A PROJECT WORK

ON

RETAIL MANAGEMENT

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

PROF. A.R.BODRA DEBJIT DAS (02)

DEPT.MARKETING P.SAGAR (05)

XISS, RANCHI ABHINEET PAUL (07)

LENIN ANTHONY (08)

SUJEET THAKUR (11)

DEPT.MARKETING

XISS, RANCHI

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 CONTENTS
SL.NO TOPIC PAGE NO.
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
2 ANALYSIS OF PART A 4
3 PART B (Pantaloons) 6
4 PART B (Bata) 12
5 PART B (Reliance footprints) 16
6 PART B (Sree Leathers) 20
7 ANALYSIS OF PART C 23

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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Indian Retail Industry is ranked among the ten largest retail markets in the world. The
attitudinal shift of the Indian consumer and the emergence of organized retail formats have
transformed the face of Retailing in India. With the sign of re-emergence of economic growth
in India, consumer buying in retail sector is being projected as a key opportunity area. As a
consequence, Indian corporate houses are refocusing its strategic perspective in retail
marketing with the idea to use resources optimally in order to create core competence and
gain competitive advantage.
In the purview of completing this project we selected 5 products, namely, formal shoes,
sports shoes, sneakers, slippers and casual shoes. We visited 4 retail stores, namely
Sreeleathers, Bata, Pantaloons and Reliance Footprints to judge the way these products are
offered to the customers. These stores were a mixture of one departmental store and three
speciality stores. We evaluated these products and retail stores from a customer’s point of
view.
We concluded Reliance Footprints to be the most preferred store which according to us
catered the best buying experience to a customer. It excelled in terms of parking space, store
signage, store layout, lighting, support staffs, brands, varieties, promotional offers and overall
ambience.

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 ANALYSIS OF PART A

Questions Pantaloons Sreeleathers Bata Reliance

Footprints
The target It is mainly No specific Power gets Much like
market you targeting the target acclaimed by Pantaloons.
think the youth section customer as it the youth. The Targets the
retailer is of the society is very evident Middle aged youth section of
directing its and the same from the crowd is also a the society
efforts and gets perfectly collection of the target bringing in a lot
why? justified store (stock), population of colour in the
through its that the main because of the collection.
wide array of motto is to brand loyalty it
vibrant and cater masses. has
lively successfully
collection. The infused over
Visual the users. Bata
Merchandising is very well
of the store also known for its
aims at soft soles and is
creating a still arguably
bubbly one of the
atmosphere, finest brands to
infusing be prescribed
positive spirit by the doctors
among the for people
buyers. having corn on
their sole.

How the It updates itself Good quality at Doesn’t Flamboyant

retailer readily as per an affordable promote collection and
strives to the changing price is what is specifically. It premium
satisfy the trend and the mostly strived encashes on its quality
needs of the preferences of for in the same. loyalty materials used

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target the customers. quotient. in the
market? production of
the items.

How the The loyalty The pricing Doctors’ sole. It stresses

retailer builds program strategy in this Bata is one of mainly on the
a long term (Green Card) case is the key the brands buying
advantage which allows to its success which has experience of
over the the customers over its experimented the customers
competitors? to retain back a competitors. and has through warm
fixed Sreeleathers successfully and cordial
percentage of has very come up with staff-customer
their total cleverly the soles which interaction
basket size so stocked its give comfort building a long-
that they can store with an and ready term
reimburse the abundance of easiness to relationship
same in future. items varying people thereby
Festive and widely in suffering from initiating a
seasonal materials used corn. probability of
discounts. and the total word-of-mouth
get up of the publicity.
finished good
which brings
about a
significant
magnitude of
change in its
price. Hence,
customers can
shop according
to their pocket
size and
demand.

Conclude with Very effective- Effective- Very effective-

how effective brings in a without much equipped with
you think the good footfall. updating and large number
retail strategy Monthly clocks changes, the of friendly
is? about 800- business seems staffs, a parking
1100 new to be on a slot and a very
entries in the positive curve. bright
Green Card ambience
register. which
contributes to
the buying
experience of
the customer,
creating a
positive note

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 from the time
of his entry.

ANALYSIS OF PART B

Part B – Pantaloons Store

I APPEARANCE

A. Is the store layout, design and visual merchandising techniques used consistent
with the exterior of the store and the location? What does it say about the type of
store this is and the market it is trying to attract?

 The pantaloons store is located strategically at the curb of DangratoliChowk, Ranchi.

This chowk is very busy as the road has a lot of traffic at almost all times of the day.
Another benefit of this location is that it is the only store that provides a variety of
products under one roof around the area. Thus, offering a one stop solution for
apparels, men’s wear, women’s wear, kid’s wear and accessories.
 The exterior of the store follows the universal design of pantaloons that is prevalent in
all pantaloons stores across India. Their trademark colour pattern of green and white is
also followed here. The architecture of the building stands out in the area as no other
building in the area is as beautiful.
 There is a huge parking space available for the customers to conveniently park their
vehicles while shopping. This is a very big factor for the customers in Ranchi as there
is a dearth of proper parking areas around most stores in Ranchi. There are small
eateries in the campus and a proper food court in the basement of the building that can
provide customers with refreshments and grab a bite after some frantic shopping.
 The exterior appearance of the store silently announces what customers can expect
inside. Good exterior visual merchandising attracts attention, creates interest and
invites the customer into the business.

