Types of Retail Outlets

Retailing refers to a process where the retailer sells the goods directly to the end-user for his own consumption in small quantities.

Types of Retail outlets

1. Department Stores

   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

2. Discount Stores

   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.

3. Supermarket

   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

4. Warehouse Stores

   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.

5. Mom and Pop Store (also called Kirana Store in India)

   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

6. Speciality Stores

   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.

7. Malls

   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.

8. E Tailers

   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

9. Dollar Stores

   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.