Retail - any activity of selling goods or services directly to end consumers for their personal non-commercial use.

Any enterprise that engages in this activity is engaged in retail th. Moreover, it does not matter exactly how goods and services are sold - by personal sale, by mail, by phone or through a vending machine, and where exactly they are sold - in a store, on the street or at the consumer's home.

Types of retail trade enterprises. There are millions of retailers in the country outlets a variety of sizes and shapes. New forms of retail trade are constantly emerging, incorporating certain features of old Russian and well-known foreign forms.

Number of self-service retail outlets grew rapidly in the country, which was the result of copying the American experience in the 60s. Today, the number of self-service stores has decreased, they sell everyday goods. But we should not forget that self-service is the basis of any trade at low prices.

In retail trade enterprises with free selection of goods the buyer, if desired, can seek assistance from the seller. The client completes the transaction by approaching the seller and paying for the purchase. The overhead costs of such stores are somewhat higher than those of self-service stores due to the additional staff.

Limited Service Retailers provide the customer with better assistance from the sales staff, as these stores sell more pre-selected items and customers require more information. In addition, consumers are offered services in the form of selling on credit and taking back purchased goods. The costs of such stores, of course, are higher.

Full Service Retailers- These are fashionable department stores, the sellers of which are ready to help the buyer at all stages of the process of searching, comparing and choosing a product. Wealthy consumers prefer these stores. Well-trained staff, high percentage of specialty and fashion items, use various schemes lending are attributes of such stores. In addition, the store provides the following services: delivery of purchases, Maintenance consumer durable goods in the home, conveniences in the form of rest rooms and restaurants.

Retailers can be classified as follows.

1. Offered product range. Retail outlets vary in product range. The most common are specialized stores, department stores and supermarkets, retail service enterprises.

Specialty stores offer a narrow range of goods of considerable saturation. Examples of specialty retailers include clothing, sporting goods, furniture, florists and bookstores. Specialty stores can be further subdivided according to the degree of narrowness of the offered assortment. A clothing store is a stand-alone full-line store, a men's clothing store is a limited-stock store, and a men's shirt store is a specialty store. According to some experts, the fastest growing number of highly specialized stores, using the advantages of market segmentation, selection of target segments and product specialization. However, a specialty store can easily go broke if its products lose popularity.

department stores offer several assortment groups of goods - usually clothes, household items, household goods. Each assortment group is handled by a special department of the department store. Bon Marche, founded in Paris in 1852, is considered the first department store in history. He became an innovator in trade. Introduced low margins and accelerated turnover of goods, publication of prices, encouraging buyers to inspect goods without any pressure, liberal handling of complaints.

supermarket is a large self-service enterprise with low costs, low unit profitability and high sales volume. It is designed for complete satisfaction the needs of the consumer in food products, and sometimes in washing and detergents, household goods. Superstores first spread to the United States during the Great Depression, which forced consumers to save money, and made it possible for entrepreneurs to buy goods cheaply from suppliers and rent large premises for a minimal fee.

New packaging technology has made it possible to offer the consumer food products in containers and packaging that are convenient for storage. Finally, the use of electronics and computers provided the accounting and control needed for today's large supermarkets. In developed countries, they offer up to 10 thousand different products. In modern Russian conditions the number of supermarkets has decreased, especially due to the return to its original state converted to Soviet time small shops.

Service Retailers These are hotels, banks, airlines, colleges, hospitals, cinemas, restaurants, repair shops and various service establishments such as hair and beauty salons, dry cleaners and funeral homes. The number of service retailers is growing faster than the number of goods retailers.

2. Prices. Retail stores can also be classified based on price levels. Most of the shops offer goods at average prices and the usual level of service for consumers. A number of shops offer goods and services of higher quality and at higher prices. Conversely, discount stores sell their products at low prices, organize their activities at minimal cost, and offer fewer services.

Discount Store trades at low prices due to small margins with large sales volumes. Using discount prices and holding sales does not make a merchant a discount store. Does not make it such and trade in goods of poor quality on the cheap. Real store reduced prices has a number of features. First of all, he sells branded goods at low prices with a high inventory turnover. Discount trading has a long history in developed countries. The average inventory turnover in it is up to 15 times a year, and not 5-7 times, as in department stores. In our country, such stores have not yet become widespread. Their role is performed by traders - "shuttles" at fairs and markets.

warehouse store is a no-frills, low-price, limited-service retailer whose goal is to sell large volumes of goods at low prices. Traditional furniture stores have long resorted to sales straight from the warehouse. The visitor in the showroom, where the rooms are beautifully furnished, makes his choice and issues the order to the seller. By the time the customer pays, the item they have purchased has already been served from the warehouse. The company is aimed at servicing medium-priced furniture buyers. Customers like a wide selection, like low prices.