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 B. Is the store’s ambience consistent with the merchandise presented and your
expectations as a customer?

 The ambience of the store was very consistent in all the three floors of the store. The
lighting was apt and a soft instrumental track played mildly in the background.
 The entire store was well air-conditioned and the store appeared quite aesthetic and
classical in its own way. The merchandise offered was vast and everything was neatly
displayed to aid the customers.
 From the viewpoint of a customer the store surely lives up to the expectations of the
customer.

C. Does the store need a face lift, update, remodel or renovation? What
improvements would you suggest?

 No, the store visited has recently opened up and so everything used is of the latest
trend and technology.
 However, one suggestion that I would give is that Pantaloons Ranchi does include the
‘e-zone’ department which is prevalent in all other Pantaloons stores across India. E-
zone is a platform where a range of electronics, from consumer durables to household
appliances, is offered for sale. This can provide a competitive edge to Pantaloons over
its competitors, if any.

II Fixtures:

A. Does the lighting highlight merchandise, structure space, capture a mood, or

downplay unwanted features?

 The shoes offered for sale in Pantaloons are clearly highlighted with spot lights and
backlit shelves that make the product stand out. Signs and symbols hanging from the
ceiling don’t fail to attract the customer’s eye. The lighting of the store gives the entire
store a touch of elegance which succeeds in giving a soothing shopping experience to the
customers.

B. Are the fixtures consistent with the merchandise and the overall ambience of the
store?

 The fixtures used to display the shoes were stainless steel stands jutting out of the wall.
The shoes were properly arranged and displayed according to the category and
manufacturer of the shoe.

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 The steel stands were looking very plush and were going with the classic feel of the
store. The advantage of this stand was that it properly displayed the shoe and also took
up very less space.

C. What type of image do the fixtures portray?

 The fixtures used in the Pantaloons store are sleek and elegant. The stainless steel gives
the merchandise an elegant look. The very appearance of the shoe on the fixture with the
spot light focussing and highlighting the shoe gives the shoe a look of exclusivity and
class.

III Promotion:

A. Evaluate the store’s signage. Does it effectively sell merchandise?

 The store uses signs to aid the customers with their shopping. There are proper
directions hanging from the wall pointing towards the shoes section in the store. This
will help a customer to directly know where to go if one wants to buy a pair of shoes.
 In the shoe section, the shoe merchandise is categorically placed. For example, all the
formal shoes of all the manufacturers available at the store are placed together, all the
sneakers of all the manufacturers were placed together, etc.
 The category of the shoe was boldly marked on the top of the merchandise presented.
The manufacturer name and logo were also marked on various signs around the
merchandise.
 This signage strategy will ease any customer who comes to buy a pair of shoes. At
one glance he will get a clearer picture of the categories available and the brands that
manufacturer that category. This will help a customer, especially men, to save on a lot
of time. As most men customers are not keen shoppers.

B. Has the retailer used any theatrical effects to help sell the merchandise?

 The retailer has not used any such theatrical effects to help sell the merchandise. The
only aid was of frequent announcements of discounts and offers available on the
merchandise over the microphone.

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 C. Does the store make creative use of wall space to sell the product?

 The store uses the wall space very wisely. The stainless steel stands, to place the
shoes on display, were attached to the walls of the store in the accessories section.
This provided an elevation to the merchandise displayed and they were also clearly
visible from a distance.
 Various posters of different manufacturers along with the brand ambassadors of the
manufacturer were pasted on the walls. These posters were again highlighted by
lights thus making it clearly visible to all.

D. Does the sales staff use suggestive selling?

 The sales staff did not use any suggestive selling technique. They just assisted the
customers in making their purchase. They did not pitch in for any other product
which the customer did not enquire or ask about.

E. Is the sales staff friendly and helpful?

 The sales staff present at the store was very friendly and helpful. On enquiring about
the shoes they listened to us very patiently and helped us on the matter with good
expertise. Their knowledge about the shoes merchandise and their manufacturers
were also quite good.

F. Is the image of the staff consistent with the image of the store?

 The staff was dressed properly. The gents’ staffs were clad in jeans and a casual
shirt. The women were dressed in proper formals, everyone had their respective
identity badges on them and a badge with their names inscribed was clipped on to
their shirt’s pockets. Their apparel was consistent with the image of the store.

IV. LAYOUT

A. Does the store layout help draw people throughout the store? Why or why not?

 The store has three floors. The ground floor is dedicated to accessories and to
women’s ethnic wear. The ladies section has been placed in the ground floor to attract
people, especially women who are avid shoppers, into the store. The accessories

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 section is placed right beside the ladies ethnic wear section in the ground floor. This
has been done so that when the wives are busy shopping for apparels the husbands can
casually browse through the range of watches and perfumes kept in the accessories
section. This could lead to impulse buying by the men.
 The second floor is dedicated to women casual wear and to kid’s wear. This floor also
has a range of home décor products such as curtains and bed sheets, etc. this floor is
clearly targeted to the women, housewives and mothers.
 The third floor is dedicated to the men’s wear and accessories. This floor has
everything from accessories to apparels of men.
 There are many billing counters on each floor, this avoids easy flow of people and any
congestion or rush as is seen at other stores in Ranchi such as the Big Bazaar.

B. How does the layout facilitate purchase?

 Pantaloons follow a ‘free form layout’. No particular format is followed. Anything is

placed anywhere but strategically. The shoes were placed categorically i.e. all
formals available at the store were placed together thus making it convenient for a
customer to compare and choose different brands in the formals sections and make a
purchase decision.

