Effective sales methods. Analysis of the main methods of sales of the supermarket "Central
Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Aktobe College of Economics and Statistics
COURSE WORK
by subject
"Management in trade"
on the topic
"Methods of sale, types and features"
Done by: ___________
Checked by:__________
Aktobe, 2011
Introduction………………………………………………………………………..3
1 Features of methods retail goods………………………4
1.1 The concept and objectives of using various methods
sales of goods…………………………………………………………….4
5
1.3 Modern methods sales………………………………………16
2 Analysis of sales of Aktobe Nan store and ways to improve them..19
2.1 Brief description of the Aktobe Nan store….……………….19
2.2 Organization of sales in the store………………………………………20
2.3 Ways to improve service………………………………22
3 Methods for improving sales………………………………………...24
3.1 Organization of the sales process………………………………………….24
3.2 Sales performance factors……………………………………...28
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….31
References………………………………………………………………32
Annex 1. Methods of selling goods……………………………………...33
Introduction
Retail is a highly competitive industry. For business entities, it becomes important to find the best ways to promote, develop such programs that would allow individual organizations to be singled out among similar ones, increase their competitiveness and work efficiency.
Retail trade - trade in consumer goods, as a rule, for cash payment through a retail trade network to meet the personal needs of the population. IN retail there is a completion of the processes of circulation, since the goods become the property of the consumer, falling out of the sphere of circulation. Consumed or form a consumer fund.
A retail business is designed to sell goods to the public. The main tasks of the retail trade enterprise are: meeting the demand of the population, both in terms of assortment and quality of goods; organization of an appropriate level of customer service with the provision of a variety of services.
Retail is a highly competitive industry. For business entities, it becomes important to find the best ways to promote goods, to develop such programs that would allow individual organizations to stand out among similar ones, increase their competitiveness and work efficiency.
Therefore, the study of methods for selling goods is relevant in a market economy.
Target term paper- consider the methods of sale, their types and features.
The structure of the course work includes an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion, a bibliography and an appendix.
1 Features of methods of retail sale of goods
1.1 The concept and objectives of using various methods of selling goods
The sale of goods is the most important final stage in the commercial activities of trade organizations and enterprises. The efficiency of their work, as well as the uninterrupted supply of goods to the retail trade network, depends on how successfully completed commercial operations related to the sale of goods.
All operations technological process in the store, including sales, are interconnected, performed in a clear sequence and provide direct influence on the end result of the store.
Methods and forms of sale are the main factors that determine the content and sequence of operations of the technological process. The number and nature of operations, the layout of functional premises and the need for space and trade and technological equipment depend on this.
The introduction of progressive methods of delivery and sale of goods causes special requirements both for the organization of the technological process in the store and for its arrangement: the layout and layout of technological zones, unloading platforms, landing stages, the strength of floor coverings and other structural elements. The introduction of modern technological solutions in retail trade enterprises ensures the intensification of the entire trading process.
The choice of forms and methods of selling goods depends on many factors. This takes into account the assortment of goods, the type and size of the store, the volume of turnover, the possibility of uninterrupted supply of the store, the number of links in the distribution of goods, the speed of turnover, etc. The objectives of using various sales methods are the convenience of serving visitors, greater coverage, high throughput, and increasing the productivity of service personnel. , the speed of customer service, etc. In retail trade, the following methods of selling goods are used:
Through the counter;
With an open display and free access for buyers to goods;
Self-service;
By samples;
By pre-orders;
By Internet;
By mail;
Through vending machines etc.
The classification of sales methods is given in Appendix 1.
1.2 Traditional selling methods
Sale of goods through the counter. Traditional trading, or trading from the counter, includes the following operations:
Meeting the buyer and identifying his intention;
Offering and displaying goods;
Assistance in the selection of goods and advice;
Offer related and new products;
Carrying out technological operations related to cutting, weighing, measuring;
settlement operations;
Packing and issuing purchases.
The buyer who came to the store should be met with a friendly attitude from the sales staff. At the same time, a favorable impression is left by a neat appearance store employees, order and cleanliness in the trading floor. Identification of buyers' intentions is to determine their attitude to the types, varieties and other features of goods. This operation must be performed by the sales staff in an unobtrusive, polite manner.
