Q.From you own experience, compare the features of two retail stores selling the same product. For example, the same products being sold at a small scale retailer like a general store and in a big store like a departmental store. What similarities and differences can you identify in terms of price, service, variety, convenience, etc.

Choose one product and observe it at a small-scale retailer (a general store) and at a large store (a departmental store or supermarket). Compare:

• Price: small store may match or undercut on daily items; large store offers scale economies but higher overheads.
• Service: general store gives personal attention and credit; departmental store offers home delivery, guarantees but less personal attention.
• Variety: far wider at the large store; limited at the general store. …

What the task asks. From your own experience, take one product and compare how it is sold by a small-scale retailer (such as a general store) and by a big store (such as a departmental store or supermarket), noting similarities and differences in price, service, variety, convenience and other features.

A model comparison, using the chapter's ideas:

Price:

• General store: Prices may be reasonable on daily-need items, but the store buys in smaller lots so it cannot always match large-store rates. It may, however, avoid the high service overheads that push prices up elsewhere.
• Departmental store / supermarket: Enjoys economies of large-scale operations in purchasing, but has high operating costs from services, which can raise prices; it may offer occasional discounts to clear stock.

Service:

• General store: Strong on personal attention, knows regular customers, and often extends credit.
• Departmental / large store: Offers attractive services — home delivery, guarantees, rest-rooms, restaurants — but suffers lack of personal attention due to scale.

Variety:

• General store: A limited variety of daily-need products.
• Departmental store: A wide variety organised into departments — practically every need under one roof.

Convenience:

• General store: Close to residential areas and open long hours — very handy for goods needed at short notice.
• Departmental store: One-stop shopping is convenient, but its central location makes it inconvenient for quick, small purchases. …