Shops - showrooms, trading on price lists and catalogs. They use the principle of catalog trading and the principle of discount trading to sell hot branded goods, usually sold at a high mark-up. Among them are jewelry, computers, power tools, Appliances. Catalogs and price lists show the list price of each item and the discounted price. These stores sell branded merchandise, mostly non-fashion related.

3. Form of trade. Although most goods and services are still sold in stores, the growth rate of non-store retail is very high. Consider some forms of non-store retail.

Retail trade with the order of goods by mail or by phone is a marketing activity using the mail and telephone lines to collect orders and facilitate the delivery of goods. The mail order system has been around for a very long time, at a time when customers began to send their orders by mail.

Trade with the order according to the catalog the enterprises of a parcel trade with the mixed assortment practice usually. Vendors either send the catalogs to a select group of customers or make them available at their sales premises free of charge or at a low cost. Large retailers have mail-order departments in their stores.

Direct Marketing involves advertisements in a newspaper, radio, or television describing a product that consumers can order by mail or telephone. Thus, as a rule, books and household appliances are sold.

There is also a form of sale such as "direct mail". Firms send out postal items- letters, leaflets, brochures - potential clients whose names are stored in the computer. Mailing lists can be purchased from specialized firms. Mail advertising has proven effective in stimulating the sale of books.

This kind of trading phone sales, just beginning to spread in our country. They use their phone to sell anything.

Trade is developing at a particularly rapid pace through vending machines. With their help, they sell a wide variety of goods: cigarettes, soft drinks, sweets, newspapers, hot drinks. Vending machines placed in factories, institutions, large stores and railway stations. The advantages of vending machines are round-the-clock sales and self-service. However, it is a relatively expensive distribution channel.

Discount Order Service provides assistance to isolated groups of clients - usually workers and employees large organizations such as government agencies that purchase at discounted prices from a selection of selected retailers. A consumer who wants to buy a VCR receives a special form from the order service, with which he goes to a certain merchant and buys the goods at a discount.

peddling originates many centuries ago. Today, peddling on the principle of "every door", in each institution is engaged in many firms and entrepreneurs. Peddle trade satisfies people's needs in terms of the convenience and attention to their personality that comes with buying from home. The prices of goods sold in this way cannot be called low, since peddling is an expensive undertaking. The future of this form of retail is rather uncertain. The peddling salesman can perhaps be replaced Personal Computer included in the network.

4. Store ownership. Retail establishments can be classified according to their ownership. Most stores are independent private enterprises, most often in the form of business partnerships and companies. There are other forms of ownership, such as corporate networks.

Corporate network Two or more trading establishments under common ownership and control. They sell goods of a similar range, have a common purchasing and marketing service, and possibly a single architectural design.

The success of corporate networks is based on price advantages over independent merchants due to increased sales and lower margins. Networks ensure their profitability in several ways. Firstly, their sizes make it possible to purchase large quantities of goods with maximum quantity discounts and at the same time save on transportation costs. Second, they are able to create effective structures, hire good managers, and develop specific techniques for sales forecasting, inventory management, pricing, and incentives. Thirdly, chains are able to combine wholesale and retail functions, while independent retailers have to cooperate with many wholesalers. Fourthly, networks save on advertising, as they attribute the cost to a large number of goods. And fifth, chains give their stores a certain amount of freedom to accommodate local consumer preferences and compete successfully in local markets.

5. A kind of store concentration. This is the last principle of classification of retail establishments. There are four main types of concentrations.

In every major and not so major city there is central business district, where department stores, specialty stores, banks and cinemas are located. Not far from this area, as well as closer to the outskirts, there are smaller business districts.

Regional shopping malls- a group of trade enterprises corresponding in their location, size and type of stores to the trade zone they serve. At major regional shopping streets there are, as a rule, several department stores, and the streets themselves are planned in such a way as to ensure unhindered movement and an overview of all shops.

District shopping centers may include dozens of retail stores serving up to 100,000 people who live within a radius of 2-3 kilometers.

Shopping centers of microdistricts serve 5-20 thousand inhabitants. These are centers for the sale of consumer goods.

Retailer marketing solutions. Let's look at the main marketing decisions that a retailer needs to make.

Target market decision. The most important decision of a retailer is the choice of a target market. Some stores are completely focused on their target market. For example, a fashion store women's clothing can target a market that is made up of high-income women, mostly between the ages of 25 and 45, who live within a 30 to 40 minute drive. However, too many retailers are either not clear about their target markets or are trying to cater to incompatible markets. As a result, none of them are properly satisfied.

