Retailing is any activity of selling goods or services directly to end consumers for their personal, non-commercial use.

Any business that engages in this activity is engaged in retail trade. Moreover, it does not matter at all how exactly goods and services are sold - by personal sale, by mail, by telephone or through a vending machine, and where exactly they are sold - in a store, on the street or at the consumer’s home.

The number of self-service retailers grew rapidly in the country as a result of copying in the 1960s. American experience. Now the number of self-service stores has decreased; they sell everyday goods. But we should not forget that self-service is the basis of any trade at low prices.

IN retail trade enterprises with free selection of goods 1 buyer, if desired, can ask the seller for help. The customer completes the transaction by approaching the seller and paying for the purchase. The overhead costs of such stores are slightly higher than those of self-service stores due to the involvement of additional staff.

Limited service retailers provide the buyer with more qualified assistance from sales staff, since such stores sell more pre-selected items and buyers require more information. In addition, consumers are offered services in the form of pro-

sales on credit and acceptance of purchased goods back. The costs of such stores are, of course, higher.

Full service retailers - These are fashionable department stores whose salespeople are ready to help the buyer at all stages of the search, comparison and selection process. Rich consumers prefer these types of stores. The attributes of such stores are well-trained staff, a high percentage of specialty goods and fashion items in the range, and the use of various lending schemes. In addition, the store provides the following services: delivery of purchases, in-home maintenance of durable goods, amenities in the form of lounges and restaurants.

Retail trade enterprises can be classified according to the following criteria.

1. Offered product range. Retail outlets vary in product range. The most common are specialty stores, department stores and convenience stores, and retail service businesses.

Specialty stores offer a narrow range of goods of significant saturation. Examples of specialty retail businesses include clothing stores, sporting goods stores, furniture stores, flower stores, and book stores. Specialty stores can be further subdivided according to the narrowness of the assortment offered. A clothing store is a stand-alone full-line store, a men's clothing store is a limited-line store, and a store selling men's shirts is a highly specialized store. According to some experts, the fastest growing number will be the number of highly specialized stores that take advantage of market segmentation, selection of target segments and product specialization. However, a specialty store may go out of business if its products lose popularity.

Department stores They offer several product groups - usually clothing, household items, and household goods. Each assortment group is handled by a special department of the department store. Le Bon Marche, founded in Paris in 1852, is considered the first department store in history. It became an innovator in trade, introducing low markups and accelerated turnover of goods, publishing prices, encouraging customers to inspect goods without any pressure, and liberal handling of complaints.

To the supermarket - This is a large self-service enterprise with low costs, low unit profitability and high sales volume. It is designed to fully satisfy the consumer's needs for food, and sometimes for washing and detergents, and household goods. Department stores first spread to the United States during the Great Depression, which forced consumers to save money and gave entrepreneurs the opportunity to buy goods cheaply from suppliers and rent large premises for a minimal fee.

New packaging technology has made it possible to offer consumers food products in containers and packaging that are convenient for storage. Finally, the use of electronics and computers provided the accounting and control necessary for today's large department stores. In developed countries they offer up to 10 thousand different products. In modern Russian conditions, the number of supermarkets has decreased, especially due to the return to their original state of small stores converted in Soviet times.

Retail service enterprises- these are hotels, banks, airlines, colleges, hospitals, cinemas, restaurants, repair services and various service establishments such as hairdressers and beauty salons, dry cleaners and funeral homes. The number of service retailers is growing faster than the number of goods retailers.

2. Prices. Retail stores can also be classified based on price levels. Most stores offer average-priced products and a normal level of service to consumers. A number of stores offer higher quality goods and services at higher prices. Conversely, discount stores sell their products at low prices, organize their operations with minimal costs and offer fewer services.

Deciding on the target market. The most important decision a retailer makes is selecting the target market. Some stores are very specific to their target market. For example, a women's fashion store may target a market of high-income women, primarily between the ages of 25 and 45, who live within a 30-40 minute driving radius. However, too many retailers either do not have a clear understanding of their target markets or try to satisfy incompatible markets and end up not satisfying any of them well.

The retailer needs to do market research. He must have a clear understanding of which groups of the population will be his main target customers in order to more accurately select his product range, determine prices, store locations and incentives aimed at these groups.

Decision on the product range and range of services. The retailer's product range must meet the expectations of the target market. Often, product assortment becomes a key factor in competition between similar retailers. The retailer has to make a decision about the breadth of the product range (narrow or wide) and its depth (shallow or deep). Thus, in the catering industry, an establishment may offer a narrow and small assortment (small buffet counter), a narrow and deep assortment (buffet with cold appetizers), a wide and small assortment (cafeteria) or a wide and deep assortment (restaurant).

Another characteristic of the product range is the quality of the goods offered. The consumer is interested not only in the breadth of choice, but also in the quality of the product.

The retailer will also have to resolve the issue of range of services, which he will offer to clients. An important element of a retailer's arsenal is the atmosphere of the store. Each retail space has its own layout, which can both complicate and facilitate the movement of customers. Each store makes a certain impression. One is perceived as dirty, another as charming, a third as luxurious, and a fourth as gloomy. The store must embody an atmosphere that suits the tastes of the target market's consumers. Silence is appropriate in a funeral home, but bright colors and loud sounds are appropriate in a discotheque.

