bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Independents versus affiliation — What factors motivate retailers?
Authors: Livesey Frank , Nagy E.A.
Published: February 2008

The decline of the independent retailer as a result of the growing strength of the multiples has been a persistent factor in British retailing for decades, and the effectiveness of the affiliated retailer in fighting back in the form of voluntary groups is equally well‐known. But why do so many independent retailers still prefer to operate outside the group structure? The authors carried out a study of 100 unaffiliated retailers in the north‐west of England; this article outlines their findings.
Join the club to beat the recession
Authors: Foster Ann
Published: February 2008

Clubbing together to combat the recession‐bogey is a prevailing feature of recent years, and AIS — Associated Independent Stores Ltd — seem to be having no little success in preventing its members from succumbing to this peril. The association consists of over 100 member department stores who have joined together to negotiate the best terms in the fashion and furnishing fields. The association does no buying itself (except in foreign markets) but catalogues merchandise for member stores to choose from, and then uses its considerable muscle to negotiate with suppliers on terms similar to group central buyers. But membership of the association is not easily come by and it's no supporter of “lame ducks”. Ann Foster describes how it works.
Design: starting with the product
Authors: McFadyen Edward
Published: February 2008

The Aspect Group started only five years ago when its creator, Ted Coogan, wandered into a DIY shop and offered the owner some advice about shop planning. Today the group has a turnover of £1.5m and numbers among its clients such names as Etam, Readers Digest, Raybeck, Coventry Economic Building Society, Harris Queensway and Frames Tours. RDM talked to Ted Coogan about his design philosophy.
Formulating a distribution strategy — With the aid of a computer
Authors: Pendlebury A.J.
Published: February 2008

Coopers & Lybrand, managing consultants, working in association with a consortium of Unilever companies, have developed a new tool for distribution strategy. It takes advantage of the latest EDP technology and presents information to the planner which enables him to test alternative strategies rapidly with the aid of visual display facilities. John Pendlebury outlines the system in this specially contributed feature.
The 1980s in retailing
Authors: Walters David
Published: February 2008

Earlier this year (RDM, March/April 1981), David Walters examined the 1970s in retailing. It was a strikingly hectic decade, with endemic inflation and the energy crisis of 1974 providing the backcloth for substantial changes in consumption patterns. Meanwhile the retail sector itself was racked by change. The move towards size — especially in food outlets and the emergence of the superstore and hypermarket — was consistent throughout the decade, whilst at the other end of the spectrum small grocers disappeared by the hundreds. Diversification was the watchword, with food multiples moving into non‐food areas and new sectors, such as DIY and home improvement, developing. In this sequel, David Walters looks forward to the 1980s and outlines future trends as he sees them. How will market structures change? What direction will consumer behaviour take in a period of mass unemployment? What will be the impact of technology? Part 2 of this feature follows in our next issue.
Marketing problems in the German food trade
Authors: Schoneweg Rudiger
Published: February 2008

The level of competition in the German food trade is very high, as it is in this country. But the structure of the German food trade is very different, since they do not have our massive concentration of food multiples. In this paper, originally delivered to the CIES Annual Executive Congress in Hamburg in June of this year, Dr Schoneweg looks specifically at marketing practice in his own company, Tengelmann, and how this is the result of a carefully considered policy.
Materials handling: New concepts for established equipment
Authors: Butcher Geoffrey
Published: February 2008

What's new in materials handling? While there appears to be nothing startlingly revolutionary about the equipment in use the “whole system” approach has been developed to produce a finely integrated scheme to ensure efficiency and cost‐effectiveness. This was a jumping‐off point for Geoffrey Butcher's paper given at a recent conference organised by the Institute of Purchasing and Supply, and he continues with a look at the equipment designed to meet this criteria.
Portable data entry terminals — Are they an alternative to POS?
Authors: Foster Eric
Published: February 2008

Early portable data entry terminals, capable of recording and transmitting data, were certainly not an alternative to POS terminals. But, argues our contributor, the new generation of PDETs are capable of accepting alpha numeric input, can be programmed and reprogrammed, and are capable of sending special instructions down the line from head office. In stores with low sales volumes, it is possible to develop cost effective alternatives to POS based on the use of a PDET alongside a low cost ECR.
Retailing developments and enterprise zones
Authors: Dawson John , Sparks Leigh
Published: February 2008

The idea that “anything goes” in enterprise zones certainly is not the case, particularly as regards retailing. Floorspace size limits on new retail developments, stringent in some cases, are commonplace. John Dawson and Leigh Sparks look at the various schemes and compare the restrictions, which have been set to exclude superstores, hypermarkets, discount stores and the like.
Is there a future for the department store?
Authors: Sharples Sue
Published: February 2008