The retailer needs to do market research. It must have a clear idea of which population groups will be its main target customers in order to better select its product range, determine prices, store locations and incentives designed for these groups.

The retailer's product range must meet the expectations of the target market. Often the product range becomes a key factor in the competition between similar retailers. The retailer will have to decide on the breadth of the product range (narrow or wide) and its depth (shallow or deep). So, in the field of catering, an establishment can offer a narrow and small assortment (a small buffet), a narrow and deep assortment (a buffet with cold appetizers), a wide and small assortment (cafeteria) or a wide and deep assortment (restaurant).

Another characteristic of the product range is the quality of the products offered. The consumer is interested not only in the breadth of choice, but also in the quality of the goods.

The retailer will also have to decide on the range of services that it will offer to customers. An important element of the retailer's arsenal is the atmosphere of the store. Everyone has it commercial premises its own layout, which can both make it difficult and facilitate the movement of customers. Each store makes a certain impression. One is perceived as dirty, the other is charming, the third is luxurious, the fourth is gloomy. The store should embody an atmosphere that suits the tastes of the target market's consumers. Silence is appropriate in a funeral home, and bright colors and loud sounds are appropriate in a disco.

Pricing decision. The prices asked by retailers are a key competitive factor and at the same time a reflection of the quality of the goods on offer. For example, low mark-ups on some products make them "lure" or "losing leader" products. This tactic is designed to ensure that, once in the store, consumers at the same time buy other goods with higher margins.

To reach consumers, retailers use the usual means of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and propaganda. Retailers advertise in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. It is complemented by direct mail advertising. Personal selling requires careful sales training. Sales promotion can be expressed in the holding of store shows, the use of credit cards, drawing prizes.

The choice of a place for a store is one of the decisive competitive factors. Customers, as a rule, choose the store that is located nearby. When choosing a site, the most advanced site evaluation methods should be used.

Wholesale

Wholesale is any activity of selling goods or services to those who purchase them for the purpose of resale or professional use.

Wholesalers differ from retailers in a number of ways. First, the wholesaler pays less attention to sales promotion, atmosphere and location of its commercial enterprise because he deals primarily with professional clients. Secondly, in terms of volume, wholesale transactions are larger than retail ones, and the wholesaler's trading area is usually larger than that of a retailer. Third, with regard to legal regulations and taxes, the government approaches wholesalers and retailers from different perspectives.

Why do we need wholesalers at all? After all, manufacturers could sell goods directly to retailers or end consumers. The answer is that wholesalers ensure the efficiency of the sales process. First, a small producer with limited financial resources it is not possible to create and maintain trade enterprises. Secondly, even with sufficient capital, the manufacturer would rather prefer to direct funds to the development of production, rather than to the organization of trade. Thirdly, the efficiency of wholesalers is likely to be higher due to the scope of operations, more business contacts and special knowledge and skills of salespeople. Fourth, retailers dealing with a wide range of products often prefer to order the entire set of goods from one wholesaler, rather than in parts from different manufacturers.

Thus, both retailers and manufacturers have every reason to resort to the services of wholesalers. Wholesalers are used when they can more effectively perform the following functions:

1) sales and promotion. Wholesalers have a sales force that helps the manufacturer to reach many small customers at a relatively low cost;

2) purchases and the formation of a product range. The wholesaler is able to pick up products and form the necessary product range, thus relieving the client from significant hassle;

3) breakdown of large consignments of goods into small ones. Wholesalers provide customers with savings by buying goods in wagons and dividing them into small lots;

4) warehousing. Wholesalers keep inventories, thereby helping to reduce the corresponding costs of the supplier and consumers;

5) transportation. The wholesaler provides more prompt delivery goods, because it is closer to customers than the manufacturer;

6) financing. Wholesalers finance their customers by providing them with commodity credit, and at the same time finance their suppliers by issuing orders in advance and paying bills on time;

7) risk acceptance. By assuming ownership of the goods, bearing the costs of theft, damage, deterioration, and obsolescence, wholesalers bear some of the risk;

8) providing information about the market. Wholesalers provide their suppliers and customers with information about the activities of competitors, new products, price dynamics;

9) management and consulting services. The wholesaler often helps retailers to improve their activities, trains them, takes part in the organization of their work. It also helps in organizing systems accounting and inventory management.

development wholesale trade contributed to several significant trends in the economy: the growth of mass production on large enterprises remote from the main users of the finished product; an increase in production volumes for the future, and not to fulfill specific orders that have already been received; increase in the number of levels of intermediate producers and users. The need to adapt products to the needs of users in terms of quantity, packaging and varieties also played a role.

Types of wholesale trade enterprises. Wholesalers are divided into the following groups.