After identifying the intention of the buyer, the seller shows the relevant goods. At the same time, he draws attention to the characteristics of individual goods, offers other similar goods instead of missing ones. If necessary, the seller is obliged to provide qualified advice to the buyer, which may include information about the purpose of the goods and how they are used, consumption rates, the conformity of the goods offered with modern fashion, etc. Consultation should contribute to the promotion of new products, education of aesthetic tastes among consumers. It is the responsibility of the seller to offer the buyer related products.
A lot of labor and time is spent on the execution of technological operations related to cutting, weighing, measuring. The quality of their implementation, and, consequently, the level of customer service is significantly affected by the qualifications of the sales staff, as well as the organization and maintenance of the seller's workplace. The sale of goods is completed by settlement with buyers and the issuance of purchases to them. These operations can be performed at the workplace of the seller or controller-cashier.
When selling technically complex goods with a warranty period, in addition to the listed operations, the seller is obliged to make a note in the passport for the product, write out a sales receipt and hand a copy of it to the buyer.
Sale from open access to the product. Buyers have the opportunity to independently familiarize themselves and select the goods laid out at the workplace of the seller. They are laid out on counters, stands, on slides, hung on hangers, etc. The functions of the seller in this method of sale are reduced to advising buyers, assisting in the selection of goods, weighing, packaging and dispensing the goods selected by them. Settlement transactions can be carried out at cash desks installed on the trading floor or at the seller's workplace.
Selling goods with an open display is more convenient, since many buyers have the opportunity to simultaneously get acquainted with the laid out samples of goods, without distracting sellers to perform functions related to displaying goods and information about their assortment. The application of this method allows you to speed up the operation of the sale of goods, increase the throughput of the store and increase the productivity of sellers.
The method is applied at sale of clothes, haberdashery, utensils, stationery. When selling goods using this method, special attention should be paid to placing and laying them out at the seller’s workplace: so that the goods are clearly visible. When laying out goods, they are grouped by type and price. The laid out goods cannot be covered with glass, fastened together. Goods must be provided with price tags attached to the cells of the cassettes with special clips.
Selling with open access to the product - this method still prevails in any type of trade, regardless of the nature of the product being sold. It's about about replacing the individual stages of the traditional sales process with a special display of goods and a special store arrangement. Therefore, a distinction is made between pre-selection and self-service selling, which is the most advanced form of open-access retail, becoming more and more complex as the network of large stores develops.
Pre-selection can be defined as a method in which the act of buying begins with self-selection and ends with the assistance of the seller. Thus, the initial "automatic" phase is followed by the "human" phase. Since the phases of receiving the buyer, informing and persuading him are transferred to the store and products, the location of the goods, their labeling and pricing become crucial. To facilitate the purchase process for the buyer, the products are arranged according to various classification criteria: type of product (original or traditional), grade, size, price.
The pre-selection method, in which only one sample of each product is displayed on the shelf, differs from the free selection method, in which all the displayed products are for sale. When using the first method, the seller must go to the back room for the selected product, while using the second method, the buyer takes the selected product directly from the shelf, thus removing it from the assortment.
Self-service is the completion of the development of the open access selling method. At the same time, the widest possible range of goods is displayed in the store in order to arouse in the buyer, who is directly considering the product, the desire to purchase it, which facilitates sales and increases sales. This is a sales system without a seller: the buyer chooses, takes from the shelf and carries the goods himself to the checkout located at the exit of the store, where he pays for all his purchases at once.
An important element of the system of trade customer service is the method used to sell goods in the store. This indicator not only forms the type of store, but also determines the content of all the main and a significant part of the auxiliary trade and technological processes. For customers, it largely determines the convenience of shopping in the store and the amount of time spent on service.
The method of sale is understood as a set of methods for carrying out all the main operations related to the direct sale of goods to customers in the store. The main operations of the sale of goods include:
The methods of carrying out the listed operations related to the direct sale of goods to customers fluctuate in a certain range - from full customer service by store employees to full self-service of customers. Within this range, partial self-service of customers (or partial service by store employees) can also be distinguished.
Taking into account these defining principles for the formation of methods for carrying out basic operations related to the direct sale of goods to buyers, sale methods are differentiated, which are fundamentally reduced to four types: 1) sale of goods with individual customer service; 2) sale of goods with free access to them by buyers; 3) sale of goods to buyers according to samples; 4) sale of goods with full self-service of buyers.
