Marketing essay question homework

Answer following questions use about 1/3-½ page for answers to questions 1-3 and 2/3 to 1page for the last 2 questions. Use answer sheet for both MC and short answer essay questions….

1. What are the key productivity ratios for measuring a retailer as a whole, its merchandise mgt. activities as well as store operations? Why are these measures appropriate for one area of the retailer, but not the others?

2. Blue Nile is a jewelry retailer that uses only an online channel for interacting with its customers. What differences would you expect in the strategic profit model and key productivity ratios for Blue Nile and Zales (a multichannel retailer)?

3. Why are retailers in the limited assortment supermarket, online grocery store, and extreme value discount store sectors growing so rapidly? From which retailers are they getting these additional sales?

4. What is the consumer decision journey? Think about your purchases of food, what is your consumer decision journey? Show a map of the typical journey and its key touchpoints? Does this journey vary for different type of shopping trips? Why?

5. Macy’s and Costco have targeted different customer segments. Given their businesses, which retailer would you expect to have a higher gross margin? Higher expenses as a percentage of sales? Higher operating profit margins? Higher inventory and asset turnover? Higher ROA? Why?

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