1. Merchant wholesalers. These are independent commercial enterprises that acquire ownership of all the goods they deal with. AT different areas their activities are called differently: wholesalers, bases, distributors, trading houses. This is a large group of wholesalers, accounting for more than half of wholesale sales. Merchant wholesalers are of two types: full cycle maintenance and limited service cycle.

Full service wholesalers provide services such as inventory storage, vendor provision, credit, product delivery, and management assistance. They are either wholesalers or distributors.

Wholesale is traded mainly with retail enterprises, providing them with a full range of services. Wholesalers provide customers with a wider choice and more in-depth product knowledge.

Industrial goods distributors sell primarily to manufacturers rather than retailers. They offer customers services such as inventory storage, credit, and delivery of goods. They can deal with either a wide product range or a mixed or specialized range.

Limited service wholesalers provide far fewer services to their suppliers and customers. There are several types of wholesalers with a limited range of services:

a) a wholesaler who sells for cash and without delivery of goods, deals with a limited range hot goods, which he sells to small retailers with immediate payment for the purchase without exporting the purchased. For example, a small retailer - the owner of a store periodically buys goods from such a wholesaler, immediately pays, he carries the goods to his store and unloads it himself;

b) wholesaler-traveling salesman not only sells, but also delivers goods to customers. Such a merchant deals in a limited range of non-durable products, which he sells for cash, making detours of supermarkets, small shops, hospitals, restaurants and cafes;

c) wholesaler-organizer works in industries that are characterized by bulk transportation of goods, such as coal, timber, heavy equipment. Such a wholesaler does not hold inventory and does not deal directly with the goods. Having received the order, he finds a manufacturer who ships the goods to the buyer under certain delivery conditions and at a certain time. From the moment the order is accepted until the delivery is completed, the organizing wholesaler assumes ownership of the goods and all risk associated therewith;

d) wholesaler-exporter Serves retail stores. The wholesaler-exporter sends goods to the store, and his representative equips the layouts on the trading floor. The wholesaler-exporter himself sets the price for the goods, arranges expositions and keeps records of inventories. Wholesalers-exporters trade on consignment terms - they retain ownership of the goods, and retailers are billed only for what is sold out. In Russian conditions, trade on consignment terms has not yet become widespread;

e) wholesaler-messenger sends catalogs for jewelry, cosmetics and other small goods retail clients, industrial production and various institutions. The main customers of such a wholesaler are organizations located in nearby areas. Completed orders are sent to customers by mail or delivered by road.

2. Brokers and agents. Agents and brokers differ from merchant wholesalers in two respects: they do not take ownership of the goods, and they perform only a limited number of functions. Their main function is to facilitate the sale and purchase. For their services, they receive a commission of up to 5-10% of the selling price of the goods. Like merchant wholesalers, they usually specialize either in the type of product range they offer or in the type of customers they serve.

The main function of a broker is to bring buyers and sellers together and help them reach an agreement. The broker is paid by the one who attracted him. The most typical examples are brokers for operations with food products, real estate, insurance brokers and securities brokers.

The agent represents the buyer or seller on a longer term basis. There are several types of agents. Manufacturers' agents represent two or more producers of complementary goods. The agent enters into formal written agreements with each manufacturer regarding prices, territorial boundaries of activity, order processing, goods delivery services and commission rates. He is well acquainted with the assortment of each manufacturer and organizes the sale of his goods, relying on his extensive contacts with buyers. The services of agents of manufacturing companies are used in the sale of goods such as clothing, furniture and electrical goods. Most agents are small businesses with only a few employees who are skilled salespeople. They are hired by small entrepreneurs who cannot support their own traveling salesmen, as well as by large manufacturing firms who want to penetrate new territories with the help of agents.

Authorized Sales Agents conclude contracts with manufacturers, obtaining the rights to sell all products manufactured by one or another manufacturer. Such a manufacturer does not take on sales functions. The Authorized Distributor acts as the manufacturer's sales department and has a significant influence on prices, terms and conditions of sale. Its activities are usually not limited by any territorial boundaries. Plenipotentiaries sales agents are found in such areas of commodity production as the textile industry, production industrial equipment, hard coal, coke, chemicals and metals. In Russian conditions, such organizations have become notorious due to collusion with the heads of manufacturing enterprises.

Purchasing Agents usually form long-term relationships with their customers and purchase the necessary goods for them, often checking their quality, organizing warehousing and subsequent delivery to their destination. A type of buying agent are local buyers in the main clothing markets looking for an assortment that small-scale clothing can sell. Retail Stores in small towns.