C. What type of layout is used?

 Pantaloons follow a free form store layout. No particular format is followed

anything is placed anywhere but strategically. Here when it comes to shoes, same
type of shoes are put up together in different sizes and of different manufacturers
thus making it convenient for the customers to get every size and every brand of
shoes at one instance only.

V. Merchandising

A. Has the retailer employed any techniques for achieving greater space
productivity such as using the “cube”, downsizing gondolas and racks,
minimizing no selling space, etc.?
 Pantaloons store has a very attractive display area, in which they put the dummies,
accessories and all. They have broad walkway & doorways to facilitate easy flow of
traffic in and out the store.
 Pantaloons have employed various strategies to achieve greater space productivity. It
has employed gondolas, neat shelves and racks placed on the wall to display their

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 merchandise effectively. The merchandise density on display is also optimum,
meaning the display is neither much nor less.

B. Are there any displays that increase interests in the products offered? If not what
would you recommend?

 Pantaloons use their mannequins effectively to display their merchandise. Especially

their apparels and accessories. These mannequins are dressed up according to the
occasions or latest trends. The mannequins placed are so well designed that it
compels a customer to observe the merchandise on display at least once.

C. How has the retailer organised merchandise? What improvements can be

made?

 The retailer has organised his merchandise according to the categories, thus
facilitating the customers in their purchase. Apart from that, the retailer also has
employed signs highlighting various discounts on merchandise, thus attracting more
customers towards the merchandise.

III Summary of Suggestions:

 The retailer can include the electronics section in the store as is present in most other
Pantaloons stores across the country. This would be a good and lucrative addition to
the range of merchandise Pantaloons Ranchi has.
 The store can also put up television sets to display various merchandise available in
the store. It can also feature the various limited offers and discounts available in the
current period.
 The kids section in the store can also offer a range of toys, as is seen in many other
stores. Pantaloons, Ranchi can extend their merchandise range by including a good
Toy and stationery section targeted to the youth around Purulia Road.
 Pantaloons Ranchi could also come up with some scheme for students. As the store
is located amidst a lot of schools, colleges and institutions, there is a lot of students
frequenting the store. Pantaloons should come up with a long term loyalty scheme
specifically targeted to these students. This would ensure a good cordial relationship
and make the store more popular around the area.

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 Part B (BATA)

I. Appearance:

A.Is the store layout, design and visual merchandising techniques used consistent with
the exterior of the store and the location? What does it say about the type of store this is
and the market it is trying to attract?

 The Bata store is present in the church complex area which is known to be one of the
posh areas of Ranchi having a very high commercial value with high street mall
opposite to it. The store indeed looks elegant and its building justifies its being in the
main road area, i.e. its style is consistent to its location.
 The exterior of the store matches the store but with some limitations.It has a parking
space but because of a lot of other shops available in that same place the parking

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 becomes conjusted, the store’s exterior is well decorated with special posters and
banners(most probably because of festive season).
 The exterior of the store gives us an idea that it targets to the middle class and youth
of the society.

B.Is the store’s ambience consistent with the merchandise presented and your
expectations as a customer?

 The store’s ambience is quite consistent. It is centrally air conditioned, and because of
free flow layout style enough space is there for the customers to walk around.
 The store’s environment was quite intimate and provided a better shopping
environment. The merchandise offered was clearly displayed and organised.
 From the viewpoint of a customer the store’s offerings lives up to all the expectations.

C.Does the store need a face lift, update, remodel or renovation? What improvements
would you suggest?

 The store is well organised and everything was fine but the things which the store can
do are, that it can put more light effects on the new arrivals and a some music should
be played for the background.
 the wall should be designed according to the brand of which the shoes are there, as we
saw that only the name of the brand was written over the shelf and only a plain white
background was there.

II. Fixtures:
A. Does the lighting highlight merchandise, structure space, capture a mood, or
downplay unwanted features?
 The lighting arrangement was very effective in catching the customers attention. For
formal shoes as well as other products spotlight were used and for sports shoes back
lights were used. The overall lighting arrangement enables the merchandise as well as
the store in captivating the customers. So we can conclude that lighting indeed
highlight the merchandise.

B. Are the fixtures consistent with the merchandise and the overall ambience of the
store?

 Indeed the fixtures are consistent with the merchandise offered and overall ambience
of the store.
 Most items were on the display. The store uses very sophisticated plastic shelves
attached to the walls. Just above the merchandise offered the category name is written
enhancing the ease of the customers when it comes to making a purchase decision.

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  The fixtures also included iron stands, circular, stair-case platforms, and box
platforms.

C. What type of image do the fixtures portray?

 The fixtures are very flexible, i.e. as per the requirements the merchandise can be
moved across the store. Moreover they properly match to what the target market
would want.
 during the festive seasons the box platforms are kept in front of the entry with
discounted products and splecial products for big footed customers.
 No unorganised racks of random merchandise are present.

III. Promotion:

A. Evaluate the store’s signage. Does it effectively sell merchandise?

 Signage of the store is responsible for attracting a substantial number of customers,

and thus increases the footfalls significantly.
 The store has a category signage. In particular sectors of the store similar products
were sold. For e.g. there are separate departments for sports and formal shoes.

B. Has the retailers used any theatrical effects to help sell merchandise?

 Everything is very much on display. Similar products are grouped together

 Very attractive to the eye.
 Apart from this no other theatrical effect has been used.