Three well‐known London department stores — Whiteleys, Swan & Edgar, Bournes — have all closed down in the last few months. Does this indicate the beginning of the collapse of the department store as such or is it simply the result of special circumstances, occurring more or less concurrently? Location is clearly a factor that needs to be taken into account. Whiteleys has struggled on valiantly in the past few years in an environment that has become increasingly indifferent to it. Even white elephants can briefly survive, but not when the circus leaves town. When department stores were in their triumphant heyday, they offered opulence, glamour and excitement. Gordon Selfridge persuaded Bleriot to lend the store his biplane soon after that intrepid aviator had flown across the Channel in 1909; and in the 30s several department stores flashed the latest news in moving lights across their fascias as Hitler moved implacably across Europe and the British concentrated on whether or not they would win the ashes. Has the department store's traditional glamour become irretrievably lost beneath grey layers of dowdiness? And what of the competition? With everybody diversifying into non‐food, what after all is the essential difference between a Tesco or an Asda superstore and a traditional department store? Except perhaps that the Tesco or the Asda may be much more fun to shop in? Perhaps the answer lies in how the department store intelligently uses its space; the shops‐within‐shops solution, for example. But while Debenhams continues to perform well with this as an essential strand of its operational policy, some commentators say that this was one of the reasons for the collapse of Bournes. Is specialisation the answer? The John Lewis Partnership has built up a unique and enviable reputation for fabrics — surely this specialisation must be a major factor in the group's profitability. Neither can the department store be seen in isolation from the community; the Law Lords' astonishing failure to realise that no public transport system in the civilised world can run without a subsidy means that London's public transport fares have now reached the kind of lunatic level that prohibits people from moving out of their suburban retreats without a special kind of masochism. Does this mean that suburban department stores will now blossom again around deserts of dead down‐towns? These are some of the questions that Sue Sharpies looks into in this special RDM feature.
The development of planned shopping centres in the Republic of Ireland
Authors: Parker Tony
Published: February 2008

Fifteen years ago well populated town suburbs were the commonest sites for shopping centres in the Republic of Ireland. But now the field is wider and smaller urban areas and town centre locations are becoming popular. The developers too are changing, from property and investment companies to retail organisations. Tony Parker examines this development.
Distributing temperature‐controlled products
Authors: Notley T.J.
Published: February 2008

In the UK, Christian Salvesen have 19 cold, chill and transport locations amounting to nearly 50 million cubic feet, and a fleet of nearly 400 vehicles. They offer services which include trunking, groupage, small quantity delivery of chill and frozen products, and contract centralised distribution.
The case for EFTS
Authors: Marti John V , Zeilinger Anthony J
Published: February 2008

Do we want electronic funds transfer? Can we afford it? What's wrong with existing payment systems — cash, cheques and credit cards? These are some of the starting‐off points in a major research project into the impact of micro‐electronics on the banking and retail sectors carried out by the authors of this article during 1981. Interviews were carried out with around 200 people from 150 organisations — banks and major retailers, mostly supermarket groups, department stores, and multiples. Existing payment systems are of course expensive — and cumbersome and insecure. But there are three sets of needs to be considered: not only those of the banks, but also those of the retailer and the consumer. The researchers found that these three parties don't all want the same things, but what is apparent is that the existing payment systems are, in general, acceptable for the retailer and the consumer, but not for the banks. They provide banks with major problems and considerable costs. The researchers conclude: “We did not find the case for EFT proven beyond reasonable doubt.” Such a system has advantages, but the costs would be likely to be paid for by the consumer — for whom the benefits are not very pleasant. Their view is that it is more likely to be the 1990s rather than the 1980s before a total system of on‐line EFT is firmly established. The views expressed in this special feature are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Policy Studies Institute.
Inventory Control: how to reduce stockholding costs
Authors: Chadwick MBA FCCA Cert Ed Leslie , Waddington MBA FCA Alan
Published: February 2008

De‐stocking has been a major feature of the retail scene over the past year or so. Nonetheless stockholding costs are still a major headache; the authors offer some tips as to how these may be reduced.
The impact of EPOS on distribution systems
Authors: Sparen Per‐Olov
Published: February 2008

The benefits of bar‐coding are now rapidly moving from the retail sphere into the warehousing and distribution environment. In Europe there will be a symbol called DUS (Distribution Unit Symbol), basically developed for automatic reading in automated distribution and warehousing systems. With this symbol on a case it will be possible automatically to identify, sort, store and pick the article in a warehousing system. This is an edited version of a paper presented by Per‐Olov Sparen at a conference sponsored by Rolatrue Ltd earlier this year.
Why do some shopping centres close down?
Authors: Hobday Julia
Published: February 2008

