Chap 001
Chap 001
Chap 001
Chapter 01
Introduction to the World of Retailing
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
1-1
3. (p. 6) Why is it imperative that manufacturers like Apple Computer and Proctor and Gamble
understand how retailers operate?
A. Manufacturers will be able to sell directly on-line.
B. Manufacturers will understand how to get their products on the shelves and sold to the
customer.
C. Manufacturers can better sell merchandise without retailers.
D. Retailers can expect fewer buyouts to occur.
E. Manufacturers can limit multi-channel integration
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Comprehension
4. (p. 6) A ______________ is a business that sells products and/or services to consumers for
their personal or family use.
A. manufacturer
B. wholesaler
C. retailer
D. Distributor
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Comprehension
1-2
6. (p. 7) A(n) ______________ is a set of firms that make and deliver a given set of goods and
services to the ultimate consumer.
A. supply chain
B. buying network
C. trade association
D. integrated wholesale network
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
8. (p. 7) ______________ is when a firm performs more than one set of activities in a channel.
A. Channel diversification
B. Horizontal development
C. Horizontal integration
D. Vertical development
E. Vertical integration
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
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9. (p. 7) If a chain of florist shops opened a plant nursery to provide gift plants and cut flowers
to all of its outlets within a 300-mile radius, the chain would be practicing
A. vertical integration.
B. channel expansion.
C. horizontal expansion.
D. opportunity incrementing.
E. service marketing.
The florist is performing more than one channel function.
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
10. (p. 7) Victoria's Secret, a popular retail chain in women's lingerie and perfume, design the
merchandise they sell, and then contract with manufacturers to produce it exclusively for
them. Victoria's Secret is practicing:
A. globalization
B. product-related marketing
C. vertical integration
D. horizontal integration
E. product diversification
Because the retail chain designs and contracts its manufacturing firm, it is an example of
vertical integration.
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
1-4
Difficulty: Hard
Type: Comprehension
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Definition
13. (p. 7) __________________ arises when a retailer performs some distribution and
manufacturing activities, such as operating warehouses or designing private-label
merchandise.
A. Globalization
B. Product-related marketing
C. Backward integration
D. Horizontal integration
E. Forward integration
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
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Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
15. (p. 7) Retailers provide important functions that increase the value of the products and
services they sell to consumers. Which of the following does not include value function
created by a retailer?
A. Providing an assortment of products and services
B. Reducing production costs with innovative design
C. Breaking bulk
D. Holding inventory
E. Providing services
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
16. (p. 8) Which of the following statements about retailers holding inventory is FALSE?
A. By having inventory held in the store, consumers can hold less merchandise at home.
B. By holding inventory, retailers can decrease the visual merchandising expenditure.
C. Holding inventory in a store helps serve the customer's needs.
D. Retailers keep inventory so products are available when consumers want them.
E. Holding inventory reduces consumer's cost of storing products.
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Comprehension
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17. (p. 8) Grocers purchase pineapples from several different tropical countries. When
pineapples arrive in the distribution centers across the United States, containers are reduced to
amounts that are appropriate for store delivery. Once delivered to the stores, associates open
the cartons and arrange the pineapples for the consumer to select. Grocers are performing
what function?
A. adaptive selling
B. breaking bulk
C. acclimating
D. distribution
E. transferring
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Comprehension
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
1-7
19. (p. 8) One of the functions retailers undertake to increase the customer's perception of value
is providing services. Which of the following would be an example of that activity?
A. clean restrooms
B. displaying merchandise
C. having trained salespeople available to answer questions
D. well-lit parking
E. all of the above
All of these functions are provided by the retailer to make it easier for a customer to buy and
use products.
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Comprehension
20. (p. 8) A credit union holds and maintains detailed records of the banking activities of its
members. Each quarter, the credit union provides its members a printout of banking activities,
information about low rate loans and pre-owned automobiles. By contacting its members on a
regular basis, the credit union is engaging in the business function of:
A. breaking bulk
B. holding inventory
C. providing assortments
D. financing
E. providing services
Maintaining records and informing members are services.
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Application
1-8
21. (p. 9) Retailing is one of the nation's largest industries in terms of:
A. community involvement
B. employment
C. competition
D. promotions
E. variety
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Fact
22. (p. 11) When considering the largest retailers worldwide, ___________ retailers continue to
dominate among them.