Wholesalers-commission agents- these are agent firms that enter into physical possession of goods and independently conclude transactions for their sale. As a rule, they do not work on the basis of long-term agreements. Their services are most often resorted to when selling their products by farmers and agricultural enterprises that do not want to independently engage in marketing and are not members of cooperatives. The commission wholesaler delivers the goods to a certain market, sells the entire batch at the most favorable price, deducts his commissions and costs from the proceeds and transfers the remaining amount to the manufacturer.

3. Wholesale offices and manufacturers' offices. The third main type of wholesale trade consists of transactions carried out by sellers and buyers independently, without the involvement of independent wholesalers. There are two types of enterprises engaged in such activities.

Manufacturers often acquire own sales departments and offices, to keep management activities under tighter control inventory, marketing and promotion. Many large retailers maintain their own buying offices in the main market centers. The purchasing office plays a role similar to that of brokers or agents, but is structural unit buying organization.

A number of sectors of the economy have their own specialized wholesalers. Wholesalers - buyers of agricultural products collect them in large lots for shipment to food processing enterprises, bakeries, bakeries and buyers on behalf of public institutions. Wholesale tank farms sell and deliver petroleum products petrol stations, other retailers and business enterprises.

Wholesaler marketing solutions. Wholesalers must make a number of marketing decisions.

Target market decision. Wholesalers need to define their target market, rather than trying to serve everyone at once. A wholesaler can select a target group of customers based on the following criteria: size of the group (for example, only large retailers), its type (for example, only grocery stores), severity of interest in the service (for example, customers in need of credit), etc. Within the framework of target group the wholesaler can identify the most profitable customers, develop attractive offers for them, and establish closer relationships with them. It can offer such customers an automated reorder system, organize a management training course and advisory service, and even sponsor a voluntary network. At the same time, the wholesaler can discourage less profitable customers by setting higher minimum orders or surcharges for low-volume orders.

Decision on the product range and range of services. The “goods” of a wholesaler is the assortment he offers. There is a lot of pressure on wholesalers to offer a full range and maintain sufficient inventory for immediate delivery. But this can have a negative impact on profits. Wholesalers think about how many assortment groups of goods to deal with, and select only the most profitable product groups for themselves.

At the same time, wholesalers decide which services help to achieve the closest relationship with customers, and which services should be abandoned or made to be paid. The main task is to form a clearly defined set of services that are most valuable from the point of view of customers.

Pricing decision. To cover his costs, the wholesaler usually makes a certain mark-up, say 20%, on the original cost of the goods. Costs can reach 17% of gross profit, then the net profit of the wholesaler will be only 3%. In a competitive environment, the net profit of wholesale trade may not reach even 2%. Therefore, wholesalers are beginning to experiment with new approaches to pricing problems. For example, they can reduce the size net profit for some goods in order to win more customers. They may ask the supplier to set a low discounted price if it can increase sales.

Decision on incentive methods. Most wholesalers don't think too much about incentives. It is mostly random. The technique of personal selling has not been perfected because wholesalers still view sales as one salesperson to one customer, rather than a collective effort to sell to key customers, strengthen relationships with those customers, and satisfy their service needs. Wholesalers also need to adopt some of the non-personal incentives used by retailers.

Decision on the location of the enterprise. Wholesalers usually locate their businesses in areas with low rents and low taxation, spend a minimum of money on landscaping and equipment of premises. Often, outdated methods of cargo handling and order processing are used. To combat rising costs, advanced wholesalers are developing new methods and techniques of activity. One of these developments was the creation of automated warehouses controlled by computers.

The scope of trade marketing covers activities in the market of trade and intermediary services related to wholesale resales and retail sales goods to the end consumer. The features of such activities are predetermined by the very nature of the trading service - its timeliness, reliability, availability.

From the point of view of marketing, the role of wholesale trade is to meet the needs of retail enterprises to the maximum, supplying them with the necessary goods in certain volumes and on time. Usually located in large settlements (cities), wholesale companies also well aware of the needs of end customers. Therefore, they, on their own or with the help of a product manufacturer, are able to organize powerful marketing support for retail trade.

Wholesale firms in most cases carry out sales functions better than the manufacturer, since they have well-established ties with retail trade, as well as a good warehouse and transport base. Today, wholesale companies provide their customers not only with goods, but also with a wide range of related services: advertising at the point of sale, organization of sales promotion events, delivery of goods, pre-sales preparation, including packing and packaging of goods under the brand name of a retail enterprise or retail network. In the market of technically complex goods, wholesale companies organize, with the support of manufacturers, service centers.