The ICSC entitled their seventh Annual Conference, held in Paris in the spring, The Way Ahead, and as usual most of it was given over to beautifully‐illustrated self‐congratulatory presentations, with speakers describing the total success, both in economic and aesthetic terms, of their shopping centres. For some reason there seems to be considerable resistance to the discussion of real problems in downtown or town centre shopping. It would be unrealistic to pretend that such problems don't arise, or that things always turn out as expected, but the only real certainty is the unwillingness of developers to admit them and discuss them for mutual benefit. There were two admirable exceptions to this rule. Professor B Falk, director of a West German marketing institute, spoke on the reasons why an ever‐increasing number of shopping centres in his country have closed down or been demolished, and why others have been redeveloped into warehouses. And M. Larose, of Grands Magasins Jelmoli, spoke of the difficulties which have dogged the Part‐Dieu centre in Lyon.
Hard graft for gleaming chrome
Authors: Sharpies Sue
Published: February 2008

We've come to expect our retailing environments to look good, to be attractive to shoppers and to enhance the merchandise. There's nothing like a bright, new flashy fascia to catch the eye. Hut what lies behind the gleaming chrome and the glittering glass? The popular image of store design is often conceived of as something tacked on at the end — a quick job which a skilful team can carry out with speed. For Michael Peters, who until recently have concentrated on package design, to achieve the effortless‐looking end product a lot of hard graft has gone on before. Sue Sharpies reports on their philosophy and how they've carried this into practice.
Credit and the retailer
Authors: Bailey Brian
Published: February 2008

In the United States it is estimated that five million people have serious debt problems. In this country the credit explosion has reached nothing like the intensity of its American counterpart. Nonetheless, retailers are finding that customers are responding favourably to the promotional use of credit. But it must be a system which is operated with as little risk as possible to the retailer. New technology means that retailers will be able to implement the principles of credit sanctioning more effectively.
Decision‐making for retail stock investment
Authors: Freestone David
Published: February 2008

Systems Control Technology, an American subsidiary of BP has developed a solution to the problem of making the most of buying opportunities when price cuts and other promotions are offered. David Freestone reports on how the scheme works.
Fitch — Philosophy into practice
Authors: Sharpies Sue
Published: February 2008

Fitch & Co, who have been in the design field for over 20 years, have recently gone public, and a glance at the figures for the first day's trading must have left RodneyFitch very well pleased. The company's attitude towards their work is vigorous and assertive and has resulted in this highly successful venture into the stock‐marketplace. One of their latest schemes has been for the off‐licence chain, Gough Brothers.
The craft of selling in department stores
Authors: Clark ED
Published: February 2008

How salespeople actually sell, their attitudes and behaviour, has been largely overlooked by retail management and journals alike, immersed as they have been in pressing issues such as survival in a modern technological world. That such little consideration has been given to the salesperson has relegated her/him to the bottom rung of the retail ladder, with scant attention paid to the skills involved in selling transactions. E D Clark attempts to counterbalance this, and underlines the need for further research.
Mail order inventory control
Authors: Waddington Alan , Chadwick Leslie
Published: February 2008

While the share of all retail sales taken by the mail order sector has increased from 4.7% in 1976 to 6.4% in 1982, such companies face special problems when it comes to inventory control. In their paper Alan Waddington and Leslie Chadwick examine the difficulties and demonstrate how successful inventory control can boost sales turnover and profit growth.
THE CRISIS in the Cooperative Movement
Authors: Eliot Stuart
Published: February 2008

The Cooperative Movement is nothing if not paradoxical. Viewed by some as a spent force, it is still collectively the largest retailer in the UK, with sales almost double those of its nearest rivals. Regarded by some as sluggish and reluctant to innovate, it was in fact the first retail organisation to test the new concept of self‐service, revolutionary in the post‐war years, and is today the third largest superstore operator in this country. But its weaknesses lie in the fragmented nature of the Coop movement itself — it is not in fact one entity but 135 retail societies, all completely autonomous, and some determinedly so. And it has still not resolved its central conflict: how to fulfil its traditional role in terms of social commitment to its members, and at the same time operate profitably in a highly competitive environment. In this special article Stuart Eliot examines the traditional strengths and weaknesses of the Co‐operative Movement; his conclusion is that all is not yet lost for the Coops — but time is not on their side.
Cash and Carry: What prospects for growth?
Authors: Lowe Jim
Published: February 2008

With its heavy dependence on independent food retailers, the cash and carry sector has seen little overall growth in recent years. A number of operators have experienced severe pressure on net margins, and rationalisation and reorganisation have speeded up, especially with loosely organised groupings of wholesalers. What prospects for growth does the CandC sector show? This article looks at current problems and how the major companies are formulating their strategies for the future. Will this large sector — still with sales of over £3,000m, continue to suffer at the hands of the multiple food retailer? Are there enough new markets in terms of products or customers? And will we see an increasing dilution of genuine wholesaling to bulk buying by consumers?
WH Smith's wanding pilot
Authors: Sharpies Sue
Published: February 2008