C. Does the store make creative use of wall space to sell product?

 The use of walls was only for the display of the shoes and other categories of
footwear but no creativity was seen.
 No walls were specially designed to match the merchandise; instead only white walls
were there on which various shoes were put on display.
 So I think that the walls could have been used more creatively by using designs etc.
which would catch the eye of the customers.

D. Does the sales staff use suggestive selling?

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  Yes they very well do. Usually customers ask for their help regarding the recent
trends etc. so this does affects the buying decision of the customer.

E. Is the sales staff friendly and helpful?

 The sales staffs were very friendly and helpful. They were ready to assist the
customers whenever required.

F. Is the image of staff consistent with the image of the store?

 Each and every sales staff was wearing uniform. They were very soft spoken and
always had a smile on their face.

IV. Layout:

A. Does the store layout help draw people throughout the store? Why or why not?

 The layout used was the free flow layout, in which the customers were able to move
freely and choose from various category of products the ones which they like. This
type of layout also helps in impulse buying.
 Moreover the ladies section is present at the second floor and so men accompanying
ladies will have a chance to look at the various footwear categories which could result
in impulse buying.

B. How does the layout facilitate purchases?

 As the various products are arranged in terms of their type. So it eases the customer to
locate the desired product enhancing the ease in purchasing.
 This type of layout also encourages impulse buying. Example: when a customer
comes for purchase of shoes then while moving around the store he might like a
slippers or sandals as well in that case he can buy that as well.

C. What type of layout is used?

 A “free flow" type of layout is used.

 Gondolas, shelves, wall displays, etc are all included in the layout.
 The layout also facilitates to move the traffic towards the back of the store.

V. Merchandising:

A. Has the retailer employed any techniques for achieving greater space productivity
such as using the “cube”, downsizing gondolas and racks, minimizing no selling space,
etc.?

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  The retailer has used certain techniques such as, category adjacencies, demand
merchandise, flexible fixtures etc. for achieving greater space productivity.
 Moreover the retailer is very efficient in making the use of negative space, such that
maximum amount of merchandise is displayed without being too overwhelming.

B. Are there any displays that increase interests in the products offered? If not would
you recommend any?

 No special displays as such have been used. Only normal box, shelf displays have
been used.
 In this regard we would like to suggest the inclusion of a special revolving dice which
will show case the most premium products offered by the store.

C. How has the retailer organised merchandise? What improvements can be made?

 The retailer has organised the merchandise on basis of the attractiveness, price. the
products offering discounts are kept near the entry, then the products like slippers and
sandals which are comparitively cheaper than the shoes are kept in the front segment
and shoes and snickers are kept at the back section.
 We suggest that they can also include a separate section exclusively for the latest
designs.

VI. Summary of suggestions:

 Can go for putting up television sets with advertisements of products being shown
continuously.
 The inclusion of a special revolving dice which will show case the most premium
products offered by the store.
 Can go for free standing displays- newest, most exciting merchandise.
 The walls could be made more attractive by use of posters and paintings of the brand
of products it has.
 Slow music could be played to enhance the good ambience.
Part B (Reliance Footprint)

I. Appearance:

A.Is the store layout, design and visual merchandising techniques used consistent with
the exterior of the store and the location? What does it say about the type of store this is
and the market it is trying to attract?
 The store is present in the main road area which is known to be one of the posh areas
of Ranchi having a very high commercial value. Being newly built the store is indeed

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 looks elegant and its building justifies its being in the main road area, i.e. its style is
consistent to its location.
 The exterior of the store adequately matches the store. It has ample parking space, the
store’s exterior is well decorated with special lightings (most probably because of
festive season).
 The exterior of the store gives us an idea that the store offers premium products which
most probably targets to the upper middle class and the higher strata of the society.

B.Is the store’s ambience consistent with the merchandise presented and your
expectations as a customer?

 The store’s ambience is quite consistent. It is well air-conditioned and constantly a

slow n soothing music was being played at the background. Overall the store is quite
cosy and comfortable.
 The store’s environment was quite intimate and provided a better shopping
environment. The merchandise offered was clearly displayed and organised.
 From the viewpoint of a customer the store’s offerings lives up to all the expectations.

C.Does the store need a face lift, update, remodel or renovation? What improvements
would you suggest?

 The store is very modern which adheres to all the qualities of a good store.
 The suggestion which we would like to suggest for the store is that it can go for
adding some theatrical effects such as it can go for putting up television sets where
advertisements of its products must be run continuously, because by doing so they can
also lure some customers into buying the product.

II. Fixtures:

A. Does the lighting highlight merchandise, structure space, capture a mood, or

downplay unwanted features?

 There are lighting arrangements made near the merchandise to enhance visibility and
ends up in attracting the customers. The overall lighting arrangement enables the
merchandise as well as the store in captivating the customers. So we can conclude that
lighting indeed highlight the merchandise.

B. Are the fixtures consistent with the merchandise and the overall ambience of the
store?

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  Indeed the fixtures are consistent with the merchandise offered and overall ambience
of the store.
 Most items were on the display. The store uses very sophisticated plastic shelves
attached to the walls. Just above the merchandise offered the category name is written
enhancing the ease of the customers when it comes to making a purchase decision.
 The fixtures also included iron stands, circular and stair-case platforms.