1. Selling products with personalized customer service("personalized service") is a method of sale in which all the main transactions are carried out with the participation of the seller. This is the most time-consuming method of selling goods, but it allows you to most individualize the process of customer service, help them to motivate the choice of goods. In order to reduce the cost of the sale process in all countries, there is a tendency to reduce the volume of sales of goods using this method. The application of this method is effective only for goods that require a significant amount of consultation and special security measures in their selection.
2. Sale of goods with free access to them by buyers("free access") is a method of sale in which they are openly placed in the workplace or service area of the seller, which allows buyers to freely inspect and select them with subsequent operations (weighing, calculation, packaging) by the seller. This method does not include the sale of goods that prevent the buyer from self-selection.
3. Sale of goods to buyers by samples("sample sale") is a method of sale in which goods are presented in individual samples, to which free access is provided. After an independent inspection of the product and the formation of motivation for its choice, the buyer pays for it and receives a purchase from the formed stock of similar goods (this stock can be formed at the seller’s workplace, in the storerooms, in the warehouses of the manufacturer or wholesaler). A variation of this method is sale of goods by catalogs("parcel trade"), when instead of natural samples of goods, a catalog of their photographs with a description of the options is offered - after choosing the goods and paying for it, it is delivered to the buyer by mail or imported from the nearest warehouses of the manufacturer or other supplier.
4. Sale of goods with full self-service of buyers(“self-service”) is a method of sale in which customers have free access to all goods openly laid out on the trading floor, independently select and deliver them to the settlement points and pay for them in the lines of the hills or in the centralized settlement node when leaving the store ( floors). This method can be used to implement the vast majority of product groups. Since this method is the least laborious for the store staff, it has been widely developed in domestic and foreign trade organization practice.
In the literature of recent years, among the methods of selling goods, along with the above, the sale of goods by pre-orders is also included. The sale of goods on pre-orders is not a method of their sale, but only one of the types of additional services provided to customers in stores with any methods of sale. An attempt to create independent types of stores for the sale of goods by pre-orders in domestic practice did not gain popularity (it was based on the inclusion in the assortment of such stores of a number of scarce goods that form the basis of a standard or individual order).
In the classification system for methods of selling goods in a store, the first of the above methods refers to traditional, and the other three are progressive. Their progressiveness in relation to the traditional method is determined by the fact that, firstly, they provide customers with greater freedom in the choice of goods and reduce the waiting time for service, and secondly, they are more economical and less labor intensive for staff, i.e. allow the store to obtain a certain economic effect through their use.
The main task of trade management in the process of organizing trade services for customers is the choice of sales methods that are most appropriate for the characteristics of the groups of goods being sold and the specifics of the customer contingents served.
A number of evaluation indicators characterizing the level of customer service in stores are associated with the use of various methods of selling goods. The most significant of these indicators are: specific gravity sales of goods using progressive methods in the total turnover of the store and the average amount of time spent by customers waiting for service.
The share of the sale of goods using progressive methods in the total volume of the store's turnover calculated on the basis of reporting data on the turnover of individual structural divisions store using various methods sales, by following formula:
Where PM is the share of the sale of goods using progressive methods in the total volume of the store's turnover, in %\
О С - the amount of turnover of self-service structural divisions;
О SD - the amount of turnover of structural units that sell goods with free access to buyers;
ABOUT ABOUT the amount of turnover of structural units that sell goods according to samples (catalogues);
About M - the total turnover of the store in the reporting period.
Average volume the time spent by customers waiting for service is determined on the basis of time measurements taken during peak hours (i.e. during the period of the most intense customer flow in the store). At the same time, the time spent on the following main elements is timed: waiting for service (consultation) by the seller and waiting for settlement. Measurements should be carried out in various structural divisions of the store. For each element of the time spent, usually at least 20 measurements are carried out. Based on the results of time measurements, calculations are carried out according to the following formula:
Where ZO is the average amount of time spent by customers waiting for service, min.;
ƩО - the total amount of fixed time spent waiting for service (consultation) by the seller, min.;
ƩР - the total amount of fixed time spent by buyers waiting for settlement, min.;
n is the number of timing measurements.
