RETAIL SALES

ASSOCIATIONS

National Retail Federation
325 7th Street NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20004
Web site: http://www.nrf.com
The federation offers programs and services in research, education, training, information technology, and government affairs relating to the retail industry.

WEB SITES

Retailer News
http://retailernews.com
This site archives many articles on retail sales.

Retail Industry
http://retailindustry.about.com/cs/jobs
Information on finding retail employment and enhancing your retail job with career information and links to retail recruiters, job boards, industry employment outlooks, and retailer openings.

Retail Sales Worker Supervisors and Managers
http://realvideo.acinet.org/ramgen/49001.rm
Offers a video in RealPlayer format.

What It Takes to Succeed in Retail
http://sales.monsterindia.com/articles/sa_8017
Some down-to-earth suggestions.

Windows on Work
http://www.pbs.org/als/career/retail.htm
Lists and describes retail jobs.

BOOKS

Careers in Retail Sales Management. Research No. 222, Career Research Monographs. Chicago: The Institute for Research, 1996.

Detailed information covering all aspects of retail sales management.

Harvey, Christine. Secrets of the World's Top Sales Performers. Holbrook, MA: Bob Adams Inc., 1990.

Descriptions of the winning techniques of the top salespeople in big companies. The book gives action steps to follow.

Lawhon, John. Selling Retail. Tulsa, OK: J. Franklin, 1986.

Contains interviews with top retail salespeople and a step-by-step plan for the reader.

Lipow, Valerie. Retailing Career Starter: Move Ahead in this Fast Growing Field. New York: Learning Express, 1998.

This is a great book to read if you're interested in a career in retailing. It provides all kinds of information about the retail industry, including alternatives to traditional retail careers and industry contact lists to help you get started.

Marcus, Stanley. Minding the Store. Boston: Little, Brown, 1974.

This book, by the former owner of one of America's best-known retail stores, Neiman Marcus, shows how he succeeded by setting standards for treating customers.

Specter, Robert, and Patrick McCarthy. The Nordstrom Way. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1995.

Describes how the Nordstrom family established one of the finest retail stores by offering outstanding customer service.

Underhill, Paco. Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.

An entertaining look at shopping habits. The author gives concrete and usable advice on how to adapt to the changing customer.

PERIODICALS

Stores
325 7th Street NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 626-8101
Web site: http://www.stores.org
This magazine, published by the National Retailer Federation, has both a print and an online component. Articles and features about retail will interest anyone hoping to work in the industry.