C. What type of image do the fixtures portray?

 The fixtures are very flexible, i.e. as per the requirements the merchandise can be
moved across the store. Moreover they properly match to what the target market
would want.
 No unorganised racks of random merchandise are present.

III. Promotion:

A. Evaluate the store’s signage. Does it effectively sell merchandise?

 Signage of the store is responsible for attracting a substantial number of customers,

and thus increases the footfalls significantly.
 The store has a category signage. In particular sectors of the store similar products
were sold. For e.g. there are separate departments for sports and formal shoes.

B. Has the retailers used any theatrical effects to help sell merchandise?

 Everything is very much on display. Similar products are grouped together

 Very attractive to the eye.

C. Does the store make creative use of wall space to sell product?

 A very high utilization of wall space can be noticed.

 Every exterior wall is either used for display of merchandise or for display of posters.

D. Does the sales staff use suggestive selling?

 Yes they very well do. They frequently advice the customer while making the
purchase. Hence, do affect the buying decision of the customer.

E. Is the sales staff friendly and helpful?

 The sales staffs were very friendly and helpful. They were ready to assist the
customers whenever required.

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F. Is the image of staff consistent with the image of the store?

 Each and every sales staff was wearing uniform. They were very soft spoken and
always had a smile on their face.

IV. Layout:

A. Does the store layout help draw people throughout the store? Why or why not?

 The layout of store is managed in such a way that the most sold items are placed at the
length end of the store, compelling most of the customers to travel the whole length of
the store.
 Moreover the ladies and kids section is present at the second floor to reach which one
has to travel the whole length of the men’s section.

B. How does the layout facilitate purchases?

 As the various products are arranged in terms of their type. So it eases the customer to
locate the desired product enhancing the ease in purchasing.

C. What type of layout is used?

 A “free form floor plan” type of layout is used.

 Gondolas, shelves, wall displays, etc are all included in the layout.
 The layout also facilitates to move the traffic towards the back of the store.

V. Merchandising:

A. Has the retailer employed any techniques for achieving greater space productivity
such as using the “cube”, downsizing gondolas and racks, minimizing no selling space,
etc.?
 The retailer has used certain techniques such as, category adjacencies, demand
merchandise, flexible fixtures and attractive overall presentation for achieving greater
space productivity.
 Moreover the retailer is very efficient in making the use of negative space, such that
maximum amount of merchandise is displayed without being too overwhelming.

B. Are there any displays that increase interests in the products offered? If not would
you recommend any?

 In this regard we would like to suggest the inclusion of a special revolving dice which
will show case the most premium products offered by the store.

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C. How has the retailer organised merchandise? What improvements can be made?

 The retailer has organised the merchandise on basis of their type and design.
 We suggest that they can also include a separate section exclusively for the latest
designs.

VI. Summary of suggestions:

 Can go for putting up television sets with advertisements of products being shown
continuously.
 The inclusions of a special revolving dice which will show case the most premium
products offered by the store.
 Can go for free standing displays- newest, most exciting merchandise.

PART-B (SREELEATHERS)

1. Appearance
A. Is the store layout, design and visual merchandising techniques used consistent
with the exterior of the store and the location? What does it say about the type of
store this is and the market it is trying to attract?

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 Ans:The store layout and the visual merchandising techniques are certainly not up to
the mark. It proclaims to be a specialised store having its target customers are
basically the people who actually belong to middle class or mostly saying the lower
middle class of people. If we look age wise- children, young, matured and senior
citizens are their target customers.
B. Is the store’s ambience consistent with the merchandise presented and your
expectations as a customer?
Ans: The ambience is very dull and grey. To add onto this, the store is not properly
ventilated which makes it suffocating on days of increased footfalls. Also, an
insufficient floor area makes it quite difficult for the customers to move freely and
make their choices.
C. Does the store need a face lift, update, remodel or renovation? What
improvements would you suggest?
Ans: Yes, the store is in urgent need of upgradation. Increasing the floor area should
be the primary concern of the store manager. The payment system should also be
redesigned as there is no support for payment through cards. Plus, a dress code for the
staffs should make it easy for the customers to locate them.

2. Fixtures
A. Does the lighting highlight merchandise, structure space, capture a mood, or
downplay unwanted features?
Ans: The lighting does highlight the merchandise but it fails to trigger a positive note
in the minds and moods of the customers as the luminous index is quite low for the
extensive use of white and yellow bulbs. This creates a monotonous setting.

B. Are the fixtures consistent with the merchandise and the overall ambience of the
store?
Ans: The fixtures used in the store are wooden shelves with glass coverings giving a
clear picture of the showcased item. The product categories were very clearly stated
so as to make it convenient for the buyers.
C. What type of image do the fixtures portray?

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 Ans: Very neat and well maintained, but it does require a touch of sophistication in
the same so as to attract people.

3. Promotion
A. Evaluate the store’s signage. Does it effectively sell merchandise?
Ans: The only signage that gets visible is while entering the store. There is no
appropriate signage within the store. Although, categorization of the products is done
very neatly and clearly.
B. Has the retailer used any theatrical effects to help sell the merchandise?
Ans: No, there has been absolutely no use of theatrical effects to boost sales. It’s the
same age-old technique of stacking the items on to the shelves.
C. Does the store make creative use of wall space to sell product?
Ans: There is no creative utilisation of the wall space as such. It serves as a medium
of display of the stock.
D. Do the sales staffs use suggestive selling?
Ans: Sales staffs get noticed right before the point-of-purchase; otherwise it’s very
much a self-help institution.
E. Are the sales staffs friendly and helpful?
Ans: There has been no participation from the sales staffs during the selection process
in terms of assistance in product selection or meeting the set criteria.
F. Is the image of the staff consistent with the image of the store?
Ans: Very hard to spot and locate the sales personnel as there is no uniform for the
store. Each of them exhibited a closed posture, creating a hesitation in the minds of
the customers for approaching.