Classification of wholesale trade enterprises:

1. by the breadth of the assortment (the assortment is wide (1-100 thousand items), the assortment is limited (< 1000 наименований), ассортимент узкий (< 200 наименований), ассортимент специализированный);

2. according to the method of delivery (delivery by own transport, sale from a warehouse (self-delivery);

3. according to the degree of cooperation (horizontal cooperation for joint purchases and organization of wholesale markets, vertical cooperation for the purposes of marketing and competition with retailers for the end-user market);

4. in relation to the distribution system (exclusive marketing system: the manufacturer provides a license to trade under the terms of franchising, selective marketing system: distribution and dealer agreements between the manufacturer and wholesale companies chosen by him, intensive marketing system: work simultaneously with all intermediaries);

5. by the size of turnover (large, medium, small wholesalers);

From the point of view of the organization of wholesale trade, there are three general categories: wholesale trade of manufacturers; wholesale trade of intermediary enterprises; wholesale trade carried out by agents and brokers.

Wholesale trade is carried out by manufacturers with the help of their own sales bodies, for which a subsidiary wholesale company is created. However, the activities of such a company will be justified if the volumes and range of products produced are sufficient. Otherwise, it is advisable to transfer the functions of wholesale trade to independent companies.

The choice of the form of wholesale trade depends on the specific product, its position on the market (in demand; demand is not great, the degree of market saturation), on the specific transaction of the wholesale company with the seller of the goods. There are two main forms of wholesale trade - transit and warehouse.

The most common types of wholesale trade from a warehouse are:

a) personal selection of goods in the warehouse;

b) upon a written request (for example, sending a fax) or an oral request by phone from the store;

c) through visiting sales representatives(agents, sales managers);

d) using active calls from the control room;

e) trade at wholesale exhibitions and fairs.

The choice of the type of trade for the wholesaler is determined taking into account the desire and size (capacity) of the retail enterprise.

Marketing tasks in the wholesale trade system:

Marketing tasks	Content
Development of marketing strategies	retaining and increasing market share; marketing channel design; development of competitive behavior.
Carrying out marketing research	research of the professional sales market: competitors, small wholesale and retail networks; consumer research; supplier market research.
Market segmentation	segmentation of professional intermediary buyers; consumer segmentation; selection of target segments.
Purchasing Marketing	determination of the relationship between the nature of commodity demand and procurement requirements; marketing evaluation of suppliers; development of procurement policy.
Marketing logistics	determination of buyers' requirements for the logistics structure of the wholesaler's distribution system; search for competitive advantages in the field of sales logistics.
Sales Marketing Solutions	price policy wholesale company; commodity and assortment policy; marketing policy; service policy; communication policy.
Organization of merchandising	organization of merchandising at the initiative of the manufacturer; organization of merchandising at the initiative of the wholesale company.
Marketing audit of the sales system	organization of work with reclamations of retail trade; organization of work with claims of buyers; development of a sales marketing-audit program

Market segmentation is a mandatory marketing function of a wholesale enterprise. For example, to select target segments professional buyers and know the purchasing preferences of different segments of the population and their reaction to the goods supplied.

The professional sales market is segmented according to such criteria as: purchase volumes, breadth of assortment, business reputation, solvency, ongoing pricing policy, etc. If the consumer is the public, then apply various systems indicators, choosing from them those that best characterize the consumer segment (social, demographic, economic, behavioral and other indicators).

Purchasing marketing serves to gain competitive advantages already at the stage of working with suppliers through the acquisition of goods that can satisfy the needs of end customers. In this case, the following tasks are solved:

- purchase goods that are in demand from the consumer;

- the procurement process should provide economic benefits for the wholesaler (due to obtaining discounts, deferred payment);

– in the case of non-conforming goods, the wholesaler should be able to replace it.

Next, consider the features of retail marketing. Retailing is the manufacturing activity of selling goods or services to the final consumer for their personal non-commercial use.

Retail Functions:

- Due to the large number of retailers, the needs of the end customer are met at the place of his residence or work. At the same time, large volumes of deliveries from the supplier are divided into small portions of goods that correspond to the desires and needs of the end buyer;

- through retail trade, the manufacturer receives information about the demand for goods, being the most sensitive indicator of the regulation of production volumes;

- through retail trade, new markets are developed and new products are promoted;

Classification of retailers:

Service Level	Offered product range	Relative attention to prices	The nature (form) of trade services	Store affiliation	A kind of store concentration
Supermarket	Special shop	Discount store (discount, commission)	Trade with an order by mail, telephone	Corporate network	central business district
Shop with free selection of goods	Supermarket	Warehouse store (cash and carry)	Vending machines	Voluntary network	Scattered arrangement
Shop with a limited selection of goods	Bentham, supermarket, supermarket, hypermarket	fashion store	Trading through electronic channels	consumer cooperative	District shopping center
Traditional Trade Shop (over the counter)	Combined supermarket - shopping mall (trading house)	street trading: chests, containers, vans, tents, carts	Catalog trade	Retail conglomerate	isolated location