Pricing decision. The prices charged by retailers are a key factor in competition and at the same time a reflection of the quality of the goods offered. For example, low markups on some products turn them into substitute products, or “loss leaders.” This tactic is designed to ensure that once in the store, consumers will also buy other products with higher markups.

Deciding on incentive methods. To reach consumers, retailers use conventional means - advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and publicity. Retailers advertise in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. It is complemented by direct mail advertising. Personal selling requires extensive training for sellers. Sales promotion can be expressed in store displays, the use of credit coupons, and prize drawings.

Deciding on the location of the enterprise. Choosing a location for a store is one of the decisive competitive factors. Customers tend to choose the store that is nearby. When selecting a site, it is necessary to use the most advanced site assessment methods.

Organization of sales of goods

• 1. Merchandising is a set of works planned and carried out directly in a retail trade enterprise, which includes the following:
  • - development of active forms of selling goods;
  • - display and demonstration of goods;
  • - use of packaging (“silent seller”) and labeling of goods with comprehensive information for the buyer;
  • - flexible pricing policy;
  • - in-store advertising;
  • - additional trading services;
  • - measures to stimulate demand, etc.

The complex of merchandising efforts is aimed at ensuring optimal use of retail space and high profitability. Ultimately, we are talking about constantly improving the efficiency of every square meter of retail space or every linear meter of product display and the entire store as a whole.

2. Franchising As preferential entrepreneurship is a vertical contractual marketing system for the sale of goods, it provides for long-term contractual relationships under which one company grants another the right to conduct trading business in a limited territory, subject to established rules and under a certain brand. In this case, the buyer of such a benefit pays a certain amount of money and royalties from sales, receiving in return the right to use the trademark, as well as ongoing support and transfer of experience.

There are the following types of franchising, which link on certain preferential terms: manufacturer and retailer; wholesaler and retailer; retailers among themselves.

• See: MacDonald M. Strategic marketing planning. St. Petersburg: Peter, 2002.
• See: Pankrukhin M.V. Marketing: textbook. M.: Omega-L, 2002.
• See: Pilipenko N. N., Tatarsky E. L. Fundamentals of Marketing: educational manual. M.: Marketing, 2002.

What is retail? The concept has been relevant for a long time, and there is nothing surprising about it - most of the time of the existence of our civilization there were those who could create what others needed, and were also ready to give something in exchange for it. The specific design of relations made it possible to lay down the rules of retail trade, the development of which led to the state of the market observed today. And yet, understanding the essence of the phenomenon is possible only with a thorough analysis of both the theoretical part, terms and concepts, and historical prerequisites, thanks to which retail trade was formed - one of the main pillars of the modern world economy.

General understanding

The main meaning of the term in question is the sale of products individually or in small portions. In most cases, it is assumed that the goods are sent to a specific consumer who will use the items. What exactly is retail? This is the final stage of the cycle of circulation of goods and services intended for consumption individually or by a group.

Retail is usually understood as such business relations, which are classified as trade, are its full-fledged subtype, and have existed for a long time. The prerequisites for the formation of modern types of retail trade were laid by the rules of merchant exchange. Additionally, the development of the economy made it possible to combine the approaches practiced by merchants with internal exchange.

Why is this necessary?

The main idea of ​​commodity circulation, retail trade is to bring the manufactured goods to the consumer, who will use the items. You can purchase the products you are interested in directly from the manufacturer or use the services of a reseller (including importing legal entities). The main clients of enterprises operating in this area are individual buyers and families. The goods are intended for a wide range of people (mass consumption).

Historical background

To understand what retail trade is, it is necessary to understand the peculiarities of the formation of this sphere of social relations. The foundation for the formation of the modern approach was the intra-community market, which then gradually transformed into the form of natural merchants. People who chose this type of activity already in those days were actively looking for ways to develop and improve their field in order to increase efficiency and improve their standard of living. The merchant cycle was perhaps the most important slowing factor, as modern researchers recognize. Sometimes it stretched for half a year, or even for a full 12 months. Indeed, for any modern company such a business practice would cause instant collapse!

At first, retail trade in goods was associated with the merchant's possession of a product he himself produced that could be of interest to some consumer. Additionally, we turned to the possibilities of moneylenders, applying for food loans. Increased efficiency could not be achieved through such usurious programs alone, which became the basis for the formation of internal trade. Initially, the merchant layer simultaneously carried out both retail and wholesale sales, but the realities of social customs made their own adjustments. Gradually, an understanding of what retail trade was finally formed, and the internal circulation of products came to this format.

Market development

Before the development of the merchant class, natural exchange, although it took place in the economic system of society, was a rare fact rather than a widespread practice. The formation of a layer of merchants and the possibility of supplying goods from distant places literally turned the life of that time upside down. The essence of retail trade was the supply to the domestic market of unique, interesting items that were not available in their native area, which stimulated the development of exchange, primarily of piece items and small batches.

At first, retail trade did not cause any particular delight among the merchants. It took a lot of time to exchange foreign “curiosities” for products produced in one’s own area, which led to losses in business. The retail trade system developed when it was possible to shorten the merchant cycle.

Step by step - forward!

