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Retail Review

Decent Essays

Chapter 1 ANSWERS TO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS What is your favorite retailer? Why do you like this retailer? What would a competitive retailer have to do to get your patronage? Students may choose an example from a wide variety of retailers. Answers will likely range from national chains including but not limited to K-Mart, The Gap, Bloomingdale's, McDonald's, The Sports Authority, Starbucks, JC Penney, to online retailers like Amazon.com and eBay to favorite local shops and hangouts. Whatever selection is made, ask students to concentrate on the specific aspects of retail strategy, such as: (1) intended target market of the retailer; (2) nature of merchandise and services and the specific consumer needs sought to be …show more content…

This discussion will illustrate that intertype competition for 7-Eleven may come from a number of retailers offering similar merchandise through different formats, such as supermarkets, fast food restaurants or discount stores. How does Walmart contribute and detract from the communities in which it operates stores? Students may argue either in favor of or against the large discount stores, such as Wal-Mart. The arguments against may include: (1) smaller family-owned firms may not be able to compete on the basis of price with Wal-Mart and hence would have to close down, resulting in loss of entrepreneurial opportunities within the community; (2) the personal service of a Mom-and-Pop store is now replaced by an impersonal cash register clerk and very few employees offering information and service within the store; and, (3) over a period of time, there may be no competition for the larger store, which may begin to charge higher prices, from a monopoly position. On the other hand, the arguments in favor include: (1) greater product assortment and choice for the consumer at lower prices; (2) one-stop shopping convenience for the consumer, freeing up the consumer's time for other productive and leisure activities; (3) immediate increase in employment at various levels of the local, large store organization; and, (4) greater opportunities at the supply

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