From Kirana to Kopitiam: A Case Study of the Changing Indian Retail Industry
Using the PESTEL Framework to Analyze the Transforming the Indian Retail Industry We explore the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal forces that impact the Indian Retail Industry using the PESTEL framework. This framework is especially pertinent and relevant as it lends itself to a thorough macro analysis of the industries and more importantly, […]
Analytical CRM – Meaning and its Key Features
Analytical CRM supports organizational back-office operations and analysis. It deals with all the operations and processes that do not directly deal with customers. Hence, there is a key difference between operational CRM and Analytical CRM. Unlike from operational CRM, where automation of marketing, sales-force and services are done by direct interaction with customers and determining […]
Big Data and the Power to Predict
Is Big Data a Magic? We often hear the term Big Data being used to describe how online retailers as well as mega corporations are targeting the consumer behavior by having the power to predict, sense, and intuit future consumer decisions. Indeed, Big Data is talked about in hushed tones with a sense of awe […]
Internal Relationship Marketing
As the world has moved towards globalization, businesses and Organisations have had to keep pace with the external environment. We have seen the emergence of large Business Organisations and Multi National Companies who have business presence in multiple sectors and are present in markets across the globe. Such Organisations are structured differently and promote de-centralised […]
Do Brands Happen or are they Made ?
Are brands built or do they just happen over a period of time?. Well, this is a difficult question to deal with for, both are true. One of the essential characteristics of successful brands being the fact that they withstand the test of time, we should agree that in many cases the brands actually become […]
Retailing refers to a process where the retailer sells the goods directly to the end-user for his own consumption in small quantities.
A department store is a set-up which offers wide range of products to the end-users under one roof. In a department store, the consumers can get almost all the products they aspire to shop at one place only. Department stores provide a wide range of options to the consumers and thus fulfill all their shopping needs.
Merchandise:
Electronic Appliances
Apparels
Jewellery
Toiletries
Cosmetics
Footwear
Sportswear
Toys
Books
CDs, DVDs
Examples - Shoppers Stop, Pantaloon
Discount stores also offer a huge range of products to the end-users but at a discounted rate. The discount stores generally offer a limited range and the quality in certain cases might be a little inferior as compared to the department stores.
Wal-Mart currently operates more than 1300 discount stores in United States. In India Vishal Mega Mart comes under discount store.
Merchandise:
Almost same as department store but at a cheaper price.
A retail store which generally sells food products and household items, properly placed and arranged in specific departments is called a supermarket. A supermarket is an advanced form of the small grocery stores and caters to the household needs of the consumer. The various food products (meat, vegetables, dairy products, juices etc) are all properly displayed at their respective departments to catch the attention of the customers and for them to pick any merchandise depending on their choice and need.
Merchandise:
Bakery products
Cereals
Meat Products, Fish products
Breads
Medicines
Vegetables
Fruits
Soft drinks
Frozen Food
Canned Juices
A retail format which sells limited stock in bulk at a discounted rate is called as warehouse store. Warehouse stores do not bother much about the interiors of the store and the products are not properly displayed.
Mom and Pop stores are the small stores run by individuals in the nearby locality to cater to daily needs of the consumers staying in the vicinity. They offer selected items and are not at all organized. The size of the store would not be very big and depends on the land available to the owner. They wouldn’t offer high-end products.
Merchandise:
Eggs
Bread
Stationery
Toys
Cigarettes
Cereals
Pulses
Medicines
As the name suggests, Speciality store would specialize in a particular product and would not sell anything else apart from the specific range.Speciality stores sell only selective items of one particular brand to the consumers and primarily focus on high customer satisfaction.
Example -You will find only Reebok merchandise at Reebok store and nothing else, thus making it a speciality store. You can never find Adidas shoes at a Reebok outlet.
Many retail stores operating at one place form a mall. A mall would consist of several retail outlets each selling their own merchandise but at a common platform.
Now a days the customers have the option of shopping while sitting at their homes. They can place their order through internet, pay with the help of debit or credit cards and the products are delivered at their homes only. However, there are chances that the products ordered might not reach in the same condition as they were ordered. This kind of shopping is convenient for those who have a hectic schedule and are reluctant to go to retail outlets. In this kind of shopping; the transportation charges are borne by the consumer itself.
Example - EBAY, Rediff Shopping, Amazon
Dollar stores offer selected products at extremely low rates but here the prices are fixed.
Example - 99 Store would offer all its merchandise at Rs 99 only. No further bargaining is entertained. However the quality of the product is always in doubt at the discount stores.
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Challenges to the Retail Sector (As per Michael Porter s Five Forces Model)
February 12, 2025