The idea of ​​developing the business and increasing turnover through the involvement of persons responsible for sales turned out to be extremely successful. This is how the first retail stores appeared. They were managed by trusted persons, while the merchants themselves were engaged in the sale of large quantities of goods, working with local manufacturers (which is significant, actively participating in the domestic market at the level of retail and wholesale, if the sphere allowed it). If a certain enterprise produced its own goods and looked for buyers for them among the broad masses, as practice soon showed, profitability could be increased by attracting imported products - the same ones that were purchased in bulk from the merchants. Local manufacturers purchased imported goods quite cheaply, but in the first retail stores the population could only get them on unfavorable terms - in a word, everyone played in their own favor.

And yet, the actual formation of retail trade in the form we are familiar with began precisely at the moment when such relations between local enterprises and the merchant class became widespread. In many ways, the development of the region was determined by the peculiarities of the social system of that time. Merchants were the heads of quite large families, and those of lower rank in the household hierarchy were forced to sell their products. As practice quickly showed, this approach increased the speed of exchange of products, the merchant lost time on exchange with each individual interested party, and interaction with large enterprises, as well as providing the product for sale to subordinate sellers, made it possible to quickly go on a new trip to get the next one. commodity consignment. This organization of retail trade proved its effectiveness literally from the first experiments of the most enterprising representatives of that time: the merchant cycle was significantly reduced, profitability increased.

There are no boundaries for perfection

Social development, the invention of new industrial approaches, equipment and vehicles, and other improvements that changed the social system could not but affect retail trade enterprises opened by merchants. This area was actively developing, which was due to the interest of both the organizers and local manufacturers. At that moment, it became clear that the greatest success is brought by such an organization of the work process, when an entrepreneur chooses for himself a specific direction of work, a list of goods provided to the population, and forms it on the basis of what a merchant can bring, what a retail buyer needs.

Retail trade enterprises made it possible to earn considerable profits thanks to “intermediary goods,” which turned them into independent objects of the economic system. When this format of activity was finally formed, there was a separation from the “mother” industry - the merchants.

To each his own

A streamlined retail process has helped the industry become completely separate from wholesale operations. The merchants who chose a new area for their direction, although they were professionally close to the merchants, still had their own specialty, although at first there were no special terms for this. For the general population, the division was not so obvious; they did not pay attention to retail sales as an independent segment. For ordinary people, sellers, merchants, and entrepreneurs were “the same person,” so the same term was applied to them - merchants.

Over time, the retail sector established itself and expanded, many sellers acquired several points of sale, and not only within one community: large areas were simultaneously covered. Such design and expansion of the list of retail trade facilities became the basis for the accumulation of considerable wealth. However, the benefits were not only at the private level: the economy of society has stepped far forward with the development of the retail sales sector, and conditions have been created for increasing labor productivity at the public level. As modern scientists say, retail trade appeared organically, predictably, it is a completely natural process of development of exchange interaction between people.

Modern conditions

Services in retail trade and sales of goods recently can be described in the following formats:

• work in specialized premises (large, small);
• takeaway sales (catering);
• sale of goods from trays, in market squares;
• provision of services in workshops;
• visit of a specialist to provide services at home.

Examples of retail trade that will first come to the mind of a modern person are pharmacies, shops, super- and hypermarkets. All these points are specialized enterprises, opened specifically for the purpose of providing the general population with access to retail products. But the spheres of market and bazaar trade are gradually becoming a thing of the past. As can be seen from the statistics, in large cities, young, middle-aged people often avoid this format, preferring to purchase products in large universal centers.

Services provided, goods sold, obligations fulfilled primarily belong to the consumption phase, which in the modern understanding of social production is the final phase in the cycle. This means that the product satisfies the need of a specific person or group of people.

Everything is interconnected

The more actively retail trade develops, the higher the social economic well-being in a specific time period. As experts say, this phenomenon, to some extent a mirror, reflects how well individual citizens in the area live. With sluggish trade processes and a lack of consumption on the part of the population, we can safely speak of a serious crisis. An excessive rise in prices indicates growing inflation. In fact, retail trade, through phenomena and processes that are quite simple to account for, gives an idea of ​​complex, multi-level economic processes, equally reflecting both positive and negative trends.

Modern business methods

The approaches and technologies used by the merchants during the formation of the sphere are now a thing of the past and have lost relevance. Accounting in retail trade, registration of transactions, and settlements by companies these days are carried out using the most modern, powerful, error-free machines and software systems. This helps reduce the likelihood of inaccuracies caused by human factors. Several systems have been developed, available on a paid and free basis, allowing to systematize and optimize business processes within a company offering services and retail goods.

Thanks to this technological approach, it is possible to maintain statistics, track the development of an enterprise, and identify strengths and weaknesses. The software systems and computing methods available to a modern businessman could not even be dreamed of by the merchants, thanks to whose entrepreneurship this area was founded! However, as practice shows, the tools available today do not satisfy the needs of all companies, so the field continues to develop.

Trends and market processes

As can be seen from the latest market research, economic growth is slowing down and slowing down. The recent investment dynamics are strictly negative, industrial production is decreasing in volume, and economists are scratching their heads about how positive trends in the economy could be established. From quarter to quarter, the situation, as experts note, is getting worse. Such trends are especially noticeable in relation to our country. According to professional analysts, at the moment it is possible to maintain positive dynamics of consumer activity of the population, which, although it has been declining recently, is relatively insignificant.