1983 heralds the third year of W H Smith's bar‐code wanding trial at Commercial Road, Portsmouth. RDM spoke to overall controller of the project, John Read, at the company's Swindon centre, and visited the pilot store to find out how the new system was progressing.
Problems of cold storage & distribution
Authors: Tibbals Bill
Published: February 2008

The recent remarkable heat‐wave has focussed attention on the importance of “the cold chain” in the distribution of fresh foods, and changes in food buying habits mean that the question of temperature controlled storage and distribution is becoming increasingly important to the retailer. In this feature we look at some of the trends which were evident in the recent Temperature Controlled Storage and Distribution Show at Wembley, and talk to a few of the principal companies in the business.
University Education in retailing:
Authors: McGoldrick Peter J
Published: February 2008

For generations retailing has had to fight against its image as a second‐class occupation. Successive governments have tended to regard it as less important than manufacturing industry, and this view has been reinforced by careers officers who, in the palmy days when school‐leavers were in the privileged position of having an element of choice in their jobs, adopted a condescending if not dismissive attitude to “working in a shop”. If anything this attitude has been even more marked at graduate level; as our contributor writes, retailing has been generally neglected by universities, and even by many management centres and business schools. There are, of course, some exceptions. One of the most notable of these is the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology; UMIST was one of the first in the UK to develop courses in retailing, and these are described here in some detail. The author is only too well aware that there are a number of universities and polytechnics whose retail courses have not been mentioned in this feature; equally that there are personnel officers who will justifiably feel that they are not guilty of the charges levelled against them in the section entitled “Graduate Retailers”. We welcome correspondence from educational organisations or individuals who desire to put the record straight.
The Transaction Telephone Part 2
Authors: Zeilinger Anthony J.
Published: February 2008

The first part of this article, published in our September/October issue, looked at the way credit card automation — and in particular the transaction telephone — had developed. It discussed whether or not transaction telephones might in future be linked to the retailer's point of sale equipment so that credit authorisation might be completely integrated with the POS. It also looked at the potentiality of transaction telephones being used in conjunction with electronic funds transfer. A number of other possible uses were also examined. This second part is concerned with market related aspects, and at the influences exerted by the larger credit card companies, developing their automation facilities at point of sale, upon the smaller credit card companies.
Stock control of products with short shelf lives
Authors: Sussams Johh
Published: February 2008

The shelf‐life of a product, from packing to “sell‐by” date is divided between the distributor and the retailer. If the time allowed for distribution is inadequate then either some good product has to be discarded, and/or some customers have to go short. In this article John Sussams discusses the financial and other consequences of this situation, and examines possible remedies. These involve speeding up the flow and/or increasing the shelf‐life available to the distributor so that small buffer stocks can safely be held to cover fluctations in demand. The writer concludes with a detailed case study.
Migros City
Authors: Sharples Sue
Published: February 2008

Migros City in the centre of Zurich in Switzerland is a far cry from the company's traditional superstore layout, and this dramatic departure seems to be successfully meeting the city shoppers' needs. Sue Sharpies visited the centre and found out how a huge retailing empire can with enough vision, imagination and attention to detail radically reformulate its merchandising policy to suit the situation.
Scanning at St Helens Co‐op
Authors: Wilson Ron
Published: February 2008

St Helens Co‐operative Society has an annual turnover of more than £21m, although its geographical base consists of a relatively small area of 20 sq miles extending from St Helens at the hub to the western edge of Liverpool and north to include the new town of Skelmersdale and the market town of Ormskirk. The society includes 20 food shops, two supermarkets, and a department store in St Helens town centre with around 80,000 sq ft of selling area. More importantly, from the point of view of this paper, the society also runs two superstores — one at Boundary Road (opened late 1979), and the other at Newton (opened autumn 1983). It is the Boundary Road unit which forms the theme of this paper, first delivered by Ron Wilson at EPoS 83 in September. It has the unique distinction of being the site of the first Hugin NSC Datachecker installation in Europe — to be closely followed by the Newton superstore (not discussed here). The Boundary Road unit is around 40,000 sq ft of which 28,000 is sales area; of this some 18,000 sq ft is food, and the remaining non‐food merchandise includes clothing, hardware, footwear and ERT. Ron Wilson's paper is of particular interest since his society's decision to “go scanning” arose from what he heard as a delegate at EPoS 82. He was already interested in scanning and trying to decide whether the alleged benefits were attainable in reality, and if so when would be the right time to take the plunge. It was as a result of what he saw, heard, and discussed with other reatailers at EPoS 82 that convinced him of the Tightness of the decision. Above all else it was a remarkably speedy operation; the idea was conceived in September 1982; in May the society went live with scanning. This paper outlines the problems that had to be considered, describes the search for the most appropriate system, and lists the benefits so far realised.
Can fashion stock levels be forecast ?
Authors: Freestone David J
Published: February 2008

