Question

What is the departmental store? Explain its characteristics.

Answer 1

Departmental stores:

• A departmental store is a retail store that sells a wide range of consumer goods in different product categories known as departments
• The wide variety of products that such stores offer is categorized into various , departments. For example, there will be a department of fruits and vegetables, another for grocery, cosmetics and so on.
• The objective of such stores is to offer customers goods for his daily needs to luxuries. So, a department store may sell vegetables and grocery for daily needs as well as well as luxurious cosmetics.
• The ownership and management of such stores is in the hands of a single person.

Characteristics:

• Large scale sales: Departmental stores sales a variety of goods on large scale.
• Separate department for each item: Each category of product is displayed in separate department.
• Ownership and management: The ownership and management of a departmental store is in the hands of a single person.
• Based in urban areas: These stores are mostly found in big cities.
• Training to employees: The store owner arranges special training for the store employees. The employees are trained on how to behave warmly with customers, how to encourage them to buy, how to arrange stock in departments, etc.
• High maintenance: Building infrastructure of departmental store and maintaining it is a costly affair. High cost is incurred on making departments, refrigeration and air-conditioning, lightening, salaries, etc.
• Facility to customers: Various facilities like drinking water, sitting area, Wi-Fi, eatery, etc. are provided to customers.
• Guidance: Customers are welcomed by the cordial staff. The staff provides information about various products by providing demonstration of those products. The staff also guides the customers in selecting and purchasing the right product for them