To understand the processes taking place in the economy and find ways to optimize the situation, you need to know exactly what factors ensured stable growth in the best periods. Specific studies show that the most positive development of the retail industry occurs when wages increase. Of course, the general economic slowdown affects the performance of this factor, but its positive impact remains undeniable.

Advantages and disadvantages

Oddly enough, food products, as well as the pricing policy introduced by enterprises, have a negative impact on market processes in relation to retail sales in our country. As market analysts note, the level of consumer prices has almost come close to the threshold of purchasing power. Long-term analysis shows that unreasonable growth began almost ten years ago, and the trend has continued to this day, despite the change in the situation in the country. As economists note, the accumulated price level from year to year is higher than for the previous period, which reduces the turnover of enterprises providing services in the field of retail trade.

At the same time, statistics give an idea of ​​the growth rate of turnover in the field of non-food products. This indicates that in times of crisis the general public are interested in purchasing goods designed for long-term use. Economists assure that this is largely based on the availability of credit programs.

Latest trends

The development of the Internet has a significant impact on both the retail industry and consumer demand. Sales via the World Wide Web, including international operations, are becoming increasingly relevant. Let us remember what was said above: merchants built their business on the delivery of products produced in distant lands to their native areas. The general population did not have the opportunity to independently purchase everything they needed or order delivery of goods in piece quantities for personal consumption. Nowadays, the situation has changed: thanks to the Internet, anyone can purchase almost any product in different parts of the world, and it will be brought home. Of course, this largely undermines the activities of enterprises operating in the retail sale of goods produced in other countries or remote regions. This is not to say that everyone buys via the Internet, and yet the volume of transactions in virtual reality is growing exponentially from year to year, which creates a certain danger for the future of offline retail businesses.

At the same time, analysts urge entrepreneurs working in retail trade to pay more attention to the tastes of the population. Trends are constantly changing - quite quickly, sometimes dramatically, which forces us to pay more attention to this than even a decade ago.

Main problems of enterprises

Observing such shortcomings in the work of a company specializing in the retail sale of goods requires timely and successful adjustment of the way of doing business, otherwise there is a high probability that the company will soon be literally out of business. Analysts call for special attention to be paid to customers who actively use social networks, as well as to use the capabilities of loyalty programs, but not only proven methods and approaches, but also more modern options for attracting customers and turning them into regular ones.

The success of a retailer depends largely on the quality of service, and equal attention must be paid to a variety of product distribution channels, analyzing customer data and taking into account its variability. As can be seen from practice, the best success in business is achieved by those who are able to look at the situation from the buyer’s point of view and adjust business processes to suit the potential client. In addition, we should not forget what era we live in. The active use of digital technologies in practice, the adaptation of business processes to such modern trends make it possible to achieve the success of an enterprise, while ignoring the latest tools is the shortest road to negative productivity of the work process.

Analytics and modeling to help businessmen

Modern entrepreneurship requires the use of current approaches to its management. This means that you can no longer assume what will interest the client in his native area by simply bringing goods from distant countries. You need to be able to analyze the market situation, model and predict it. Businesses that achieve the best success are those that successfully implement an omnichannel business model, the individual elements of which are closely connected to each other. In practice, however, most companies have fragmented operations and implementation paths, as a result of which services become more expensive, but the quality does not become higher. You need to understand: a modern client is different from one who agreed to purchase something brought by a merchant to his native village - people have a choice, there are many opportunities, they are expanded by access to the World Wide Web. Without taking this fact into account, you cannot achieve success.

Analysts note that many modern enterprises, trying to create a unified business model and combine sales channels in it, lose sight of ways to optimize processes and expand sales opportunities. It turns out that entrepreneurs successfully either cope with the search for new ways, continuing to adhere to the fragmentation scheme, or adapt the operating model to modern requirements, which obliges them to make quite impressive efforts and make certain financial investments.

Surely you have heard the word “retail” in speech many times. Initially, this term came from marketing, but today it is actively used in various areas of human activity. It is especially often used in retail and Do you know what retail is? If not, then this article will help you understand this concept.

Retail: meaning

Before understanding the modern use of this term, it is necessary to find out its origin. How did the word “retail” appear and what does it mean? It came into our speech from the English language and is literally translated as “retelling”. It would seem that it has nothing to do with trade. But that's not true.

The market is the most important part of the economy of any country, and its integral components are the sale and purchase of goods. At the same time, they can be sold in two ways: wholesale and retail. In the first case, as a rule, we are talking about an intermediate stage in the movement of goods from producers to consumers, in which an intermediary intervenes. In the second, the sale is made directly to the final buyer.

“Retail” refers to retail trade, which is comparable in volume to wholesale. That is, sellers purchase goods from manufacturers in bulk and resell them to consumers in the same volume. History repeats itself (as many were bought, so many were sold), which is why the process was called “retelling” or retail.

Retail Features

We have already found out what retail is. This is the sale of goods to the final buyer. It is carried out with the mandatory use of elements such as a cash register and a receipt, and compliance with the rules of the Consumer Protection Law. At the same time, we can highlight a number of features that are characteristic exclusively of retail. These include:

• accessibility - anyone can receive a service or buy a product;
• variety of assortment - the presence of many positions and types of products;
• setting retail price.

