Questions and Answers of Retailing Management

Complete the following table by briefly describing how different retail formats could use each of the areas listed to enhance the store’s image and atmosphere.AreaDrug StoreClothing StoreMusic
What types of sales promotions have been successful with you as a consumer? Which ones have not been successful? Explain your responses.
Go to the home page for Interbrand (http://interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2016/) and select the Top 100 Global Brands. On the basis of this ranking, list the top 20 global retail
Go to the web page of Overstock.com and look at its top-selling merchandise. Select a few key items and compare the price of each product at other online retail sites such as Target.com, Amazon.com,
Go to the home pages of the following retail trade publications: Chain Store Age at www.chainstoreage.com, and Retailing Today at www.retailingtoday.com. Find an article in each that focuses on
Interview the store manager working for the retailer you have selected for the Continuing Case assignment. Write a report that describes and evaluates the retailer’s information and supply chain
Go to http://www.esri.com/library/fliers/pdfs/tapestry_segmentation.pdf and identify five segments that you would expect to be found in your zip code. Then go to
Go to the following Internet sites offering information about the latest fashions: Vogue Magazine at www.vogue.com/, Allure Magazine at www.allure.com/, The Blonde Salad fashion blog at
Using the same retailer that you chose in the previous question, how well have they integrated their operations across channels? How similar and different are their assortments and prices? Should
Choose a retailer from whom you have purchased through multiple channels. Is it a multichannel, cross-channel, or omnichannel retailer? Justify your answer.
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the various alternatives Ruth Diamond is considering?2. Do you have any other suggestions for improving the store’s sales?3. What would you
1. Examine the Newell Brands website (http://www.newellbrands.com). How does Yankee Candle create value for Newell Brands? (Hint: Evaluate Yankee Candle using SWOT analysis to answer the question).2.
Why are some retailers switching from UPC codes to RFID?
What are the positive and negative aspects of direct marketing from the customer’s perspective?
1.Discuss the elements of adaptability and global culture as they relate to successful global retailing. How should Home Depot adapt its business model and marketing strategy for success amid
1. How might a hypermarket located in India appeal to consumers and orient them to shopping in larger stores?2. Is the Indian government’s willingness to spend $500 billion to improve the
1. Prepare a SWOT analysis based on the case to support Starbucks’s expansion plans in China. Based on your SWOT analysis, what recommendations would you make to Starbucks’s CEO with regard to
1. Calculate the following for both Tiffany & Co. and TJX using data from the abbreviated income statements and balance sheets in Exhibit 1. 2. For a-h, compare and contrast the calculated
1. List the pluses and minuses of each location.2. What type of store would be most appropriate for each location?3. If you were Stephanie, which location would you choose? Why?Synopsis:
1. Why is Avon so committed to diversity?2. Select another retailer that also values diversity. How does this commitment affect its financial results?3. What values have helped Avon be a successful
1. Identify the benefits for a company to implement a loyalty program 2. What are the design characteristics of an effective loyalty program? 3. What are the benefits of having a tiered
1. How can Diva demystify what happens behind the scenes and make potential Generation Y employees aware of the opportunities available to them beyond the shop floor?2. Diva has implemented a
1. Given the soft-goods targets, are these marked correctly? If not, what should the initial retail price be to obtain her 60 percent minimum initial markup percentage?2. By noon another shipment
1. Work up a buying plan to use when buying from Ghuman's. 2. How should Hughes distribute the allotted open-to-buy dollars among the available sizes, colors, and fabrics?Synopsis: A department
Your assignment is to assist Jim in the preparation of a merchandise budget plan. First, fill out the merchandise budget form for six months. You may use either the form accompanying this case or the
1. Factories in many developing nations have lower cost structures, but that is often attributable to fewer benefits and lower wages for workers. What are the ethical trade-offs for retailers and
1. What prices caused Courtney's new charges?2. Which price would result in the highest profit?3. What other factors should Courtney's consider?4. What price would you charge, and how many units
1. Taking the perspective of the retailer, what are the advantages and disadvantages of adopting each of the Mobilibuy functionalities? As a retailer, would you adopt the Mobilibuy system? If so, for
1. Knowing that the company wants a mixed-media ad campaign to support this event, prepare an ad plan for the general merchandise manager that costs no more than $40,000.2. Work out the daily
1. On the basis of your review of the David Jones website, http://davidjones.com.au/, use examples to explain how different sections of the home page serve different audiences. What other audiences
1. Why did this service breakdown occur?2. How was this service gap related to the other gaps (standards, knowledge, delivery, and communications) described in the gaps model in Chapter 17?Synopsis:
1. What steps does Nordstrom take to implement its strategy of providing outstanding customer service?2. How do these activities enable Nordstrom to reduce the gaps between perceived service and
1) How does music add value to businesses?2) What type of music would you recommend that Jake play in his restaurant?3) Identify other retail settings in which music influences consumer