A. food
B. apparel
C. drug
D. home-improvement
E. Internet
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Comprehension
23. (p. 11) Which of the following statements about the U.S. distribution system is true?
A. Many people think the United States is understored.
B. Many U.S. retailers are large enough to have their own warehouses and have eliminated
their need for wholesalers.
C. When compared to retail density in Europe, the United States is very low.
D. The small specialty store is the fastest growing type of U.S. retailer.
E. All of the above statements about the U.S. distribution system are false.
The U.S. is probably overstored. The U.S. has the greatest retail density in the world. The
large store with over 20,000 square feet is the fastest growing type of U.S. retailer.
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Fact
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Difficulty: Medium
Type: Fact
25. (p. 11) The fastest growing retailers in the United States sell through:
A. kiosks in malls and department stores
B. large stores with over 20,000 square feet
C. outlet stores
D. small specialty stores
E. the Internet
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Fact
26. (p. 12) What factors have created differences in the distribution systems in the major
markets?
A. geography
B. market size
C. the high population density in Europe, China, and India
D. different social and political objectives
E. all of the above
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Fact
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27. (p. 12) Which of the following is NOT TRUE when explaining what created differences
within the distribution system of the major international markets?
A. China and India have many large businesses to reduce unemployment.
B. E.U. has many large retailers to achieve economy of scales.
C. E.U. countries protect small retailers.
D. China has many large retailers because it has an abundance of low-cost real estate available
for building large stores.
Difficulty: Hard
Type: Fact
28. (p. 12) Which of the following is NOT TRUE in describing distribution systems within
major international markets?
A. The U.S. distribution system has the greatest retail density and the greatest concentration
of large retail firms.
B. The Indian distribution systems are characterized by small stores operated by small firms
and a large independent wholesale industry.
C. In the Chinese distribution system, the merchandise often passes through several levels of
distribution to make the daily deliveries to the small retailers efficient.
D. Northern European retailing is similar to efficient distribution system in the U.S.
E. Southern European retailing is fragmented across all sectors.
F. All of the above is true.
G. None of the above is true.
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Comprehension
29. (p. 16) The competition between the same types of retailers is called:
A. intertype competition
B. indirect competition
C. intratype competition
D. scrambled merchandising
E. vertical integration
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
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30. (p. 16) CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are _________ competitors.
A. indirect
B. intratype
C. intertype
D. vertical
E. horizontal
All three category killers utilize the same format
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
31. (p. 16) Macy's, Belk, JCPenney and Nordstrom are ___________ competitors.
A. channel
B. vertical
C. intertype
D. intratype
E. none of the above
All three department stores use the same format
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
32. (p. 16) Which of the following would be an intratype competitor for a Home Depot
supermarket?
A. Target
B. Lowe's
C. Kroger
D. Macy's
E. All of the above
Lowes is a home-improvement center
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Application
1-12
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Definition
34. (p. 16) When Taco Bell opened its first restaurant, a hungry patron could order a taco, a
burrito and a Coke. In those early years, Taco Bell did not offer much:
A. assortment
B. product depth
C. quantity
D. value
E. variety
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
35. (p. 16) Dillards sells Godiva chocolates and coffees in their stores. By selling such products,
Dillards is:
A. offering a good merchandise mix
B. offering what the market demands
C. offering deep product assortments
D. practicing scrambled merchandising
E. practicing intratype competition
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
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36. (p. 16) The offering of merchandise not typically associated with the store type is called:
A. scrambled merchandising
B. intratype competition
C. product diversification
D. channel conflict
E. vertical differentiation
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
37. (p. 16) While vacationing at the beach, Delia was delighted to see that the local Walgreens
carried milk, bread, apples and bananas. Her delight indicates she has never seen:
A. a deep product assortment
B. an acceptable merchandising mix
C. a retail mix
D. scrambled merchandising
E. this type of intratype competition
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Comprehension
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39. (p. 16) Which of the following would be an example of intertype competition?
A. a supermarket and a fresh flower stand
B. a specialty store and a fast food restaurant
C. a supercenter and a pharmacy
D. a convenience store and a department store
E. all of the above
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Application
40. (p. 16) The Lands' End Web site, the JCPenney catalog, and the Sears area all in
____________ competition.
A. channel
B. horizontal
C. indirect
D. intertype
E. intratype
They all sell similar products, but use different formats to do so.