Retail Marketing Tasks

1. Development of marketing strategies (locating an enterprise, building an image, creating a retail network, determining the level of specialization, organizing new forms of trade, diversifying activities);

2. Carrying out marketing research (research of competing stores, research of the work of the most famous trade enterprises, research of customer behavior in the trading floor, research of the supplier market);

3. Marketing of purchases (assessment of suppliers by the image of trademarks of goods, business reputation, development of a procurement policy);

4. Development of a marketing mix (commodity and assortment policy, brand policy, pricing policy, decisions on the form of sales, decisions on the level of service, communication policy, service policy);

5. Organization of merchandising (planning decisions trading floor, solutions for the placement of goods, solutions for the design of the trading floor);

6. Marketing audit trading activities(organization of the revision of the product range, organization of work with customer complaints);

7. Decisions on the selection of sales personnel (development of requirements for personnel, training of personnel, work of personnel on the trading floor).

The position of a wholesaler or manufacturer engaged in wholesale trade depends significantly on the chosen marketing strategy, marketing policy and the nature of marketing decisions.

The tasks (functions) of wholesale marketing are presented in table 1.

Table 1. Marketing tasks in the wholesale trade system

Marketing tasks
Development of marketing strategies	retaining and increasing market share; marketing channel design; development of competitive behavior.
Carrying out marketing research	research of the professional sales market: competitors, small wholesale and retail networks; consumer research; supplier market research.
Market segmentation	segmentation of professional intermediary buyers; consumer segmentation; selection of target segments.
Purchasing Marketing	determination of the relationship between the nature of commodity demand and procurement requirements; marketing evaluation of suppliers; development of procurement policy.
Marketing logistics	determination of buyers' requirements for the logistics structure of the wholesaler's distribution system; search for competitive advantages in the field of sales logistics.
Sales Marketing Solutions	pricing policy of the wholesale company; commodity and assortment policy; marketing policy; service policy; communication policy.
Organization of merchandising	organization of merchandising at the initiative of the manufacturer; organization of merchandising at the initiative of the wholesale company.
Marketing audit of the distribution system	organization of work with claims of buyers; development of a sales marketing audit program.

Marketing Strategies in the field of sales activities, enterprises are developed in the event of expanding sales in the old market, entering new markets, when designing new sales channels, for example, when the old sales system has ceased to be effective.

In marketing activities, an enterprise inevitably encounters competing firms, and sometimes it specifically provides for competition between its own distribution channels (horizontal or vertical types).

In relation to external competitors, a competitive strategy or a cooperation strategy is being developed. In the case of choosing a rivalry strategy, the enterprise determines the type of competition (price, non-price) and predicts the behavior of competitors.

The scale of competitive rivalry can extend to the world market, the market of a particular country, within the same city, in one or more segments. Finally, there may be a struggle for ownership of a niche.

The implementation of marketing strategies in sales activities requires a long time, significant financial costs, since, as a rule, investments in sales are required. In tab. 2 shows a plan for the marketing strategy of the enterprise when it enters the Russian market.

Marketing research carried out by a wholesaler covers the three most important areas:

Research of professional subjects of the sales market: competitors, retail network, other buyers of goods, for example, a restaurant catering system, cafes, small wholesalers operating in wholesale and retail markets, etc.;

Research of consumers - the population in order to obtain information from them about goods in demand, and about the level of dissatisfaction with different brands;

Market research of suppliers to solve their own problems related to procurement.

Table 2. An example of a marketing strategy plan for an enterprise when entering the Russian market



St. Petersburg

Million cities


Coverage in million people
Number of retail outlets covered
Potential turnover with given coverage in retail prices, mln. $
Average consumption per person per year, kg/year
Market share in %
Number of sales personnel, persons
Number of wholesale depots

Other studies may be carried out based on the strategic goals of companies.

The organization of marketing research depends on the qualifications and availability of marketers. In their absence, third-party researchers may be involved or a ready-made report compiled by marketing firm based on previous research.

At the initiative of the supplier-manufacturer, it is possible to conduct various experimental studies to assess the consumer qualities of the goods.

Segmentation of the sales market is a mandatory marketing function of a wholesale enterprise. For example, to select target segments of professional buyers and to know the purchasing preferences of different segments of the population and their reaction to the supplied product.

The professional sales market is segmented according to such criteria as: purchase volumes, breadth of assortment, business reputation, solvency, pricing policy, etc.

If the consumer is the population, then various systems of indicators are used, choosing from them those that best characterize the consumer segment (social, demographic, economic, behavioral and other indicators).

Purchasing marketing serves to gain competitive advantages already at the stage of working with suppliers through the acquisition of goods that can satisfy the needs of end customers.