The last point is worth paying special attention to, since it is the economic basis of retail. always higher than the wholesale price - the difference between the purchase and sale prices. This value is the main income of the retailer, although not the only one. Depending on the specific area, the markup can be as high as 25-30% (trade in food products), or as high as 200%, or even more (trade in clothing, luxury goods). Therefore, even during a sale, sellers, as a rule, do not work to their detriment, but only slightly reduce the size of the trade margin. Most often, retail is a very profitable activity that allows you to earn money without producing anything.

Retail: trading formats

Speaking about what retail is, we should talk about the ways of its implementation. Sales can be carried out using various methods and under different conditions:

• personally;
• by phone;
• through the Internet;
• on the street;
• in the shop;
• from home.

However, as a rule, retail trade is conducted in a store environment. It may have the following supermarket, discount store, online store, convenience store or sofa store. Street retail is especially popular among retailers. retail premises located on the first floors of buildings. They have all the attributes of a store: display windows, a cash register and their own separate entrance. This trading format is convenient for buyers living nearby and beneficial for sellers.

It is also worth mentioning what a retail park is, because in recent years it has become increasingly popular. This is an economic format shopping center, consisting of one or two floors and usually located around a parking lot. For the construction of such complexes, cheap structures and technologies are used, which makes it possible to set lower rental rates. This makes retail parks interesting and popular with retailers, as well as with customers who can purchase goods at better prices.

Retail today

Worldwide, retail volumes today reach ten trillion dollars. Russia's share in the world market is about two percent, and its annual growth is observed. Due to the increase in the welfare of citizens in the last few years, their purchasing power has increased (by almost 10% over the year). Today, our country is in eighth place in terms of retail market volume, which is not bad at all.

The largest in our country are X5 Retail, Magnit and Auchan. And the world leader can be called the American retail company Wal-Mart. Its turnover today amounts to more than 400 billion dollars.

Conclusion

In the article we looked at what retail is, what its mandatory attributes and features are. You have learned what retail formats exist and what is new in this area today. In addition, we touched on the current state of global retail and learned the place of our country in its total volume. We hope the information was interesting and useful for you.

In the process of distribution of goods from manufacturers to consumers, the final link that closes the chain of economic relations is retail trade.

Retail trade is the launching pad for a new cycle of production and circulation, as goods are converted into money. In retail trade, goods move from the sphere of circulation to the sphere of collective, individual, personal consumption, i.e. become the property of consumers. Buyers through retail trade optimally satisfy their needs, and retail trade, taking into account the wishes of customers in its assortment, can sell more goods and ensure commercial success.

In contrast to the planned economy, which, as a result of the instructions of the planning authorities, deprived the retail trade of the basis for independent action, the market economy requires the retail trade entrepreneur to operate on the basis of personal responsibility. In his assortment, the entrepreneur focuses on the wishes of customers and transfers these orders to suppliers, that is, in the market he is the link between the manufacturer and the consumer. The better an entrepreneur in retail trade takes into account the wishes of customers in his assortment, the more goods he will be able to sell, the higher his commercial success will be. Buyers, for their part, are able to optimally satisfy their needs through retail trade. Thus, both parties - the retailer and the buyer - benefit from the mutual dependence and willingness of the retailer to operate.

Commercial work selling goods in retail trade enterprises, unlike wholesale enterprises, has its own characteristics.

1. Retail enterprises sell goods directly to the public, that is, individuals, using their specific methods and methods of retail sales.

2. Trade services to the population presuppose the presence of specially designed and equipped retail premises adapted for:

Best customer service;

The ability to offer and sell goods to each specific person;

Carrying out the selection and formation of a trade assortment;

Constantly studying and taking into account the consumer needs of customers.

3. The retail network, unlike the wholesale network, is characterized by great territorial disunity and fragmentation; its activities can be attributed mainly to the sphere of small business. Managers of retail trade enterprises are required to have greater entrepreneurship and initiative in commercial work to organize the sale of goods to the public; the ability to serve customers well, resist competitors and ensure normal profits.

Changes in forms of ownership in retail trade have led to a sharp increase in the independence of trading enterprises. Commercial initiative and entrepreneurship have been widely developed in the organization of retail sales of goods. An important element of commercial sales work is the formation of an optimal assortment of goods in the store. Establishing the optimal assortment is directly dependent on the type and specialization of the enterprise. In retail trade, there is a process of opening branded trading enterprises in commodity-producing industries. A retail network is emerging that sells products from bakeries, meat processing plants, and dairies. The process of universalization of retail enterprises is taking place everywhere, and the number of mixed stores is growing.

During the period of market reforms, many retail enterprises refocused their activities; arbitrarily changed the established trade profile; excluded everyday goods from the assortment. Within the sphere of trade, a need has arisen for a new type of commercial activity that ensures the greatest efficiency in the process of selling goods. Special services are being created:

To study and forecast consumer demand;

Monitoring the activities of stores;

Analysis and determination of the effectiveness of certain forms and methods of trade;

Development and construction of a new type of product, based on the results of probable demand;

Introduction of standardization and prototyping;

Information from buyers about the consumer qualities and properties of new products;

Organization of exhibitions, etc.

Specialized forms of after-sales service for technically complex products are being created and become widespread.