Difficulty: Hard
Type: Comprehension
41. (p. 16) Increasing intertype competition has made it harder for retailers to identify their:
A. competition
B. target market
C. merchandise mix
D. retail mix
E. none of the above
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Comprehension
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42. (p. 16) The intensity of competition is greatest among retailers when:
A. price dominates the retail mix
B. they are located near each other and offer similar retail offerings
C. they are located near each other and target the same customer
D. they are located far from each other and offer similar retail offerings
E. they are located far from each other and target the same customer
Difficulty: Hard
Type: Comprehension
43. (p. 16) Since convenience of location is important in store choice, a store's proximity to
competitors is a critical factor in identifying:
A. competition
B. ethical standards
C. real estate negotiations
D. the target market
E. which merchandise to scramble
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Comprehension
44. (p. 18) Once a retailer understands its environment, it needs to develop and implement a:
A. viable customer base
B. advertising plan
C. retail strategy
D. competitive strategy
E. functional strategy
The retail strategy is developed after information is gathered in a situation analysis. Although
similar in theory to a business plan, it is specific to the retailing industry.
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Application
1-16
45. (p. 18) The retail strategy helps a retailer to identify the following EXCEPT:
A. The target market toward which the retailer will direct its efforts.
B. The nature of the merchandise and services the retailer will offer to satisfy the needs of the
target market.
C. How the retailer will build a long-term advantage over its competitors.
D. Break-even point for making profits
E. All of the above
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Application
46. (p. 18) When developing the _________________ for his new barber shop, Theo decided to
obtain a long-term competitive advantage over other salons by offering longer hours, better
prices, a well trained staff and half-price perm day every Wednesday to attract customers.
A. selling concept
B. business cycle
C. retail strategy
D. focal point orientation
E. marketing concept
A retail strategy statement identifies the target market, the merchandise and services, and how
the retailer will build a long-term advantage over its competitors. All three of these elements
are present in the question.
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
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47. (p. 18) As the owner of a store specializing in men's suits, Isabella can use a retail strategy
statement to identify all of the following EXCEPT:
A. the advertising campaign developed to sell last season's merchandise
B. the shop's target market
C. how the store will build a competitive advantage over Men's Warehouse
D. what services the shop will offer its customers
E. what types of suits the store will stock
A retail strategy has to do with planning for the future and not focusing on a short-term
problem.
Difficulty: Hard
Type: Application
48. (p. 20) Which of the following strategies has JCPenney changed to compete effectively with
the competition in the past?
A. JCPenney centralized merchandise management.
B. JCPenney is building new stores off the mall.
C. JCPenney is designing stores with centralized checkout.
D. JCPenney now ships merchandise through distribution centers.
E. JCPenney is upgrading its merchandise offering by adding France's cosmetics Sephora.
F. All of the above
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Comprehension
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49. (p. 21) To implement a retail strategy, a retailer must develop a _____ that satisfies the needs
of its target market better than its competitors.
A. production orientation
B. horizontal integration
C. sales orientation.
D. retail mix.
E. situation analysis
The retail mix is the combination of factors that satisfies customers' needs. The others are not
used for this purpose.
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Comprehension
50. (p. 21) Once a well-articulated retail strategy has been developed, the next step is to:
A. override the control mechanism
B. evaluate the results of the strategy
C. forecast future environmental trends
D. confirm that environmental conditions have not changed
E. implement the strategy
Once the strategy is developed, the next logical step is implementation. Nothing would get
accomplished if a retailer repeatedly went back to step 1 as in Alternatives C and D. The final
stage in the process is the evaluation of the strategy. Overriding the control mechanism would
not be a good idea in any case.
Difficulty: Hard
Type: Comprehension
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51. (p. 21) The combination of factors retailers use to satisfy customer needs and influence their
purchase decisions is called the firm's:
A. retailing conglomerate
B. retail mix
C. marketing strategy
D. target group
E. none of the above
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
52. (p. 21) Which of the following is part of a retailer's retail mix?
A. advertising
B. displays
C. trained salespeople
D. services offered
E. all of the above
All of the choices are elements within the retail mix.
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
53. (p. 21) Which of the following is NOT an element in the retail mix?
A. competitive response
B. merchandise assortments
C. location
D. customer service
E. advertising and promotion
The elements of the retail mix include customer service, store design and display, advertising
and promotion, location, assortments and pricing.