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4. Layout
A. Does the store layout help draw people throughout the store? Why or why not?
Ans: Inadequate floor space often creates a congested situation, whereby the
customers find it extremely difficult to move freely and chose from the array of
products.
B. How does the layout facilitate purchase?
Ans: Proper categorization and arrangement according to the types easily initiates the
buying decision among the customers.
C. What type of layout is used? Would another type of layout be better?
Ans: Straight floor plan gets used here. Well, the selected layout in this case is not
wrong but it needs a bit more detailing in terms of arranging the shelves and also
creating a separate space for showcasing the gents and ladies products separately.
This will help in achieving a very smooth buying experience, which seems to be
lacking at present.

5. Merchandising
A. Has the retailer employed any techniques for achieving greater space
productivity such as using the “cube”, downsizing gondolas and racks,
minimising no-selling space, etc.?
Ans: No special techniques have been used in this context.
B. Are there any displays that increase in the products being offered? If not, would
you recommend any?
Ans: Well, there seems to be no issue with the display of the products.
C. How has the retailer organized merchandise? What improvements could be
made?
Ans: The arrangement of the merchandises has been done basically on their type and
design. The products belonging to a particular variety have been displayed together in
increasing order of their price.
D. Summarize your suggestions on how this retailer can improve the shopping
experience for their customers, increase sales and improve their image.
Ans: The retailer can go on to include theatrical effects on the store so as to increase
the attractiveness. Cut outs and inclusion of relevant frames and wall hangings can
also act as add-ons.

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 ANALYSIS OF PART C

EVALUATION OF WEBSITES
a) The retailers chosen by us were:
1. Bata
2. Reliance Footprints
3. Pantaloons
4. Sreeleathers
The reasons behind choosing these retailers are:-
1. They all have their retail outlets in Ranchi.
2. Most of the people seeking branded footwear go to these stores for making
purchase.
3. Out of the four retail stores chosen 3(Bata, Sreeleathers and Reliance Footprints)
are speciality stores and 1 (Pantaloons) is a discount store.
b) The differences in shopping online and shopping in a retail store are:
1. While shopping in a local store one can physically touch and feel the various shoes.
Sometimes even if a particular variety appeals to one’s eyes, one might not find it
comfortable to wear. Some people might want to wear and try the footwear before
purchasing. In such cases walking into a retail store, spending some time and then
purchasing is indeed the best option.

2. For people who don’t have much time to go to a retail store and purchase, online
shopping is indeed the best solution for them.

3. If a person is well aware of the brand/product he/she wants to purchase, or has

purchased the same/similar kind of a product earlier, then online shopping is a
welcoming option.

4. While shopping online one is shown an array of similar products/brands in the

desired price range. However in contrary while shopping in a retail store the

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 salesperson does suggests the customer personally about the products. This also helps
in cross-selling.
For e.g: When we visited Bata Store at Main Road, we saw a man purchasing an
expensive pair of formal shoes. The salesperson advised him to purchase a special
kind of shoe polish which will maintain its shine. The customer readily purchased that
polish too.

c) Internet Shopping has certain advantages and disadvantages.

Certain advantages of internet shopping are:

1. Convenience

Online stores are usually available 24 hours a day and one can make a purchase by being at
home, or even at work. Other establishments such as internet cafes and schools provide
internet access as well. In contrast, visiting a conventional retail store requires travel and
must take place during business hours.

In the event of a problem with the item (e.g., the product was not what the consumer ordered,
the product was not satisfactory), consumers are concerned with the ease of returning an item
in exchange for either the correct product or a refund. Consumers may need to contact the
retailer, visit the post office and pay return shipping, and then wait for a replacement or
refund. Some online companies have more generous return policies to compensate for the
traditional advantage of physical stores.

2. Information and reviews

Online stores describe products for sale with text, photos, and multimedia files, whereas in a
physical retail store, the actual product and the manufacturer's packaging will be available for
direct inspection (which might involve a test drive, fitting, or other experimentation).

Some online stores provide or link to supplemental product information, such as instructions,
safety procedures, demonstrations, or manufacturer specifications. Some provide background
information, advice, or how-to guides designed to help consumers decide which product to
buy.

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Some stores even allow customers to comment or rate their items. There are also
dedicated review sites that host user reviews for different products. Reviews and even some
blogs give customers the option of shopping for cheaper purchases from all over the world
without having to depend on local retailers.

In a conventional retail store, clerks are generally available to answer questions. Some online
stores have real-time chat features, but most rely on e-mails or phone calls to handle customer
questions.

3. Price and selection

One advantage of shopping online is being able to quickly seek out deals for items or services
provided by many different vendors (though some local search engines do exist to help
consumers locate products for sale in nearby stores). Search engines, online price comparison
services and discovery shopping engines can be used to look up sellers of a particular product
or service.

Shipping costs (if applicable) reduce the price advantage of online merchandise, though
depending on the jurisdiction, a lack of sales tax may compensate for this.