Retail is any type of business activity for the sale of goods (services) directly to end consumers for their personal non-commercial use.

Retail trade performs the following functions:

1. Sorting of goods. Retailers engage in the sorting process by collecting an assortment of products from a large number of suppliers and offering them for sale.

3. Placement of goods. Retail trade stores goods, sets prices for them, places them in retail premises and carries out other transactions with goods.

4. Payment for goods. Of course, products are paid to suppliers before they are sold to end consumers.

5. Completion of the purchase and sale transaction. In this case, they use the appropriate location of stores and their opening hours, credit policy and the provision of additional services.

Other functions include:

Solving problems of returning goods;

Providing discounts;

Buyer consultations;

Taking on expenses caused by theft, damage, and aging of goods;

Ensuring the development of new markets by introducing new products.

The quality indicator of a retail trading network is:

1) the ratio of enterprises trading food and non-food products;

2) the share of specialized stores in the total number of trading enterprises;

3) the forms of sale and methods of service used;

4) the ratio of retail space used for the sale of individual groups of goods;

5) duration of use of the retail space during the day (working hours);

6) the ratio of the retail space of enterprises located in such, free-standing and built-in buildings;

7) the average size of the retail space of one store. Retail trade network based on stationarity

classified into the following types: 1) stationary - shops and the like;

2) small retail - pavilions, tents, kiosks, stalls;

3) mobile - trade from cars, trays. Traditionally, retail trade is carried out through stores. There are two main types of store trade:

1) trade through a service counter;

2) trade with open access to goods.

1. Trade at the service counter includes the following operations:

1) meeting the buyer and identifying his intentions;

2) offer and display of goods;

3) assistance in choosing goods and consultation;

4) offering related and new products;

5) carrying out technological operations related to cutting, weighing, measuring;

6) settlement transactions;

7) packaging and delivery of purchases.

2. In trade with open access to goods The following methods are used:

1) preliminary selection of goods;

2) free selection of goods;

3) self-service.

1. Preliminary selection of goods involves displaying samples on the sales floor and allowing customers to familiarize themselves with them. After selecting the goods and paying for the purchase, the seller hands the buyer the goods corresponding to the samples. With this selling method, working inventory of goods is placed separately from samples. It is convenient because in a relatively small area of ​​the sales floor you can display samples of a fairly wide range of goods. Typically, this method is used when selling technically complex and large-sized goods, as well as those goods that require measuring and cutting before being released to the buyer. This method is used to sell household refrigerators, washing machines, lighting, heating and heating equipment, sewing machines, televisions, radio equipment, musical instruments, motorcycles, bicycles, furniture, fabrics and other goods.

2. With free selection of goods, buyers have the opportunity to independently familiarize themselves with and select the goods laid out at the seller’s workplace. They are laid out on counters, slides, stands. The functions of the seller in this method of selling are limited to advising buyers, weighing, packaging and dispensing the goods they have selected. Payment transactions can be carried out at cash desks installed in the sales area or at the seller’s workplace. Selling goods with free selection is convenient compared to traditional methods, since many buyers can simultaneously monitor openly laid out samples of goods, without distracting sellers from performing functions related to displaying goods and information about their assortment. The use of this method allows

Increase store throughput;

Increase sales productivity.

Typically, this method is used when selling those goods that are sold in self-service stores through service counters - fabrics, shoes, hosiery, haberdashery, stationery, household and other goods.

3. Self-service belongs to one of the methods of selling goods with open access, convenient for buyers. This is a selling system without a salesperson. Self-service allows

Speed ​​up operations for selling goods;

Increase store capacity;

Expand the volume of sales of goods.

This method provides customers with free access to the goods displayed on the sales floor, the ability to independently inspect and select them without the help of a seller, and allows for a more rational distribution of functions between store employees.

Payment for selected goods is carried out at payment centers serviced by cashier controllers. When self-service the following changes:

Technological planning of the sales area and other store premises;

Organization of financial responsibility and goods post;

Functions of store employees.

The self-service method is used when selling most food and non-food products. The exceptions are household electrical appliances and cars, refrigerators, carpets and rugs, sets and crystal, bicycles, motorcycles, boats, motors, television and radio equipment, jewelry, watches, souvenirs and some other goods, since when choosing them, buyers, as a rule, , need help from sellers. These goods, as well as goods requiring cutting, packaging, etc. sold in self-service stores through the personal service counter.

The first self-service store was opened in 1915 in Memphis (USA). The store was called "Sila", and the system itself was called "cash and carry"

The existence of stores is not a prerequisite for retail trade. Currently, pozomagazine trading methods have become widespread. Non-store sales account for 12% of all consumer purchases. According to the forecasts of some experts, at the beginning of the 21st century. half of all goods will be sold outside stores. According to other estimates, by the same time, about one third of all sales of consumer goods will be through non-store channels (through teleshopping, catalogs and the Internet).

