Local retail environment

Compare and classify four different examples that operate within the local retail environment, explaining in detail why each one might have decided to operate in the way that it does. The four different types of retailer I have chosen to compare are Top shop, Books etc, Debenhams and Spar. Top Shop and Spar are specialist’s stores selling the same sort of goods in contrast Books etc are a hybrid and Debenhams is a department store. All of these stores are brick and mortar except Spar and books etc don’t have a website whereas the other two do.
Top shop, books etc and Debenhams can be found in busy town centres where as Spar is a local convenience shop. Top shop, Books etc and Debenhams are multiple retailers with a number of braches all well spread out of the UK whereas Spar is a voluntary chain of retailers. Top shop, books etc and Debenhams have larger brick and mortar units and a number of customers whereas Spar customers are limited and the size of the units is tiny compared to the other 3.
Top Shop is a specialists’ store because it only focuses on cloths this means it is easier for consumers to identify the product if they want it and Spar is a hybrid as they offer a wide range of different products. Top Shop a specialise in one type of product this is why they ensure that their sales staff know everything there is needed to know about the product in order to secure a sale. Books etc is a specialist store because they sell a combination of products in the same brick and mortar.

Book etc have two things which is an advantage for them, one customers stay for a long period of time buying books and they have an advantage over other outlets like WHsmiths because they have product width, where they concentrate on one particular product with a lot of choice. Debenhams is a department store because it offers a wide range of products also they let little stores like miss sixty, Ben Sherman, Jeff Banks, Maine, Calvin Klein and coffee shop to use a portion of their brick and mortar (concession) to function this is beneficial for both parties as Debenhams gets paid for this.
It is easy for the little outlets to attract customers Debenhams create free publicity for them. Debenhams have a lot of different products under one big brick and mortar so simultaneously Debenhams are renting out space for big brand names to sell their products. Top Shop and Debenhams both retail through brick and click. Brick and mortar (B;M) refers to a company which possesses a building for operations. Click refers to where a company sells its products online.
Online shopping has a number of benefits one being costs are considerably lower than B;M and it enables both companies to sell their product to the whole world 24 hours a day. Books etc and Spar both have brick and mortar which is an advantage because it enables customers to view the item before they purchase it. The store also encourages impulse buying. Spar is a voluntary chain these are associations of independent retailers, unlike corporate chains. Wholesaler-sponsored voluntary chains of retailers who engage in bulk buying and collective merchandising are prevalent in many countries.
At spar they don’t just bring good value to their customers they also strive to give their customers more via affiliate partners, customers think they are going to a big chain but really they are not, so they respected by their customers and they are in a secure position. Tesco are completely different to Spar as Tesco is a plc shares are available to buy online, the brick and mortar is much larger than spars and Tesco operate online as appose to Spar who only operate through brick and mortar.
Top Shop and Books etc have chosen to locate their store in Croydon town centre because it is close to transport links. Both shops are near Train stations. Tram stations, bus station and cab offices and the UK being growing population lots of people with cash are going in and out of Croydon every day. Spar is a local shop because customers o not want to go to a big busy town centre in the morning to buy a bottle of milk, this is why Spar is a local convenience store so that if someone runs out of something compulsory they are able to go down the shop to replace it.