN debit/credit cards, mobile wallets, gift vouchers) and state the verification step and common failure point for each.

Explain end-of-day cash reconciliation: opening float, cash drops, till count, variance reporting and why two people should be present.

Describe a goods-receiving procedure from delivery note to shelf, including quantity and condition checks, temperature checks for perishables, damage recording and discrepancy reporting.

Explain stock rotation (FIFO and FEFO), date-code checking, and the difference between periodic and perpetual stock counts, including how to investigate a stock variance.

Identify the main workplace hazards in a shop (slips and trips, manual handling, ladder use, sharp edges, electrical equipment, blocked fire exits) and state a control for each.

Explain the fire safety essentials for a retail premises: exit routes, assembly point, extinguisher types and when not to tackle a fire, and the meaning of a fire risk assessment.

Describe manual handling principles for lifting and carrying stock, including load assessment and when to ask for help.

Summarise the consumer protections a retail worker must know: price display, accurate description of goods, receipts and proof of purchase, refund and return policies, guarantees and the difference between a statutory right and a shop's goodwill policy.

Explain why age-restricted sales (alcohol, tobacco, knives, aerosols) require challenge procedures and what a refusal looks like in practice.

Outline security measures for shrinkage control (tagging, mirrors, till discipline, bag checks, stockroom access) and the correct behaviour during a suspected theft, prioritising personal safety.

Explain a planogram and demonstrate how to set a shelf to one, including facing up, fronting, blocking and removing out-of-stock gaps.

Describe how to receive, price-mark and shelve a delivery so that stock rotation and date-code rules are respected, and state where promotional stock should go.

Explain stock-level monitoring: minimum and maximum levels, reorder points, lead times and safety stock, using a simple worked example.

Describe correct storage conditions for different goods (chilled, frozen, dry, fragile, hazardous, high-value) and explain why each matters.

Explain how shrinkage arises from damage, theft, expiry and administrative error, and propose one practical reduction measure for each cause.

Explain the purpose of a stock count, how to record counts accurately and how to report a discrepancy without guessing.

Explain how the retail mix (product, price, place, promotion, people, process, physical evidence) applies to one real local shop you have visited, and identify two strengths and two weaknesses.

Explain pricing mechanics a shop worker meets daily: unit price, multibuy, markdown, seasonal sale, VAT-inclusive shelf price, and how to explain each to a customer.

Deliver a full simulated sale end to end, from approach to payment and farewell, within a set time, and self-assess against the selling-process stages.

Handle a written complaint scenario using a structured response (listen, acknowledge, investigate, resolve, follow up) and draft the reply.

Explain how promotions and loyalty schemes are set up at the till and describe three errors that commonly occur and how to correct them.

Explain the communication cycle and identify barriers (noise, jargon, language, assumptions, distraction) in three retail examples, with a remedy for each.

Demonstrate active listening techniques (paraphrasing, summarising, clarifying questions, not interrupting) in written dialogue with a customer who is upset.

Explain how to adapt communication for customers with disabilities or limited English or Maltese, including plain language, written information and asking rather than assuming.

Describe how a retail team is organised (store manager, supervisor, sales assistant, cashier, stockroom) and what each role is accountable for.

Explain how to give and receive feedback constructively, and how to hand over a task or shift so nothing is lost.

Explain how to communicate a problem upwards (out-of-stock, till fault, safety hazard) with the information a manager actually needs.

Complete a full timed mock paper across all nine domains and record the score by domain to expose weak areas.

Re-teach your three weakest domains using condensed notes and re-attempt the questions you got wrong, explaining why the correct answer is correct.

Memorise the key figures and rules you must recall exactly: change calculation method, reorder-point formula, fire and manual-handling steps, and the refund/return distinction.

Practise three short-answer exam questions under time pressure, structuring each answer with a direct point first and then one line of explanation.

Review your week 1-7 deliverables and rewrite any that were incomplete or unclear.