The key to the control of fashion stocks is the ability to identify slow‐sellers early — but the key word here is the company's definition of “slow‐seller”. David Freestone describes how a pilot study with a London fashion retailer helped to determine whether there is a “company retail life” for each of the ranges merchandised.
Fast food calms down: the new brand of Huckleberry's
Authors: Sharpies Sue
Published: February 2008

From 13 up to 30 in 1984 is the hoped for expansion rate of Grand Metropolitan's fast food restaurants, Huckleberry's. They see themselves becoming a national chain to vie with the likes of McDonald's and Wimpy. Giving them a new image to present an alternative to the ubiquitous red and yellow fast food uniform is Michael Peters Partnership. They have designed a subtle and sophisticated restaurant to suit the “second generation” of fast food customers. Sue Sharpies describes Huckleberry's new found confidence and takes a look at the Putney pilot.
Cold storage and transportation
Authors: Rudd Tony
Published: February 2008

In an effort to hold down costs in temperature controlled storage and transportation, developments in recent years have encompassed building and equipment as well as the advantages of computerised systems. The following article describes the physical structural demands of cold stores and equipment, and goes on to look at a company who have cut costs and increased efficiency with the introduction of a computer aided system at one of their latest cold stores.
Why have a warehouse?
Authors: Cooper JC , Davis Matthew
Published: February 2008

Warehousing is one of the major distribution costs. But there are alternatives, especially in the field of vehicle utilisation. This article looks at several companies which have asked themselves fundamental questions about their need for warehousing and come up with some interesting answers.
Oxford Street and its redevelopment problems
Authors: Schiller Russell
Published: February 2008

Oxford Street is one of the best‐known shopping streets in the world, but it suffers from serious problems. Investors are cautious about it; many of the buildings are of poor physical quality, and new developments pose technical difficulties. Russell Schiller offers several solutions to these problems. Oxford Street could be better managed, as are some of our better quality covered shopping centres. But in itself this would not be sufficient: what is also needed is a courageous decision to reduce traffic and introduce more pedestrianisation. Another possibility is to increase the physical depth of Oxford Street. This article is based on a talk given by Russell Schiller at a conference in September on the future of Oxford Street, organised by Westminster City Council.
The impact of planning strategies on distribution
Authors: Hoyer‐Millar Gurth
Published: February 2008

Structural and marketing changes in the grocery trade, rising costs and the need for greater efficiency, are all focussing attention on physical distribution as a cause for concern. This year the Institute of Grocery Distribution Convention chose as its major theme physical distribution as the critical link in the UK food marketing mix. One of the principal speakers at the IGD Convention, held at Stratford‐on‐Avon in September, was Gurth Hoyar‐Millar, Sainsbury's Planning & Development Director. He drew attention to certain defects in the planning system which have a direct impact on the distribution process.
Competing successfully in a dynamic world
Authors: Walters David , Knee Derek
Published: February 2008

In many ways the British retail sector is currently going through a more colourful and dynamic phase than we have seen for some time. Innovators abound, especially in areas such as leisure, sports goods, toys; fashion innovation is a whole story in itself. Diversification continues apace: supermarkets move into pharmacy and practically everybody moves into DIY. In food, the convenience store proliferates. Even in the department store sector, not known for its speed of response to changing conditions, some groups are searching around for ways of fighting back. The authors of this feature suggest that, in this time of rapid change, retailers must be flexible as well as observant. Consumers increasingly demand choice and specialisation where once a mass merchandising strategy was adequate; consumers want self‐expression and self‐fulfilment. How to reconcile these factors with the retailer's need to control margins and build buying volumes?
Change and continuity in Japanese retailing
Authors: Dawson JA
Published: February 2008

Derogatory labels attributed to Japanese retailing could be blinding analysts and commentators to the great changes that are taking place in that country. New ideas are having an impact on the complex and fragmented nature of Japanese distribution, but are taking place alongside some very traditional concepts. In this paper Dr Dawson takes a look at the old and new influences affecting Japanese retailing today.
The Coops' road to recovery
Authors: Eliot Stuart
Published: February 2008

Since we last published a major feature on the Coops some two years ago — also by Stuart Eliot, the Coops have made some recovery. In fact, in the writer's view, they are undoubtedly moving in the right direction. Profitability is on an upward trend; member benefit schemes are offering an attractive alternative to the traditional dividend; and mergers and structural change (always the Coops' Achilles Heel) are proceeding quite quickly. And Coop superstores are now the third largest group in the UK.
How good merchandising has transformed the retail scene
Authors: McFadyen Edward
Published: February 2008