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
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54. (p. 21) Which of the following parts of the retail mix can be utilized by a small hardware
store?
A. bright lighting in the store, which makes it easier to read the messages
B. a new ad campaign that uses both radio and newspaper media
C. store location next door to a hospital
D. attractive point-of-purchase displays at the ends of the store's aisles
E. all of the above
Store design, location, and advertising programs are all part of the retail mix.
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
55. (p. 23) What are the principles governing the behavior of the individual and the company?
A. ethics
B. retail strategy
C. training guidelines
D. company culture
E. Civil Rights Act of 1964
Difficulty: Easy
Type: Definition
1-21
56. (p. 23) Belinda is a swimwear buyer for a major department store. She will allow vendors to
purchase her lunch at the local coffee shop when they visit. One October, she dined with a
new vendor to discuss a progressive line of men's swimwear that is popular in resorts
throughout the Caribbean. Belinda's goal was to assess the assortments for her company in
order to see if the product was a good fit for the company brand. During lunch, the vendor
invited Belinda for an all-expense paid weekend trip to Jamaica to see the popularity of the
merchandise. His goal was to enable her to make a more educated decision when buying.
Belinda hesitated to accept because of:
A. personal and professional ethics
B. the scheduling of the buy for the spring season
C. the price of the exclusive merchandise would not match the income level of her target
market
D. the manufacturer would be unable to develop the line in time for spring
E. her inability as a buyer to alter the visual merchandising for the store
Difficulty: Medium
Type: Application
Essay Questions
57. (p. 7) What is the retailer's role in a supply chain?
The retailer's role in the distribution channel is to link manufacturers with consumers by
directing their efforts to satisfying the needs of the ultimate consumers.
Difficulty: Medium
Difficulty: Easy
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59. (p. 8) With manufacturers legally able to sell direct from the factories, why should retailers
exist?
In the retailing distribution channel, there are occasions when manufacturers sell directly to
the ultimate consumer. While occasionally doing so, manufacturers mainly exist to
manufacture products to satisfy the needs of a wholesaler or retailer. Retailers exist because
they direct their efforts and specialize in satisfying only the customer's needs. Retailers exist
because they increase the value consumers receive.
Difficulty: Medium
60. (p. 16) Distinguish between intratype competition and intertype competition. Give an
example of each.
Intratype competition refers to the competition between retailers with the same format. An
example would be the competition between Publix and BiLo for sale of fresh salmon.
Intertype competition refers to retailers that sell similar merchandise using different formats.
An example would be the sale of Revlon Color-Stay Lipstick between CVS and Target.
Difficulty: Easy
61. (p. 16) Why would a Walgreens add novelty gifts, fresh bread, pre-wrapped sandwiches and
milk to its product mix?
Walgreens is engaging in scrambled merchandising. They have added these products; and
therefore, appeal more to a broader group of customers, while providing one-stop shopping
for our time-starved society.
Difficulty: Medium
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62. (p. 16) A chef wants to open an Italian restaurant in the suburbs of a large city. How should
she identify the competition?
This question can have a variety of responses, but she could first look at the obvious and
identify other Italian restaurants near her location. Is her location the best? She should
consider frozen Italian entrees at nearby grocery stores. She should also consider the prices of
the entrees she offers and compare them to the prices of other types of restaurants.
Difficulty: Medium
63. (p. 17) Why do retailers consider customers important when developing a retail strategy?
Retailers need to understand customers and how they are changing so that they can better
satisfy their needs. Retailers need to know and understand why customers shop, how they
select stores and how they select from that store's merchandise.
Difficulty: Medium
64. (p. 18) What are the three things identified by a retail strategy statement?
(1) The target market toward which the retailer will direct its efforts, (2) the nature of the
merchandise and services the retailer will offer to satisfy the needs of the target market, and
(3) how the retailer will build a long-term advantage over its competitors.
Difficulty: Medium
65. (p. 18) Why is location strategy important for both consumers and for competitive reasons?
(1) Location is typically the most important characteristic consumers consider when selecting
a store. (2) A good location creates a long-term advantage over the competition.
Difficulty: Medium
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66. (p. 19) The success of discount stores poses a growing threat for JCPenney. To compete
effectively with these retailers, the company instituted some radical changes. Discuss four
changes the company made and how JCPenney expects the changes to better satisfy its target
market.
