Retail Store Formats

1. Retail Store Formats by Location

a) Chain store:

Multi-locational
Operates multiple outlets under common ownership
Engages in some level of centralized or coordinated purchasing and decision making

b) High street format retail stores:

A retail chain that seeks to locate itself in busy shopping areas (generally less than 2,000 sqft, with no parking facilities and focused merchandise categories)

c) Destination format retail stores:

Independent retail stores located specifically in an area with alluring propositions (usually large in size, with ample concessions, huge parking space, wide merchandise categories)

d) Convenience format retail stores:

Accessible carrying wide array of consumable goods (less than 5,000 sqft, extended hours, parking for few vehicles, convenience merchandise)

2. Retail Store Formats by Ownership

a) Independent Retail Stores:

Company Owned Company Operated Stores/Family Run Business
Generally higher level of independent retailers exists
50% of these are run by owners and their families
Ease of entry

b) Franchise Format Retail Stores:

A contractual agreement between a franchisor and a retail franchisee, which allows the franchisee to conduct business under an established name and according to a given pattern of business
Franchisee pays an initial fee and a monthly percentage of gross sales in exchange for the exclusive rights to sell goods and services in an area.

3. Retail Store Formats by Merchandise Category

a) Family store:

Retail Store dealing in all categories of related item (For e.g. apparel store offering merchandise to suit the wardrobe of a family)

b) Specialty format retail stores:

Narrow product lines with good depth.  Specializing in a given type of merchandise, offering attentive customer services. An example of the same being a Stationery Store.

c) Department format retail stores:

Large in size having several departments working as SBUs.

d) Super market format retail stores:

Departmentalized, specializing in foodstuff, grocery and limited non-food categories, free access displays so that customers can pick from shelves.

e) Emporium format retail stores:

Selling a variety of a particular group of merchandise  (sari emporium).

4. Retail Store Formats by Size

a) Superstore format retail stores:

Single-level large store, twice the size of a supermarket, offers non-traditional goods and services like pharmacy, flower shop, bookstore, salad bar, bakery etc.

b) Shopping Mall:

Spread over a large area,  arrangement of retail stores and places for leisure activities.

c) Shopping Centers:

Plaza combining five or more tenant spaces developed under one building.

d) Hypermarkets:

Wide variety, offering in large quantities in each category selling huge volumes at low margins.

5. Retail Store Formats by Price

a) Discount format retail stores:

Bazaar format, believing in discounts more often. Eg- KB's Fair Price shops.

b) EDLP format retail stores:

Refers to Every Day Low Pricing retail stores.
Specialize in a particular merchandise line, assuring consistently low prices. Best example being that of Walmart.

c) Category killer format retail stores:

Large specialty store having enormous selection of its product category at relatively low prices. Eg - Vijay Sales for Electronic Goods.

d) Factory-outlet format retail stores:

Owned and operated by the manufacturer

e) Warehouse format retail stores:

Large sale of discontinued merchandise, has large width and depth in many categories it retails. Eg - Apparels Seconds Showrooms.

f) Single-price denomination format retail stores:

Scrambled merchandise at just one price point, generally at a low one.