A number of leading retail companies gave detailed descriptions of how they had developed merchandising policies for the 80s at a two‐day conference organised by RMDP, and held in London towards the end of June.
DIY warehouse in disguise?
Authors: Sharples Sue
Published: February 2008

A year after opening, Catford Home‐base remains a landmark in retail warehouse design. Its unique site demanded something special, and the winning scheme has combined elegance with practicality.
SHOPS WITHIN SHOPS
Authors: Worthington Steve
Published: February 2008

In RDM November/December 1984 (p 15), Steve Worthington examined the use that major retailers make of concessionaires. This article reverses the process and asks — what do the concessionaires get out of it? Why do they seek to become concessionaires and what are the pros and cons of operating under the roof of a host retailer?
Management training for the smaller retailer
Authors: Kirby David A
Published: February 2008

There is certainly an awareness in this country of the need for training in the retail sector. However, this is directed principally at the needs of the larger retailer (cf the articles on training in our May/June issue). David Kirby suggests that little attention is being given to the training needs of the small independent. In this article he outlines a training and advisory programme for village shopkeepers which took place in mid‐Wales, a programme funded in part by the EEC in response to the decline of the village shop in that area.
Cullen's
Authors: Sharples Sue
Published: February 2008

The burgeoning of the convenience store in the UK is taking many forms — from the home‐grown variety (often via symbol groups) to transatlantic imports. What they have in common is extended opening hours and a broad variety of merchandise, hut within that band there are many variations, and the style of the operations are often dictated by the character of the parent company. We are now seeing the beginnings of an indigenous multiple, which, while springing from the roots of a floundering grocery chain, nevertheless has a mark of distinction and has pushed the c‐store into the upmarket bracket for the first time. Sue Sharples looks at the new style Cullen's convenience store.
The changing marketplace in fashion Clothing sales according to retail sector
Authors: Holliss Roy
Published: February 2008

The last few years have seen a transformation in the retail fashion market, with the emergence of a host of new companies aimed at carefully defined market segments. How has this affected the traditional sales of fashion according to retail sector? Roy Holliss examines these changes; one is that some 22 per cent of all clothing is now purchased from the specialist fashion multiples, with a peak of over 30 per cent in the 15–24 age group.
In‐store systems at Homecharm
Authors: Brown Graham
Published: February 2008

The Homecharm Group, which consists of Texas Homecare, Texas Bulk, Multicolour Wallpapers and Surplus Sales, is now set for full computerisation. The group has developed its own tailor‐made retail systems, and the story of how these were tried and tested and finally implemented in Texas Homecare and Bulk, was described by Graham Brown, the company's operations director. He delivered his paper, of which we are reproducing a slightly modified version, at the Retailing and Distribution Systems conference organised by Arthur Andersen, management consultants, in October 1985.
Whispering soft nothings to the shop thief
Authors: Carter Roy
Published: February 2008

“Reinforcement Messaging” is an anti‐shoptheft system now being marketed in the UK; it broadcasts near‐subliminal messages over a store's public address system exhorting shoppers to act honestly. The system is expected to be installed in several major outlets early this year. Reinforcement Messaging has been well received in the States where it is claimed to have achieved a measure of success. The suppliers in this country say that it is “completely open, unobtrusive, non‐threatening and legal”. Will it work here? Only time will tell.
Training
Authors: Lewis Montague
Published: February 2008

The retail sector is currently going through a wave of takeovers and mergers in which emphasis has been focussed on the leadership and entrepreneurial qualities of the principals involved. But what, asks Montague Lewis, of the quality of staff within the various organisations, the manpower structure and plans, the value of the investment in human capital?
Department stores refurbish their fashion policy: Zone and the new Way In
Authors: Ody Penelope
Published: February 2008

Zone at Harvey Nichols and the new Way In at Harrods both opened last autumn, aiming at high fashion shoppers who have traditionally spurned the conventional department store. Both opened to a blaze of publicity in magazines such as The Face (a favourite with the most avant of the avant garde), while prestigious design journals have waxed lyrical about the original shopfitting. But how do these new lifestyle departments really shape up to high street fashion competition?
Purchasing contractor service for transport
Authors: Glover Steve
Published: February 2008

Services offered by contractors in physical distribution activities have developed considerably in recent years. Contractors are now more sophisticated in their business approach and are much more professional in selling their services. This article describes a practical and structured approach to purchasing contractor services. It includes specifying precise requirements in writing, and the contents of such a service specification; how to go about choosing suitable contractors and subsequently developing the right working relationship. The article discusses how to monitor subsequent performance and control costs; it provides a useful checklist for the user involved in contracted operations.
PIT‐STOP
Authors: Poynor Michael
Published: February 2008