Shipping a small number of items, especially from another country, is much more expensive
than making the larger shipments bricks-and-mortar retailers order. Some retailers (especially
those selling small, high-value items like electronics) offer free shipping on sufficiently large
orders.

Another major advantage for retailers is the ability to rapidly switch suppliers and vendors
without disrupting users' shopping experience.

4. Better Prices
The vast majority of online stores offer prices that are much lower than what you will find at
a physical store. There are a few reasons for this. The first is because many people use the
Internet to find cheaper items. Online business owners understand this. They will usually
reduce their profit margin to get more customers.

Another reason is because one can easily browse through dozens of different websites to find
the best price. You can do the same at a mall, but it would take about an hour or longer. You
also may not be taxed because most ecommerce stores won’t tax you unless they are
stationed in your state.

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5. Fewer Traps
Physical stores are made to lure you into buying more things. They use posters, sales
messages, colours and product placement to make you buy additional items. The most
popular products are typically in the back because the owner wants you to view all of his or
her other products. Many people will find a few additional items by the time they reach the
thing they came in for.

These tactics are not as pronounced with online stores. This means that you won’t feel the
pressure to buy other things.

6. Discreet Shopping
Physical stores often make it difficult to buy certain items. For example, buying lingerie
without getting a few awkward stares is nearly impossible. There are many instances of this,
and sometimes one might feel embarrassed for no reason.

Shopping online gives the buyer privacy because one won’t have people looking at while one
shops. Not only that, but the receipts are usually made so that no one will know what the
buyer has bought.

Certain disadvantages of internet shopping are:

1. Fraud and security concerns

Given the lack of ability to inspect merchandise before purchase, consumers are at higher risk
of fraud than face-to-face transactions. Merchants also risk fraudulent purchases using stolen
credit cards or fraudulent repudiation of the online purchase. However, merchants face less
risk from physical theft by using a warehouse instead of a retail storefront.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption has generally solved the problem of credit card
numbers being intercepted in transit between the consumer and the merchant. However, one
must still trust the merchant (and employees) not to use the credit card information
subsequently for their own purchases, and not to pass the information to others. Also, hackers
might break into a merchant's web site and steal names, addresses and credit card numbers,
although the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is intended to minimize the

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impact of such breaches. Identity theft is still a concern for consumers. A number of high-
profile break-ins in the 2000s have prompted certain laws being passed requiring disclosure
to consumers when this happens. Computer security has thus become a major concern for
merchants and e-commerce service providers, who deploy countermeasures such as firewalls
and anti-virus software to protect their networks.

Phishing is another danger, where consumers are fooled into thinking they are dealing with a
reputable retailer, when they have actually been manipulated into feeding private information
to a system operated by a malicious party. Denial of service attacks are a minor risk for
merchants, as are server and network outages.

Quality seals can be placed on the Shop web page if it has undergone an independent
assessment and meets all requirements of the company issuing the seal. The purpose of these
seals is to increase the confidence of online shoppers. However, the existence of many
different seals, or seals unfamiliar to consumers, may foil this effort to a certain extent. A
number of resources offer advice on how consumers can protect themselves when using
online retailer services. These include:

 Sticking with known stores, or attempting to find independent consumer reviews of

their experiences; also ensuring that there is comprehensive contact information on the
website before using the service, and noting if the retailer has enrolled in industry
oversight programs such as a trust mark or a trust seal.
 Before buying from a new company, evaluate the website by considering issues such
as: the professionalism and user-friendliness of the site; whether or not the company lists
a telephone number and/or street address along with e-contact information; whether a fair
and reasonable refund and return policy is clearly stated; and whether there are hidden
price inflators, such as excessive shipping and handling charges.
 Ensuring that the retailer has an acceptable privacy policy posted. For example note if
the retailer does not explicitly state that it will not share private information with others
without consent.
 Ensuring that the vendor address is protected with SSL when entering credit card
information. If it does the address on the credit card information entry screen will start
with "HTTPS".
 Using strong passwords, without personal information. Another option is a "pass
phrase," which might be something along the lines: "I shop 4 good a buy!!" These are

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 difficult to hack, and provides a variety of upper, lower, and special characters and could
be site specific and easy to remember.

Although the benefits of online shopping are considerable, when the process goes poorly it
can create a thorny situation. A few problems that shoppers potentially face include identity
theft, faulty products, and the accumulation of spyware. Whenever users purchase a product,
they are required to put in their credit card information and billing/shipping address. If the
website is not secure, customer information can be accessible to anyone who knows how to
obtain it. Most large online corporations are inventing new ways to make fraud more
difficult. However, criminals are constantly responding to these developments with new ways
to manipulate the system. Even though online retailers are making efforts to protect consumer
information, it is a constant fight to maintain the lead. It is advisable to be aware of the most
current technology and scams protect consumer identity and finances.

Product delivery is also a main concern of online shopping. Most companies offer shipping
insurance in case the product is lost or damaged. Some shipping companies will offer refunds
or compensation for the damage, but this is up to their discretion.

2. Lack of full cost disclosure

The lack of full cost disclosure may also be problematic. While it may be easy to compare the
base price of an item online, it may not be easy to see the total cost up front. Additional fees
such as shipping are often not be visible until the final step in the checkout process. The
problem is especially evident with cross-border purchases, where the cost indicated at the
final checkout screen may not include additional fees that must be paid upon delivery such
as duties and brokerage.