1. What is Ladurée’s target market and retail strategy in the United States? 2. Explain the reasons Ladurée owns its stores in some countries and uses franchising with local licensees in
1. Outline the decision-making process for each of the Sanchez family’s bicycle purchases.2. Compare the different purchase processes for the three bikes. What stimulated each of them? What factors
1. What is Ashley Stewart’s retail format?2. Who is its target market? Could/should that target market be expanded? 3. What are its bases for sustainable competitive advantage? 4. Perform
1. If you were starting a green business in the next five years, how would you design the business model? What lessons could you learn from The Green Painter?2. Research current business practices
1. How can retailers provide high-quality personalized service? Use an optometrist’s office that also sells eyeglass frames and fills prescriptions for contact lenses as your example. How does this
1. Assess the extent to which Staples has developed a successful multichannel strategy. What factors have contributed to its success?2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using kiosks as a
1. What strengths do the different distribution channels have from the company’s perspective?2. Which synergies has Blue Tomato created across different channels? What additional actions might it
Consider a situation in which you received poor customer service in a retail store or from a service provider. Did you make the store’s management aware of your experience? To whom did you relay
1. Is the Build-A-Bear concept a fad, or does it have staying power?2. What can Build-A-Bear Workshop do to generate repeat visits to the store?Synopsis: Build-A-Bear Workshop is a unique
1. What is Tractor Supply Company’s growth strategy? What retail mix does TSC provide?2. How has TSC’s target customers changed over time?3. How does TSC’s retail mix provide the benefits
Consider customer service at IKEA. How does this retailer utilize a self-service model to gain a competitive advantage over traditional furniture stores?
Go to a discount store such as Walmart, a department store, and a specialty store to buy a pair of jeans. After visiting all three, compare and contrast the level of customer service you received in
1. Describe Ollie’s target markets. How are they similar? Different? 2. Compare Ollie’s retailing strategy to Macy’s and to Marshall’s.Synopsis: Ollie’s Bargain Outlet describes itself
Have you ever worked in a job that required you to provide customer service? If yes, describe the skills you needed and tasks you performed on this job. If no, what skills and abilities would you
Visit Amazon.com and shop for a best-selling book. How does the website help you locate best sellers? How does the customer service offered by this website compare with the service you would get at
1. What is Macy’s plan to attract Millennials?2. How is Macy’s positioned in the fashion market? Who are its main competitors, and how well does it compete against them?3. Who are Macy’s target
Both Nordstrom and McDonald's are noted for their high-quality customer service, but their approaches to providing quality service are different. Describe this difference. Why has each of these
Go to www.sas.com/en_us/industry/retail/integrated-merchandise-planning.html, the SAS Merchandise Planning website. How does its system provide retailers with information to support merchandising
Calculate the GMROI and inventory turnover given annual sales of $20,000, average inventory (at cost) of $4,000 and a gross margin of 45 percent.
As the athletic shoe buyer for Dick’s Sporting Goods, how would you go about forecasting sales for a new Nike running shoe?
A buyer at a sporting goods store in Denver receives a shipment of 400 ski parkas on October 1 and expects to sell out by 31. On November 1, the buyer still has 350 parkas left. What issues should
Go to the home page for the Private Label Manufacturer’s Association (PLMA), and read the “What are Store Brands?” page, which can be found at http://plma.com/storebrands/facts13.html. 1.
What are the differences among counterfeit, gray-market, and black-market merchandise? Is the selling of this type of merchandise legal? Do you believe that the selling of these types of merchandise
What are the advantages and disadvantages of manufacturer’s brands versus store brands? Consider both the retailer's and customer's perspectives.
Does your favorite clothing store have a store-brand strategy? If yes, how does it build store loyalty? If no, how could a store brand create loyalty?
Explain why a grocery store, such as Kroger, offers more than one tier of store brands within a particular product category.
When you go shopping in which product categories do you prefer store brands or national brands? Explain your preference.
What are retailers doing to be more socially responsible in buying merchandise? Why are they becoming more socially responsible? Do you buy products that you believe were produced in a socially
You have decided that you don’t want to take the final in this class. Explain how you would negotiation this request with the instructor. Consider place, deadlines, past relationship, possible
What types of retailers often use a high/low pricing strategy? What types of retailers generally use an everyday low-pricing strategy? How would customers likely react if a retailer switched its
Go to the website of Sandals (www.sandals.com) and see what you can get for an all-inclusive price. Describe how bundling services and products provides vacationers with value. Find an example of
Why would sewing pattern manufacturers such as Simplicity (www.simplicity.com/patterns/) and Butterick (https://butterick.mccall.com/) ask $12.95 (or more) on each pattern and then two times a year
Go to your favorite food store and your local Walmart to find their prices for the market basket of goods listed in the accompanying table [see text]. What was the total cost of the market basket at
What is the difference between bundled pricing and multiple-unit pricing?
