A department store refers to a store that operates different commodity departments. Due to the different levels of economic development and national conditions in different countries, the definition of department stores is slightly different.
Kotler, an American marketing expert, believes that department stores generally sell several product lines, such as clothing, furniture and household items, and each product line is managed as an independent department by specialized buyers and salespeople.
According to the French business community, a department store refers to a large retail business enterprise with a large business area, which can provide almost all consumer goods in one building. Specifically, the business area is at least 2500 square meters, and the commodity department 10 is above.
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Japan defines a department store as a department store with more than 50 employees, a business area of at least 65,438+0,500 square meters and a wide variety of goods.
The earliest department store came into being in Europe in the middle of19th century, which was promoted by the industrial revolution. The earliest department stores in China are Shanghai Shixian Department Store founded by 19 17 and Shanghai Yongan Department Store founded by 19 18. After the founding of New China, department stores have always been the main format of retail industry in China.
Compared with other formats, the characteristics of department stores are as follows: ① There are many kinds of goods, generally reaching tens of thousands or more. (2) Mainly engaged in high-end goods and durable consumer goods. (3) The location of storefronts is generally selected in prosperous areas with convenient transportation, with luxurious decoration and becoming an integral part of the urban landscape. (4) Single store is the main one, and the clerk pays directly. ⑤ Serialization of services.
(2) Supermarket
This is a commercial format characterized by automatic pick-up and self-service. It came into being during the Great Depression in the early 1930s. It has been widely welcomed by customers in a brand-new way of selling goods with open shelves and customers' choice, and has been popularized around the world. The vitality of supermarket mainly comes from its innovation, that is, the innovation of sales model, the innovation of price system and the innovation of chain operation.
The establishment of supermarkets in China started late. Beijing Jinghua Supermarket opened in September, 1984. Since then, the experience and lessons have been continuously summed up, so that supermarkets have made great progress in large and medium-sized cities in China, and now they have formed a trend of blooming everywhere. Compared with department stores, supermarkets have the following characteristics: ① Non-durable consumer goods such as food and daily necessities are the main products. (2) Self-service and centralized settlement. (3) Small profits but quick turnover, fast commodity turnover. (4) The goods are fresh and clearly marked, and the quality and weight of the goods are indicated on the package. ⑤ Shopping malls have large business area, popular decoration, many kinds of goods, and similar goods are put together, which is convenient for consumers to choose and compare, and the price is low, which is very popular among low-and middle-income classes. Due to these characteristics, the supermarket format shows great advantages. It also has some shortcomings, such as easy to lose and damage goods, and inconvenient for consumers to communicate with shop assistants, but these shortcomings can be overcome.
(3) Professional shops
Specialty store refers to a store that specializes in a certain category or a certain commodity. Countries have similar definitions of specialty store. For example, the United States thinks that specialty store is a store specializing in one or several interrelated goods, which shows that the definition of specialty store in the United States is relatively broad. Japanese marketing experts have a strict and narrow definition of specialty store. In their view, specialty store refers to those stores that sell specific commodities and only meet the needs of a few consumers. The definition of specialty store in China is relatively broad.
Specialty store, as a format, has existed for a long time, and its embryonic form is the early shops. /kloc-At the beginning of the 9th century, with the development of industrialization, people's lifestyle has changed a lot, a leisure class has emerged, and the division of professional stores has emerged, including specialty stores that meet people's daily needs and boutiques that meet people's trendy consumption needs. After World War II, specialty store further developed into a high-grade direction, so that specialty stores became nicknames of some local boutiques.
Compared with other formats, specialty store has the following characteristics: ① The goods operated by shops meet the special needs of customers, and specialty store has a complete range of goods. ② Operators are familiar with the target market and can effectively control it. (3) The salesman is rich in commodity knowledge and can provide consulting services.
(4) Other commercial formats.
In addition to the main formats mentioned above, there are also specialty stores, convenience stores, warehouse stores, shopping centers, discount stores, family centers, store-free sales and other formats. Among them, no-store sales (including online shopping) have sprung up in some countries and regions, and it is likely to be equally divided with the whole store sales.
Classification of retail formats in China
The new national standard "Classification of Retail Format (GB/T 18 106-2004)" jointly promulgated by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the State Standardization Administration Committee was issued on June 9, 2004, and came into effect on June 30, 2004. According to the structural characteristics of retail stores, the new standard divides the retail industry into grocery stores, convenience stores, discount stores, supermarkets, large supermarkets, warehouse-style member stores, department stores, specialty stores, specialty stores, home building materials stores, shopping centers, factory direct sales centers, TV shopping and mail order according to their operating methods, commodity structure, service functions, location, business circle, scale, and whether there is a fixed business place.
(1) Retail format with stores.
1. Traditional grocery store: it is an independent and traditional retail format with no obvious brand image, mainly cigarettes, alcohol, drinks and snacks.
2. Convenience store: a retail format whose main purpose is to meet the convenience needs of customers.
3. Discount store: a small supermarket with simple decoration, limited service and low price. There are less than 2000 varieties, and a certain number of self-owned brand goods are operated.
4. Supermarket: it is a retail format that sells goods with open shelves and collects money centrally to meet the daily needs of community consumers. According to the different commodity structure, it can be divided into food supermarket and comprehensive supermarket.
5. Hypermarket: The actual business area is over 6,000 square meters, and the variety is complete, which can meet the one-time purchase of customers. According to the commodity structure, it can be divided into large supermarkets mainly dealing with food and large supermarkets mainly dealing with daily necessities.
6. warehouse club: a retail format based on membership system, integrating warehousing and sales, operating wholesale and retail, and providing limited services and low-priced goods as the main features.
7. Department Store: a retail format that operates several categories of goods in one building, implements unified management and sells in different regions to meet customers' diversified choices of fashion goods.
8. Specialty store: a retail form that specializes in a certain kind of goods.
9. Specialty stores: retail formats that specialize in or are authorized to operate major brand goods.
10, Housing Center: a retail format mainly selling building materials, decoration and household items.
1 1, shopping center/shopping center): All kinds of retail shops and service facilities are concentrated in a building or an area, which will be developed, managed and operated by enterprises.
A business group that provides comprehensive services. It is divided into:
(1) Community Shopping Center: A shopping center with an area of less than 50,000 square meters, which is set up in a regional commercial center of the city.
(2) Regional shopping center: a shopping center set up in the city commercial center with an area of 6,543,800 square meters.
(3) Suburban shopping centers: shopping centers with an area of over 654.38+10,000 square meters set up in urban suburbs.
12. Factory Outlet Center: The factory directly establishes or entrusts an independent operator to operate, specializing in the products of its own brand, and the business places of several enterprise brands are concentrated in a regional retail format.
(B) No store retail format
1. TV shopping: use TV as a channel to promote and display products to consumers and obtain the retail format of orders.
2. Mail order: a retail format that mainly introduces and displays goods to consumers by mail catalogue, and goods are delivered to consumers by mail.
3. Online shopping: a retail form of buying and selling activities through the Internet.
4. Vending machine: A retail form of selling goods through vending machines.
5. Direct selling: A retail form in which sales personnel directly contact consumers to promote their products or services.
6. Teleshopping: a retail model that mainly completes sales or purchases by telephone.