3. Privacy

Privacy of personal information is a significant issue for some consumers. Many consumers
wish to avoid spam and telemarketing which could result from supplying contact information
to an online merchant. In response, many merchants promise to not use consumer information
for these purposes,

Many websites keep track of consumer shopping habits in order to suggest items and other
websites to view. Brick-and-mortar stores also collect consumer information. Some ask for a
shopper's address and phone number at checkout, though consumers may refuse to provide it.

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Many larger stores use the address information encoded on consumers' credit cards (often
without their knowledge) to add them to a catalogue mailing list. This information is
obviously not accessible to the merchant when paying in cash.

4. Delay in delivery

One might have to wait a few days before he/she gets what he/she has bought. This is because
delivering products from other towns or countries might take a while. However in contrary to
this if someone walks into a local retail store he/she can end up making the purchase in a few
hours.

d) Out of the four retail websites which we visited, only two of the websites were facilitated
with online purchase, namely Bata and Sreeleathers. The website of Reliance Footprints gave
only details about its offerings along with a store locater facility, by the help of which one
can select the product online, but will have to walk into the store physically to make the
purchase.

Comparison of retail offerings by various websites on basis of certain factors:

Bata Sreeleathers Reliance Pantaloons

Footprints

a)Product In case of One can easily The number of As the website

Quality each product get the desired brands and is not that
various brands information varieties offered informative, so
and varieties about any exceeded any nothing much
were offered. product by other store. could be
Well known clicking on the There were also concluded about
brands ensure desired options. some brands of the product’s
good quality Quality as Reliance (home quality.
of the mentioned in brand). Overall However, the
offerings. the website quality of the store had a wide
about the products offered range of men’s
genuineness of is very good. footwear to
the leather and offer.
other materials
used to make
the product. It
creates a good
impression
about the
quality of the
products
offered.

b)Price Formals-899- Formals- 499- Formals-1000- Formals-3000-

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 3499 3999 5000 6000

Sports-999- Sports-1299- Sports-2500- Sports- 1500-

1999 3499 6500 5000

Sneakers-499- Sneakers-499- Sneakers-1500- Sneakers-899-

999 1299 2500 5500

Sandals-499- Sandals-349- Sandals-1200- Sandals-999-

999 789 2500 3999

Slippers-129- Slippers-249- Slippers-400- Slippers-300-

399 699 700 1999

c)Suggestive Brands of Though brands When one No such

Selling similar type of similar type chooses a information is
were were displayed particular provided in the
displayed on on the website product, all the website, neither
the website page, but the related brands any attempt is
page. Price varieties and products are made to cater to
range was also available for displayed. This the enquiry of
displayed. online purchase also helps a the customer.
was very less. customer to re-
Price range was evaluate upon
also displayed, his/her buying
so that decision.
accordingly
one can buy the
product.

d)Website Website The website is The website Website is very

Features consisted of able to provide consisted of the plain with usage
constantly information information of very few
changing about the about the colours and
images and organisation, various illustrations. It
very products offerings made gave basic
captivating offered, contact by the company information
graphics. A information in various about the
store locater and link to be categories and various
option was followed for sub categories categories and
also present. online and makes sub categories
shopping. More proper usage of and the
over products drop down lists. offerings.
with latest It also has a
offers are also store locater
displayed. option along
with a link to
know about the
latest offers.

e)Design of Website The website’s The website is Design lacked

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 Website design is very design is very endowed with innovation, and
innovative and plain and bare constantly provided very
modern. One and consists of changing little/minimal
can easily get very few graphics, slide information
the detailed animation shows and small about the
information of effects. It lacks animations. product. No
any product as innovation and animation and
desired. needs to be frequently
improved a lot. changing
graphics.

f)Ease of The website is The ease of The experience The website

Website use very user using the of website usage though modern
friendly. Drop website is just is quite lacks the basic
down lists fine. But it satisfying. All quality of giving
also helps any lacks the the required the customer a
buyer to buy element of information good
the product speciality. which one might experience.
which he/she However it can seek regarding a Only basic
wants to improve a lot particular information
purchase. on these product is easily about the
Overall the grounds. available. But different brands
purchase we would offered was only
experience suggest that it available.
was simply should include
great. And the the usage of
transaction more product
was also very related pictures
fast. and videos to
enhance the
usage ease.

g)Closing of The payment The secured No such No such

Sales can be made transaction payment payment
online. All gateway is used gateways were gateways were
sorts of debit to make the present there present there
and credit transaction was no buying was no buying
cards can be smooth and option present. option present.
used to make fast.
the payment.
Secured
transaction
was ensured
as link was
directly
transferred to
the respective
banks website,
following the
secured

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 transaction
protocols.

CITATION

1.bata
http://www.bata.in/webbata/faces/tiles/category.jsp?catalogueID=2&categoryID=262

2.reliance footprints
http://reliancefootprint.com/mens_casuals.html
http://reliancefootprint.com/mens_formal.html
http://reliancefootprint.com/mens_homewear.html
http://reliancefootprint.com/sports_running.html
http://reliancefootprint.com/sports_sandals.html

3.pantaloons
http://www.pantaloons.com/accessories.html

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4.sreeleathers
http://www.sreeleathers.com/_products.php?cat_id=JSH
http://www.sreeleathers.com/_products.php?cat_id=LCP
http://www.sreeleathers.com/_products.php?cat_id=JSP
http://www.sreeleathers.com/_products.php?cat_id=JKV

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