With the launch of Asdadrive, Asda‐MFI, the third largest retailer in the UK, is to start selling cars. The news that Asda is to enter the motor trade, not only selling new cars but also dealing in servicing, repairs, trade‐ins and credit arrangements alongside their existing superstore operations is a perfect example of the daring and imaginative attitude which personifies “headline” retailers today; “jam‐jars” (Cockney rhyming slang for cars), beside jars of jam … whatever next! In fact this development of elastic product policies exactly mirrors another shift in traditional retail patterns — equally major but less trumpeted perhaps — the rapid growth in forecourt shops selling unconventional lines of merchandise. Our contributor looks at this relatively non‐publicised aspect of retailing, now pushed dramatically into the limelight.
Confounding the new conventions
Authors: Sharples Sue
Published: February 2008

‘One store for all’ has long ago been dismissed as an outdated retailing formula. However, here we describe two retailers who challenge the new convention that adults (and children) must be addressed as definable market segments; and a third who takes the unusual route of pursuing the habitually neglected and unfashionable customer group — the poor. These three papers were between them presented earlier this year at HAY/MSL's Retailing Event, and the Institute for International Research's second annual retailing conference.
Tesco leaves Ireland
Authors: Parker AJ
Published: February 2008

The recent announcement that Tesco has sold its Irish outlets has been received with little surprise, since rumours to this effect have been rumbling away for some months now. What is a surprise, however, is the identity of the buyer, and the sum involved. A J Parker charts Tesco's period in Ireland, describes the new owner of the stores, and finally wonders what the eventual future of the outlets will be.
There's no business like shop business
Authors: Poynor Michael
Published: February 2008

Predicting the future is a risky business, and in retailing in particular it is especially hazardous. Which may be the reason why only one or two of the speakers at the Financial Times conference, “Retailing to 1996”, actually dared to prophesy. Nonetheless the two‐day conference, held in London in May, was valuable in that it put forward some useful analyses of current trends in retailing. The range of themes tackled was comprehensive; it included the changing consumer, the two‐nations syndrome, multi‐niche formulae, the specialists versus generalists debate, the emergence of the cellular household, out‐of‐town developments — and the retailer as entertainer! The 150 delegates comprised a wide range of interests — retailers, market analysts, technologists and property developers — and included our contributor, Michael Poynor.
Department stores in Japan — Where customers are treated as honoured guests
Authors: Williamson James
Published: February 2008

Japan has been known for many years for the elegance and efficiency of its department stores. They are generally more spacious than comparable stores in London, and the emphasis is on quality rather than price. But the real difference between Japanese and western European stores lies in the relations between customers and staff, and between management and staff. Customers are treated as honoured guests. Many members of staff hesitate to take their full holidays, feeling that their absence will place a burden on their colleagues. In terms of training, our contributor feels that we have much to learn from Japanese stores. Management look on staff training as an important part of the company's activities and are willing to invest time and money in it. This confirms the findings of the recent NEDO/IMS report which assessed the UK's performance in this field unfavourably compared with that of Japan, Germany, and America.
Using credit cards for improved direct marketing
Authors: Worthington Steve
Published: February 2008

The growth in retailer‐sourced direct mail between 1984 and 1985 was 26 per cent. However, our contributor claims that retailers could still do a great deal more in terms of direct marketing. The secret, he claims, lies in the imaginative use of retailer credit cards. They offer a perfect opportunity to harness the major advantage of direct marketing: that of being able to target precise personal communications to customers already sympathetic to and financially connected with the retailer.
The impact of religion on Northern Ireland retailing
Authors: Brown Stephen
Published: February 2008

What conceivable connection can there be between religion and retailing? In this original article Stephen Brown shows that the relationship — at least in Northern Ireland — is significant. It goes beyond the obvious subject of Sunday trading; ethnic factors are very apparent. For example, one can find two branches of the same symbol group in one village, each owned by shopkeepers of different religious affiliations. And green coloured garments do not sell particularly well in Protestant districts. There is also a strong “Boycott Eire Goods” campaign in Ulster, with some retailers in Protestant districts being “asked” to remove renegade Irish goods from their shelves.
Shopping centres in Kuwait
Authors: Obaid Al‐Otaibi
Published: February 2008

Since the mid‐1940s until about 1970 Kuwait's oil production continued to expand. Although since then it has fallen, the discovery of oil has brought about radical changes to the economy and to Kuwaiti society in general. Not the least of these has been the emergence of western‐type shopping centres — especially district centres which are planned to provide facilities beyond simply shopping. They will include mosques, cultural facilities and sports halls, and their design will combine both western and middle eastern features.
Putting the wonder back into Woolies
Authors: Sharples Sue
Published: February 2008