Maintained markup is 39 percent, net sales are $52,000, and reductions are $2,500. What are the gross margin in dollars and the initial markup as a percentage? Explain why initial markup is greater
Men’s Wearhouse purchased black leather belts for $15.99 each and priced them to sell for $29.99 each. What was the markup on the belts?
Scandit has created a mobile application to increase the speed of the checkout process by enabling customers to scan the products they want to purchase and pay for them on their smartphones. Visit
What are the advantages and disadvantages of offering virtual dressing rooms from the retailers’ perspective?
As an architect for retail space, you are responsible for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. How would you make sure that a store’s retail layout meets both accessibility requirements and
Go to the homepage of Envirosell (http://www.envirosell.com). How does this marketing research consulting firm support retailers by collecting consumer information to assist with store layout,
VMSD is the leading resource for retail designers and store display professionals, serving the retail industry since 1869 (then called Display World). Go to its web page at http://vmsd.com and
Go to the home page of CoolHunters (www.thecoolhunter.net). Look at examples posted in the store subpage (under the design tab). How can this information of latest trends assist with store layout,
Drugstore retailers such as CVS place diabetic test strips and perfume behind locked glass cabinets and nearly all over-the-counter medicines behind Plexiglas panels. What are the pros and cons of
Some staff pharmacists working for retail chains refuse to dispense the Plan B “morning after” contraceptive pill because of their religious beliefs. In another situation, Muslims and Jewish
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different forms of compensation programs described in this chapter? Considering the disadvantages only, how can department managers ameliorate lessen
Name some laws and regulations that affect the employee management process. Which do you believe are the easiest for retailers to adhere to? Which are violated the most often?
Using the interview questions in Exhibit 15-3, role-play with another student in the class as both the interviewer and the applicant for an assistant store manager position at a store of your choice.
Why do some online retailers include editorials and customer reviews along with product information on their websites? Explain how this may influence the consumer’s buying behavior.
A retailer plans to open a new store near a university. It will specialize in collegiate merchandise such as apparel, accessories, and school supplies. Consider the pros and cons of each of the
Go to the home page for Target’s Pressroom at http://corporate.target.com. How does this retailer use public relations to communicate with investors and customers? Is this an effective
Go to the social media site for a retailer that you have shopped at during the last few weeks. How was social media used as an element in the retailer’s communication program? What audience is
Trader Joe’s is a gourmet grocery store offering items such as health foods, organic produce, and nutritional supplements. Go to www.traderjoes.com and see how the firm uses its Internet site to
Retailers and manufacturers deliver coupons through the Internet in addition to delivering them by mail or as inserts. Go to retailmenot.com for coupons offered over the Internet. How does this
Visit a big-box office supply store and then a discount store to shop for school supplies. Contrast the variety and assortment offered at both. What are the advantages and disadvantages of breath
Go to the store location or homepage for a craft store such as Michaels Stores, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, or A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts (http://www.michaels.com, http://www.joann.com or
Go to the home page of Merchandise Management Company (MMC)athttp://www.merchmanco.com/Default.aspx Read the posted information (read section on “news”) on this website. How does this service
Think of one of your favorite places to shop. How does this retailer create customer loyalty and satisfaction, encourage repeat visits, establish an emotional bond between the customer and the
Why are most frequent-shopper programs ineffective in terms of building loyalty? What can be done to make them more effective?
Why do some customers have a low or negative CLV value? What approach can retailers take with these customers to minimize their impact on the bottom line?
Go to the 1-800-Flowers Fresh Rewards Landing page at www.1800flowers.com/fresh-rewards and read about the Fresh Rewards program. How does this company's CRM program help it to track its best
Why do retailers want to determine the lifetime value of their customers? How does past customer behavior help retailers anticipate future customer retention?
Go to the website for the Electronic Privacy Information Center (www.epic.org) and review the issues raised by the organization. What does this watchdog organization feel are the most important
What is a customer relationship management (CRM) program? Describe one CRM program that you have participated in as a customer.
Go to the home page of a retailer that you frequent and review their privacy policy. How is this retailer protecting its customers’ information? Which policies, or lack of policies, raise your
This chapter presents some trends in supply chain and information systems that benefit retailers. How do vendors benefit from these trends?
Go to Barcoding Incorporated’s web page at http://www.barcoding.com and search for retail, warehouse management, and RFID. How is this company using technology to support retailers with information
What kind of lease should a new retail enterprise, opening its first store in an urban location that is experiencing gentrification and growth, seek to negotiate with the building owner?

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