Non-store trading is divided into four main categories:

1. Personal sale. Originating centuries ago when there were still traveling merchants, it has grown to become a $9 billion industry with over 600 companies offering their wares in homes, offices and special parties. There are three types of personal selling:

1) “one-on-one” selling (actually personal selling), in which the seller makes a visit to one person (potential user of the product) and tries to sell him his product;

2) selling “one to many”. A sales representative comes to the home of a person who has invited friends and neighbors to a party or other similar event. He then demonstrates his product and accepts the order. The best salespeople tend to receive large bonuses. For example, the Magu Kay company offers the most distinguished distributors diamonds, mink fur products and the right to drive a pink Cadillac for a whole year. According to experts, every ten seconds in the world during a “trading meeting” one commercial transaction is carried out. This form of sales was first introduced in the United States and has spread to more than 50 countries around the world. A similar form of sales is also used by the famous Swiss Hodzing company Zelter, a world leader in the field of healthy nutrition and lifestyle, which produces high-quality tableware and top-class cosmetics. The company has its representative offices in more than 30 countries around the world. So far, for most domestic buyers it seems unusual when a representative of the company comes to their home and talks in detail about the dishes that he shows, immediately cooks in it or demonstrates environmentally friendly creams, lotions, the capabilities of the ultra-modern Zepter-Biotronic lamp, which allows you to independently carry out treatment of various diseases, burns and wounds. After such a demonstration, a company employee professionally answers all questions of interest to the client. Such attentiveness pleasantly surprises and, what is much more important, captivates. However, such an attitude of company employees towards clients is a service norm. When the buyer becomes, by his own definition, the happy owner of a product, the company does not leave him alone with a high-tech product. At any time, the consumer can contact his regional manager and instantly solve all problems that arise at first. Moreover, as follows from advertising messages, the company provides a lifetime warranty on all its products;

3) multi-level (network) marketing. The pioneer of this type of sales was the Amwаy company, whose turnover in 1994 exceeded $560,000,000. Half of this company's operations are in Japan and the countries of the Pacific region. This is a "pyramidal version" of personal selling, in which a company hires independent workers to become distributors of ITS products. These distributors, in turn, hire other people and sell the product to them, who also hire distributors, etc. The final sale is made throughout the house from buyers. The distributor receives a certain percentage from sales of the entire lower (i.e., created by him) trading group, as well as from earnings from his own sales of goods to end consumers.

2. Direct Marketing Its roots lie in direct mail and catalog sales. In the UK, mail order trading has become widespread - more than 18 million people (almost one third of the country's population) use this form of trading. In Germany, parcel trade accounts for more than 5% of retail turnover. The main convenience of mail order trading is the sale of goods on credit with payment in installments. When purchasing a product, the buyer is required to pay 5% of the cost of the product (the product is sent on the seventh day after placing the order), and the remaining amount is repaid within 5-9 months, depending on the type of product. Today, direct marketing includes other sales methods, such as telemarketing, special television channels (home shopping programs and infomercials) and e-commerce.

3. Sales through vending machines. A wide range of goods are sold through the machines, including both impulse purchase goods needed in various conditions (cigarettes, soft and hot drinks, candy, newspapers), and other products (tights, cosmetics, various light foods, hot soups, music albums, movies, T-shirts, insurance policies). Vending machines have reached their maximum development in Japan, where they are used to distribute jewelry, frozen meat, fresh flowers, and alcoholic beverages. Vending machines can be found in every factory, office, large retail store, gas station, hotel and restaurant.

From the point of view of buyers, such machines have the following advantages:

Open 24 hours a day

They provide the opportunity for complete self-service and a “pure” product that almost no one has ever held in their hands.

4. Trade service. At the same time, the retailer, which does not have a separate store, serves some regular customers (usually employees of large organizations - schools, hospitals, unions, government agencies). Employees of such an organization create their own sales service network and are entitled to discounts at various retail stores that have agreed to participate in the program. For example, if a person is going to purchase a video camera, she receives a special form from the company organizing the service, goes with it to one of the participating stores and, if purchased, receives a discount there. After this, the store transfers a small commission to the organizing company.

The Nature and Significance of Retailing

Types of retail businesses

Relative attention to prices

The nature of the retail space

Store affiliation

Retailer Marketing Decisions

Story retail

Specifics retail

Interesting Facts

Retail— sale of goods to the final purchaser (private individual).

Retail — trade goods individually or in small quantities for personal, non-commercial use by the end consumer.

Retail - trade goods and provision of services to customers for personal, family, home use not related to business activities. Retail is the final stage of the distribution channel.

Retail- any activity of selling goods or services directly to end consumers for their personal, non-commercial use.

Retail- the scope of entrepreneurial activity for the sale of goods or services on the basis of oral or written sales contracts directly to the final agreements for their personal non-commercial use.

The Nature and Significance of Retailing

Due to the fact that salesman does not have the legal right and actual ability to reliably determine the purpose for which buyer buys from him product(for personal non-commercial use or, for example, for sale in spontaneous markets), the specified definition of retail trade, in the author’s opinion, does not fully reveal its economic essence.

Based on the requirements of the current legislation in the field of patenting, retail trade means trade for cash (although goods can be purchased for cash by business entities for subsequent resale). Let us note that this understanding is also imperfect, since, according to Instruction No. 389, retail trade turnover should include, for example, price food products sold by bank transfer in small wholesale by a separate health, social welfare and education institution.

So, in the future, we will understand retail trade as the implementation by a business entity of operations that, according to Instruction No. 389, are included in retail turnover, for example, the sale of goods on credit with installment payment for cash, the sale of gift assortment goods for the holidays and for New Year's gifts for children With payment by bank transfer.