More accurate data can be obtained if the terms of the formula are weighted by the specific weight of the turnover of the structural units in which chronometric measurements were carried out.
The nature and structure of operations for the sale of goods depend primarily on the range of goods sold and the methods of their sale. So, the buyer spends much less time on the choice of goods of daily demand than on goods of periodic or rare demand. In stores that use different sales methods, the content of sales operations also differ significantly. Under such operations understand the totality of techniques and methods of selling goods to customers.
Retailers use the following goods selling methods:
● self-service;
● through the service counter;
● according to samples;
● with open display and free access of buyers to goods;
● on pre-orders.
Selling goods on a self-service basis - one of the most convenient methods for customers to sell goods. Self-service allows you to speed up the operation of selling goods, increase the throughput of stores, and expand the volume of sales of goods. This method provides for free access of buyers to the goods laid out on the trading floor, the ability to independently inspect and select them without the help of the seller, which allows for a more rational distribution of functions between store employees. The selected goods are paid for at settlement nodes serviced by controllers-cashiers. With self-service, the technological layout of the trading floor and other premises of the store, the organization of liability, the supply of goods, as well as the functions of store employees, change.
This method is used in the sale of most food and non-food products. The exceptions are household electrical appliances and cars, refrigerators, carpets and rugs, sets and crystal, bicycles, motorcycles, motors, boats, tents, radio and television equipment, radio components, jewelry, watches, souvenirs and some other goods that require other methods. sale, because when choosing these goods, buyers, as a rule, need individual help and advice from sellers. Goods requiring cutting, packaging, etc. are sold in self-service stores through the personal service counter.
In self-service stores, the functions of sales floor employees are reduced mainly to advising customers, laying out goods and monitoring their safety, and performing settlement operations. The sales process here consists of the following main operations:
● meeting the buyer and providing him with the necessary information about the goods sold, services provided, etc.;
● receipt by the buyer of an inventory basket or trolley for the selection of goods;
● independent selection of goods by the buyer and their delivery to the settlement center;
● calculation of the cost of selected goods and receipt of a receipt;
● payment for purchased goods;
● packaging of purchased goods and placing them in the buyer's bag;
● return of the inventory basket or trolley for the selection of goods to the place of their concentration.
The list of these operations can be expanded when selling technically complex goods, when the help of a sales assistant is required (his consultation, checking the serviceability of goods, etc.).
Sales personnel must ensure strict adherence to established trading rules. Thus, it is not allowed to require customers entering the trading floor of a self-service store to present goods purchased by them in other stores, to put stamps or any marks on them, and also to oblige them to leave personal belongings. If desired, the buyer can leave a shopping bag, briefcase, etc. at the entrance to the trading floor, while the store is obliged to ensure their safety.
Buyers place the selected goods in an inventory basket or trolley and deliver them to the settlement center. Here, the calculation takes place both for the goods selected by the buyer, and for the goods released to him through the service counter (in stores where not all goods are sold by the self-service method). In the settlement node, the buyer is handed cash receipts, which serve as confirmation of the correctness of the calculations, and, if necessary, the basis for the exchange of goods. It is forbidden to arrange double control in settlements with buyers. The store administration has the right to conduct only a selective verification of the correctness of payment and control the work of the cashier.
In order to speed up settlement operations with customers, it is recommended to equip a single settlement node in the store. The intensity of the work of controllers-cashiers during peak hours should be regulated. For settlements with buyers who have made small purchases (1-2 items), “express checkouts” are allocated. The acceleration of settlements with customers is also facilitated by the use of high-speed and automated cash registers, as well as mechanized settlement units with a mechanism for automatic issuance of change, a conveyor for moving goods and other devices that facilitate and speed up settlement transactions with customers. Despite the significant advantages of the self-service method, during the transition to market relations, the network of self-service stores that had been created over the years was almost completely destroyed. If before the beginning of the restructuring of self-service stores there were more than half of their total number, then during the period of restructuring only 5-7% remained. The main reason for such a reduction in these stores was their unprofitability due to the increased cases of theft of goods.
Selling goods through the service counter includes the following operations:
● meeting the buyer and revealing his intention;
● offer and display of goods;
● assistance in choosing goods and advice;
● offering related and new products;
● carrying out technological operations related to cutting, weighing, measuring;
● settlement operations;
● packaging and delivery of purchases.
