(a) Give two examples of small-scale retail outlets and three examples of large- scale retail outlets
(b) Explain five reasons for the survival of small-scale retailers.
(a) Examples of retail outlets
Two small-scale retail outlets
- Single/small shops (kiosks).
- Hawkers, peddlers and street traders (itinerant traders).
(Also acceptable: market stalls, mobile shops, roadside sellers.)
Three large-scale retail outlets
- Supermarkets.
- Department stores.
- Chain (multiple) stores.
(Also acceptable: hypermarkets, mail order houses.)
(b) Five reasons for the survival of small-scale retailers
- Nearness to customers. They are located close to consumers in neighbourhoods and villages, providing goods within easy reach.
- Provision of credit. They know their regular customers personally and sell to them on credit, which large stores rarely do.
- Personal and friendly service. They give individual attention, advice and after-sales service that build customer loyalty.
- Sale in small (broken bulk) quantities. They sell goods in very small units that suit low-income customers who cannot afford bulk buying.
- Convenient opening hours. They open early, close late and often operate on weekends and holidays, serving customers when large stores are shut.
(Also acceptable: they need little capital to start and run; they can quickly adjust their stock to local tastes; and they sell goods not stocked by big stores.)