Until recently Woolworths have gained the reputation of being a bit coy about their plans. Now things have dramatically changed. About 130 of their stores are now rigged out in the new design, with improved, better quality merchandise on sale, and the rest of the 818 outlets will be at least laid out along the new lines by July 1987. This extensive store programme is being speeded along by the company's new chief executive, Malcolm Parkinson. He's been in post for just over six months and is very keen on banging the drum for one of the biggest retailers in the UK. Sue Sharpies went to hear about his plans for the high street group.
Safeway at Anchorage Park, Portsmouth — An impact study
Authors: Hallsworth Alan
Published: February 2008

The choice of a disused airport at Portsmouth for the siting of a Safeway superstore, opened in March of this year, may seem odd as there were only 700 houses scheduled to be built on the site and there were no others within at least a mile. Furthermore, the Safeway unit became the tenth superstore to open in the Portsmouth travel‐to‐work area.
Foreign retail companies operating in the UK
Authors: Mitton Alan E.
Published: February 2008

There are at least 20 overseas companies operating in the retail sector in the UK, taking in a range of merchandise from footwear to jewellery. One strategy is that adopted by the multi‐national manufacturers — vertical integration, in order to secure outlets for their products. The multinational retailers, on the other hand, have pursued a policy of horizontal integration. However, many of both types of firms show a relatively low rate of profitability in relation to other foreign companies operating in Britain.
DPP takes off with new technology
Authors: Harris Donald
Published: February 2008

The concept of Direct Product Profitability (DPP) is not new. The idea of being able to establish the individual contribution to profitability of each product by identifying costs of transport, shelf‐space, overheads and man‐hours has been around for some years. But the analysis has, up to now, been costly and time‐consuming — and has all too often finished up in the hands of data processing people who failed to appreciate its importance as a retail tool. Now, thanks to advanced technology — notably the PC — it's possible for the retailer to do the job himself, and compare rapidly and accurately the performance of one line against another. He can formulate his merchandising policy on a basis of being able clearly to identify products which are “sleepers” or “losers”, “winners” or “underachievers”. And he will be assisted in the job with the development, by the Institute of Grocery Distribution, of the first unified DPP model in the UK, announced early in March. In January an international workshop on DPP, under the auspices of the CIES, was held in Paris. It is apparent that the technique is being followed as enthusiastically on the continent as it is here; national models have been developed in both France and Germany, and it will be the function of the CIES to harmonise these with the UK model.
Retailers and Bankers: Making the partnership work
Authors: Bendall Austin , Hislop Angus
Published: February 2008

The provision of retail financial services necessarily involves co‐operation between retailers and bankers; bearing in mind the long drawn‐out saga of EFTPoS, this has not been easy to achieve. At a recent conference on retail banking presented by Lafferty Publications, our two contributors discussed the findings of a survey they have carried out into the subject.
Buying for profitability
Authors: Forrester RA
Published: February 2008

Within the retail sector selling has received such attention over many years that the importance of the buying function has been overlooked. The writer argues that, within the part of the business for which he or she has a responsibility, “no single individual has a greater influence upon profitability than the buyer”.
Shops within shops: The consumer viewpoint
Authors: McGoldrick Peter J
Published: February 2008

For some years now the technique of setting up “concessions” or shops within shops has been familiar in department stores. But with the closing of Bournes in London's Oxford Street, one of the most extensive practitioners of the technique — doubts began to set in. Dr Peter McGoldrick and his colleagues at UMIST have recently carried out a study into the question of shops within shops, based mainly on consumers' perceptions of them. They found that most retailers have now become more measured in their approach to concessions. It has been recognised that a diversity of names, design formats and staff loyalties may not produce the most coherent or powerful image for the retailer. Awareness of concessions amongst shoppers, however, is rather higher than expected. Younger and more affluent consumers tended to be the most aware, but most shoppers did not express strong preferences between concessions and own departments. The survey concludes that it would be a mistake to assume that concessions are entering a sharp decline — in fact there are signs of considerable growth potential in the superstore and variety store sectors. The major department store groups are however likely to seek even more control over their concessionaires, giving them less autonomy in their design and selling styles.
A “strategic” alliance
Authors: Newman Peter
Published: February 2008

In the early 1980s Montgomery Ward, one of the most renowned names in American retailing, was showing large losses. Its historic emphasis on mail order had long since failed and its merchandising policy had become unfocussed. In 1985 they set about “revamping” the entire group. Mail order was abandoned, and instead of a disorganised range of merchandise they sharpened the mix into clearly defined product groups — big ticket lines, garden furniture, children's wear all featured. In order to develop this strategy they needed, above all, rapid and comprehensive management information so as to get the inventory under control. The solution? An EPoS system supplied — not by one of the American giant suppliers on the doorstep — but by a leading European company, Nixdorf. Peter Newman went to Chicago to assess the nature of Montgomery Ward's radical change.