The largest retail companies are, first of all, chains of department stores with a mixed assortment and chains of supermarkets.

Whether selling to one of the social classes or to the mass market, over the years, retailers traders have internalized the idea that they operate in a rapidly changing environment. Yesterday's formulas for retail trading may not work today and probably won't work tomorrow.

The modern retailer needs to be alert to signs of change and be prepared to refocus its strategy - sooner rather than later. However, the decision to change strategy is not so easy to implement.

A large retailer is often bound by its own policies, which management considers to be “ordinary common sense.” And, besides, he is tied to his own social image, which is preserved in his consciousness consumers long after the store itself has already changed.

There are a lot of retail and small “family” shops. Small retail establishments play an important role for several reasons:

New forms of retail trade often appear in them, which are later adopted by large stores.

They are more convenient for the purchaser, since they are found almost everywhere.

They are often more adaptable and provide more personalized services to the buyer.

They give customers the opportunity to feel in control.

The purpose of retailing is to satisfy the diverse needs of customers.

The trader is the link between the producer and the consumer. His job is to buy wholesale items in demand from different places and from different suppliers, and then sell them at a profit for himself.

The experience of countries with developed market economies suggests that over time, retail trade falls under a number of large trading companies. Despite the fact that these companies control less than half of all retail outlets, they still account for more than 2/3 of the total retail turnover.

Therefore, in the struggle for small buyers enterprises Retailers have to work hard.

The dominant position in the market is occupied by the seller, not the seller.

The effectiveness of a retailer is ultimately determined by careful consideration of all the details of trading activities.

In the Russian Federation, retail trade is currently the main type of commercial activity for many Russians. In conditions of commodity shortages, the role of the retailer is extremely simplified.

However, as consumer consumption becomes saturated market various types of goods during economic transformations in Russian Federation the small trader will have to work hard to earn his place in the sun.

This can be achieved if you thoroughly study your market and be able to satisfy the needs of your customers to the maximum extent.

Retail trade is the most important sector of economic activity. The main indicator work trading enterprises is retail turnover. In the sphere of retail trade, the circulation of goods ends and they move into the sphere of personal consumption. Retail trade is the sale of goods directly to the public for personal consumption. Retail trade is divided according to forms of ownership: state, collective, joint, private, mixed.

Unlike wholesale trade, a product purchased in a retail trade system is not subject to further resale (according to the current legislation, paragraph 1 of Article 492 of the Civil Code Russia), but is intended for direct use.

The relationship between seller and buyer in the retail trade system is regulated by a special law. In Russia it is about protecting consumer rights.

Subjects process retail trade - seller and buyer. An indispensable attribute of retail trade is the cash register and cash register. Retail trade includes the sale of goods through vending machines.

There is a concept of a retail store format. This is a set of characteristics inherent in any type of store. These characteristics are:

Sales area

Number of product items

Customer service level

Product placement technology.

There are the following retail trade formats:

Discounter

Convenience store

Supermarket

Hypermarket

To the supermarket

Department store

Trade can be a powerful foreign policy tool. To this day, the ability to trade greatly influences the power of the state. If we compare retail trade as industry economy, for example, with ferrous metallurgy, then retail trade has undeniable advantages: it does not pollute the environment and does not require raw materials for reproduction.

What is retail? Everyone knows that Sears is company retail. But what about the Avon lady knocking on the door, the contractor offering home repair services over the telephone, the doctor visiting patients, the hotel advertising low-cost weekend getaways? Yes, yes, these are all retailers. We define retail as follows:

Any establishment that does this is engaged in retail trade. Moreover, it does not matter at all how exactly goods or services are sold (by personal selling, by mail, by telephone set or through a vending machine) and where exactly they are sold (in a store, on the street or at the buyer’s home).

Retail trade is one of the largest industries activities in the United States. Retail stores make up approximately 25% of all U.S. business establishments and are the third largest source employment V country with a workforce of almost 16 million workers and employees. Retail trade includes over 1.5 million single-point and more than 340 thousand multi-point trading establishments, the total turnover of which in 1981 amounted to 1038,000,000 thousand dollars2

Who are the largest retailers? countries? In 1981, the top ten largest retailers were corporations Sears Roebuck with a turnover of $27.3 billion, Safeway Stores (16.5), K-Mart (16.6), J. K. "(11.8), "Kroger" (11.2), "F. W. Woolworth (7.2), American Stores (7.1), Lucky Stores (7.2), Federal Department Stores (7.0) and A&P (6.8 billion dollars)3. Largest retail organizations- These are primarily chains of department stores with a mixed assortment and chains of supermarkets.

Whether selling to one of the social classes or to the mass market, over the years retailers have internalized the idea that they operate in a rapidly changing environment. Yesterday's formulas for retail trading may not work today and probably won't work tomorrow. Where did U.T. go? Grant, one of the country's oldest and largest chains of dry goods stores, and Food Fair, the eighth largest chain of supermarkets? They went bankrupt. What happened to the great A&P network? “Formerly considered almost a monopolistic colossus, the arbiter of the fate of small competitors and the target of fighters against trusts, now the A&P network has become like a shabby, toothless lion”4. What happened to Montgomery Ward, the fourth largest mixed-line department store chain? She is busy searching for a strategy to revive her former glory. Even corporations Sears is not doing well.