In this case, the following tasks are solved:

Purchase goods that are in demand by the consumer;

The procurement process should provide economic benefits for the wholesaler (due to obtaining discounts, deferred payment);

In case of non-conforming goods, the wholesaler should be able to replace them.

The manufacturing enterprise makes purchases of raw materials, parts of components, also taking into account the required quality of the goods produced.

The procurement process consists of a number of sequential steps:

a) determination of needs for a specific product, specific trademark with the establishment of its quantity;

b) determining the needs in the assortment, which is desirable to buy from one supplier;

c) determination of the criteria that form the initial basis for assessing suppliers and negotiating with them (economic, marketing, technical, logistical requirements);

d) search and analysis of suppliers by methods of marketing research of the market;

e) selection of suppliers and organization of negotiations with them;

e) placement of trial orders;

g) evaluation of results;

h) conclusion of long-term contractual agreements.

We can formulate the main requirements for suppliers:

Popularity (fame of the brand;

Reliability;

Availability;

Interest in working together;

Understanding the role of marketing in promoting your products;

Minimum delivery time;

Take a share of the risk, for example, associated with transportation.

When selecting suppliers, the wholesale company decides whether to choose one supplier (principle of concentration of orders) or select several suppliers (principle of dispersion of orders).

The advantage of concentrating orders with one supplier allows you to get big discounts due to the larger order size. This is also facilitated by close cooperation, including the implementation of joint projects for the production of new goods. The wholesale company can provide information about new demand trends, new products entering the market from other manufacturers.

However, working with a single supplier increases the risk of the wholesaler and limits his ability to quickly adapt to the requirements of the retail network.

To reduce this kind of risk, the wholesale company works simultaneously with several suppliers. If suppliers are interested in working with a wholesaler, then this can be used to obtain additional benefits by extracting concessions from them.

Marketing logistics wholesale company is to develop such a transport and warehouse scheme that would take into account the requirements of procurement marketing and sales marketing. Like other enterprise structures focused on a marketing approach in their work, logistics services must take into account the specifics of the behavior and requirements of retailers that they impose on their wholesalers. This is, first of all, the size of the consignment of goods and the speed of delivery.

Often such requirements lead to the fact that the wholesale company is forced to place trading warehouses closest to the stores. On the other hand, the wholesaler's own purchases of large quantities of goods from manufacturers forces him to solve the following problem: to have a central distribution warehouse or, bypassing it, to deliver goods to regional warehouses.

Marketing solutions in the distribution system aim to support the implementation of the planned volume of goods in the local and regional markets.

Marketing information that fuels the sale helps to reduce the risk of the sales activity.

product line decision

When making decisions on the assortment, it is necessary to take into account the degree of proximity between goods of various product groups, the capabilities of the enterprise (financial, personnel, warehouse, etc.), customer requirements, and the presence of competitors.

From a financial point of view, the formation of the assortment takes place taking into account the turnover of goods, the size of the turnover and the profit received.

The expansion of the range is carried out for several reasons, including:

For some products of the main assortment, it is necessary to have complementary products (complement products);

The activity of a wholesale company with this assortment is unprofitable (small turnover);

Other marketing tasks are solved: new products are promoted, the company switches to larger retail segments, etc.

Pricing decision.

In the overwhelming majority of cases, when concluding a deal with a wholesale company, the main factor is the price, quality of goods and payment terms. In tab. Figure 3 shows the data of surveys conducted among St. Petersburg wholesalers, and for comparison, the results of a survey of retail enterprises in France are shown.

Table 3

Therefore, the wholesale price should be profitable for the store, take into account the nature of the demand for this product and price offers competitors.

Sales channel decision.

Options for decisions about methods and distribution channels are made in the same way as the manufacturer.

A big advantage of the sales structure of a wholesale company is the ability to deliver to retail network goods in small batches in a short time. In addition, sales should be aimed at finding new customers and developing new markets.

Deciding on the placement of a storage location for inventory

The wholesale company decides on the organization of a system of warehouses or one centralized warehouse, and possibly a combination of them.

The starting points are the ratio between the costs of providing production activities warehouses and improved wholesaler customer service. On Fig. 1 shows an example of the location of warehouses of a Russian wholesale company.

Rice. one.

From the point of view of marketing, the role of wholesale trade is to meet the needs of retail enterprises to the maximum, supplying them with the necessary goods in certain volumes and on time. Being usually located in large settlements (cities), wholesale companies are also well aware of the needs of end customers. Therefore, they, independently or with the help of a product manufacturer, are able to organize powerful marketing support for retail trade.

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Wholesale trade as a scope of marketing. Marketing in wholesale and retail trade

Wholesale

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