Retail Management Assignment

Note: I need 2 pages, typed, single spaced paper on the instructions given below. Please read and follow them carefully. Your work must be 100% original. Must include 2-3 references in APA.

Instructions:

1. Choose a pair of competing retailers from the list given below that you will visit.

• a)      7 Eleven / Valero (convenience stores)
• b)      Babies R Us / Buy Buy Baby
• c)      T-Mobile / Verizon
• d)     Dillards / Macy’s
• e)      Fredericks of Hollywood / Victoria’s Secret / Soma
• f)       Hobby Lobby / Michael’s
• g)      Pep Boys / O’Reilly’s / Auto Zone
• h)     Mattress Giant/ Mattress Firm

2. Make a shopping list that includes 5 items you expect to find at the store. For example, at a specialty clothing store you might look for a women’s white blouse, size 10. At an auto parts store, you might have an air filter for a 2010 Jeep Cherokee. Be as specific as you can for each of the five items.

3. Prepare a table or matrix for comparing the two retailers. Include the number of choices for each item on your list, the price range (least expensive to most expensive) and average price per item.

4. List and describe other criteria for comparing the two retailers that you will describe after your visits:

• a)      Store locations (rate the convenience of distance, ease of entry, parking available, nearby retailers and other location criteria)
• b)      Customer service (availability of sales people, courtesy, product knowledge).
• c)       Store layout, atmosphere and displays (ease of navigation, cleanliness, attractiveness, dressing rooms, etc.)
• d)     Customer loyalty programs (if any)

5. Write a 2 page paper (typed, single spaced) comparing each retailer on the criteria mentioned above, and paste the table from requirement 3 at the end of the paper. A good paper will be specific. I want you to describe what you see and interpret what it means. Saying "it has a decent selection" or "the customer service was good" tells me very little. But saying, "the store carries a wide variety of categories including X, Y and Z, and had a deep assortment of widgets in sizes x through y" tells me a lot more. Or "the customers outnumbered the sales associates and the checkout lines were 6 deep, demonstrating a need for more employees" explains what the problem is and how you think they can solve it. An excellent paper will also incorporate terms and concepts from the textbook to demonstrate that you know what they mean. Be sure to include your references (correctly cited) at the end of the paper.