Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Retailing As you learned in the previous section, e-tailing has some tremendous benefits for a retailer. It allows the retailer to reach consumers outside their immediate market area, as well as makes the retailer more convenient, as consumers can shop when and where they want, regardless of actual store locations or hours. It also maximizes the retailer’s ability to fulfill orders, as they pull from… Read More »Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Retailing

Electronic Retailing What you’ll learn to do: Discuss the rise of electronic retailing through the internet As we begin, it’s necessary to distinguish between electronic retailing (e-tailing) and broader e-commerce. While closely related and sometimes used synonymously, e-tailing is actually a subset of e-commerce. That is, e-commerce refers to any exchange of goods on-line, while e-tailing refers specifically to retailing online. This, of course, doesn’t minimize e-tailing, as it’s an important… Read More »Electronic Retailing

Comparison of Store, Catalog, and Internet Channels The most pronounced difference between store and non-store retail channels is the cost structure. Retail stores have comparatively higher costs than their non-store counter-parts because their costs include rent, utilities, inventory, and staffing. By comparison, non-store retail outlets have eliminated rent and utilities and greatly reduced carried inventory and staffing. It’s for this reason that non-store retailing is used by established brick &… Read More »Comparison of Store, Catalog, and Internet Retail Channels

Retailers and Non-store Channel Types Non-store retailing is the selling of goods and services outside the confines of a retail store, off the premises of fixed retail locations. This distribution channel can be divided into direct selling and distance selling. Modern direct selling includes sales made through one-on-one demonstrations, hosted product sales events in-home, and other personal contact. Direct selling consists of two main business models: single-level marketing and multi-level marketing. In single-level… Read More »Retailers and Non-store Channel Types

Non-Store Retail Channels What you’ll learn to do: Describe a wide variety of non-store retail channels It’s easy to confuse “retail” with the brick & mortar store experience. Or, if thinking of non-store retailing, extend “retail” only to the on-line domain. But, it’s important to expand this consideration to include multiple alternative outlets to get an understanding of the wide breadth of retailing, outside store formats, including: e-commerce, catalogues, and even… Read More »Non-Store Retail Channels

Key Differences Between Single Channel, Multi-Channel, and Omni-Channel Retailing Think again about your own shopping behavior. Perhaps you’re frequently in-store to see the products in-person. Maybe you shop on-line, visiting the store or brand’s websites? Are you connected with retailers or brands on Facebook? Do you follow them on Twitter to learn about new items, special releases or sales? Have you checked on Instagram to find them? Do you participate… Read More »Key Differences Between Single Channel, Multi-Channel, and Omni-Channel Retailing

Single Channel, Multi-Channel, and Omni-Channel Retailing Let’s imagine you’re planning to buy a new phone. How would you decide on the right one? Would you research online? Would you go to the manufacturers’ websites? What about blogs where users give their feedback and product reviews? Would you visit a store to see all the options in-person, asking the associate questions about performance and how each phone compares to the others?… Read More »development of Retailing channel strategies

Single Channel, Multi-Channel, and Omni-Channel Retailing What you’ll learn to do: Compare and contrast single channel, multi-channel, and omnichannel retailing Technology has enabled consumers to search and shop across channels very easily, blurring the differences between them. In response, manufacturers, especially those with leading brands, have worked hard to develop their presence in alternative channels to capitalize upon all outlets. As a result, retailers are at a crossroads, left either to… Read More »Single Channel, Multi-Channel, and Omni-Channel Retailing

Multi-Channel Retailing In the previous module, you spent time learning about changes in the grocery industry over the past 20 years, reflected in the emergence of new distribution channels and non-traditional formats. While this has dramatically changed the competitive landscape, it’s important that we also consider how the rise of technology is changing shopper behavior. These are changes that will further alter the retail landscape, as channels are blurred. Online,… Read More »Multi-Channel Retailing

Putting It Together: Retail Environment Analysis In the last 20 years, groceries have moved from the grocery store and supermarket to a whole host of other channels, where different retail formats are using food to increase store traffic and to increase revenue. This is important because our existing grocery and supermarket formats, largely unchanged in over 60 years and with very thin operating margins, are now competing with a host… Read More »Putting It Together: Retail Environment Analysis