(1) JCPenney is reducing its distribution costs by shipping merchandise through its
distribution centers rather than using direct delivery from vendors to stores. (2) JCPenney
centralized merchandise management. Rather than having sore managers make merchandise
decisions, merchandise decisions are made by JCPenney buyers in the corporate headquarters
to save costs and respond quicker. (3) To increase customer convenience, JCPenney is
building new stores off the mall. (4) To increase convenience, the company is also installing
centralized checkout counters in each area of the store.
Difficulty: Medium
Difficulty: Easy
68. (p. 7) A _____ is a business that sells products and services to ultimate consumers.
retailer
Difficulty: Easy
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69. (p. 7) Retailers are the final business in a distribution channel that link __________ to
consumers.
manufacturers
Difficulty: Easy
70. (p. 7) A _____________ is a set of businesses that move products from the point of
production to the point of sale to the ultimate consumer.
distribution channel
Difficulty: Easy
71. (p. 7) When a retailer like L.L. Bean designs merchandise as well as sells the merchandise,
_________ is occurring.
vertical integration
Difficulty: Medium
72. (p. 8) By providing assortments, breaking bulk, holding inventory, and providing services,
retailers increase the ___________ consumers receive from their products and services.
value
Difficulty: Medium
73. (p. 9) _______________ describes the voluntary actions taken by a company to address the
ethical, social, and environmental impacts of its business operations and the concerns of its
stakeholders.
Corporate social responsibility
Difficulty: Easy
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74. (p. 16) When Austin saw pastries and coffee at his local bookstore, he knew it was an
example of __________, which is the juxtaposition of unrelated merchandise in the store.
scrambled merchandise
Difficulty: Medium
75. (p. 16) Scrambled merchandising increases _______, which occurs between retailers that sell
similar merchandise using different formats, such as specialty and discount stores.
intertype competition
Difficulty: Medium
76. (p. 19) The philosophy, strategies, programs and systems that focus on identifying and
building loyalty with a retailer's most valued customers are called _______________.
customer relationship management
Difficulty: Medium
77. (p. 23) _________ are the principles governing the behavior of individuals and companies.
Ethics
Difficulty: Easy
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78. (p. 8) Best Buy purchases many of the CD's, Playstation 2 games, DVD's and DVD players
by the truckload then sells them in smaller quantities to its stores where consumers are
allowed to buy them one at a time. What business function is Best Buy performing?
breaking bulk
Difficulty: Medium
79. (p. 8) Costco buys directly from manufacturers. They have merchandise shipped to their
warehouses for storage, and then distribute the merchandise to their stores. What term is used
to describe this type of activity?
vertical integration
Difficulty: Medium
80. (p. 14) Which retailer had its humble beginnings in rural Arkansas and now is the largest
retailer in the world?
Wal-Mart
Difficulty: Easy
81. (p. 15) What is the first step in the retail management decision process?
getting an understanding of the world of retailing
Difficulty: Medium
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82. (p. 16) When is the intensity of competition between retail stores the greatest?
when they are involved in intratype competition
Difficulty: Medium
Difficulty: Medium
84. (p. 18) The Aviary is a pet shop that focuses on birds and their accoutrements for bird lovers.
The shop carries cages, perches, toys and even gourmet seed and dried fruits. It sponsors a
bird club where members can bring their pets to share with other bird lovers. The store
provides an inexpensive veterinary service. It even has a 3-month guarantee when you
purchase a bird. The Aviary has created loyalty from its customers and continuously attracts
new ones because of the services offered. What does this describe?
It describes the store's retailing strategy. The paragraph describes the target market, the
merchandise and services and how it maintains a strategic advantage over competitors.
Difficulty: Hard
85. (p. 19) Why do retailers use point of sale (POS) terminals to read Universal Product Codes
(UPC) and electronic data interchange (EDI) to send sales and inventory information from
computer to computer?
These technologies allow retailers to have a better idea of what is selling and a way to quickly
communicate that information to vendors so that replenishment can quickly occur.
Additionally it gives the retailer a competitive advantage over retailers that do not work with
current supply chain management systems.
Difficulty: Hard
1-29
86. (p. 23) When making the strategic and tactical decisions managers need to consider the
effects of their decisions on the profitability of their firms and the satisfaction of their
customers. What other implications must managers consider as a result of their decisions?
ethical and legal implications
Difficulty: Hard
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