Question

Specify the characteristics of fixed shop retailers.

Answer 1

As the name suggests, fixed-shop retailers are retailers who have permanent establishments. That is, they sell goods and services from fixed shops and do not move from place to place to serve customers—for example, retailers functioning from fixed establishments in the local grocery market.

The following are some of the characteristics of fixed-shop retailers:

(a) Fixed-shop retailers operate on a large scale and have huge resources at their disposal compared with itinerant traders. However, among fixed-shop retailers, there are retailers who operate on a small scale or a large scale.

(b) They generally deal with more than one product—that is, their range of goods varies from consumer durable goods to non-durable goods.

(c) Fixed-shop retailers provide services such as free home delivery and supply of goods on credit to their customers.