The buyer who came to the store should be met with a friendly attitude from the sales staff. At the same time, a neat appearance of store employees, order and cleanliness in the trading floor leave a favorable impression. Identification of buyers' intentions is to determine their attitude to the types, varieties and other features of goods. This operation must be performed by the sales staff in an unobtrusive, polite manner.
After identifying the intention of the buyer, the seller shows the relevant goods. At the same time, he draws attention to the characteristics of individual goods, offers other similar goods instead of missing ones. If necessary, the seller is obliged to give qualified advice to the buyer, which may include information about the purpose of the goods and how they are used, consumption standards, the conformity of the goods offered with modern fashion, etc. The consultation should help promote new products, educate consumers in aesthetic tastes. For consultations in large stores, specialists from industrial enterprises producing consumer goods, fashion designers, cosmetologists and other specialists are invited. It is the responsibility of the seller to offer the buyer related products.
A lot of labor and time is spent on the execution of technological operations related to cutting, weighing, measuring. The quality of their implementation, and therefore the level of customer service, is significantly affected by the qualifications of the sales staff, as well as the organization and maintenance of the seller's workplace.
The sale of goods is completed by settlement with buyers and the issuance of purchases to them. These operations can be performed at the workplace of the seller or controller-cashier.
When selling technically complex goods with a warranty period, in addition to the listed operations, the seller is obliged to make a note in the passport for the product, write out a sales receipt and hand a copy of it to the buyer.
Sale of goods by samples provides for the laying out of samples on the trading floor and independent (or with the help of the seller) familiarization of buyers with them. After choosing the goods and paying for the purchase, the seller hands over the goods corresponding to the samples to the buyer. With this method of sale, working stocks are placed separately from the samples. This method is convenient because on a relatively small area of the trading floor, you can display samples of a fairly wide range of goods. As a rule, this method is used when selling technically complex and large-sized goods, as well as those goods that require measuring and cutting before they are released to the buyer. This method is used to sell domestic refrigerators, washing machines, lighting, heating and heating appliances, sewing machines, televisions, radios, musical instruments, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, furniture, fabrics and other goods.
Samples of goods exhibited on the trading floor must be provided with clearly drawn labels, which indicate the name of the goods, article number, grade, manufacturer's name, price. If necessary, sellers provide advice to buyers.
The sale of large-sized goods according to samples is combined with their delivery to customers at home from store warehouses, wholesale depots or industrial enterprises- manufacturers. This reduces retailers' need for storage space, reduces overall shipping costs, and relieves customers of the hassle of shipping purchased items.
At sale of goods with an open display and free access buyers have the opportunity to independently familiarize themselves and select the goods laid out at the workplace of the seller. They are laid out on counters, stands, in slides, hung on hangers, etc. The functions of the seller with this method of sale are reduced to advising buyers, helping in the selection of goods, weighing, packaging and dispensing the goods they have selected. Settlement transactions can be carried out at cash desks installed on the trading floor or at the seller's workplace.
Selling goods with an open display is more convenient than traditional methods, since many buyers have the opportunity to simultaneously get acquainted with the laid out samples of goods, without distracting sellers to perform functions related to displaying goods and information about their assortment. The application of this method allows you to speed up the operation of the sale of goods, increase the throughput of the store and increase the productivity of sellers. As a rule, this method is used when selling those goods that are sold in self-service stores through service counters (fabrics, shoes, hosiery, underwear, haberdashery, school and stationery, housewares and other non-food and some food products). ). This method is also convenient when selling clothes. Buyers have the opportunity to independently or with the help of a sales assistant to get acquainted with the styles, models, sizes, colors of garments, try them on, consult with a sales assistant and make the final choice.
When selling goods using this method, special attention should be paid to placing and displaying them at the seller's workplace. Small items are laid out in bulk on counter display cases. Larger items are stacked on the counter. When laying out goods, they are grouped by type and price. The laid out goods cannot be covered with glass, fastened together. Goods must be provided with price tags attached to the cells of the cassettes with special clips.
Garments on hangers are placed by size, style, model, color, price.
Trade by pre-orders convenient for customers, as it allows them to save time on the purchase of goods. By advance orders, they sell mainly food products, as well as non-food products of a complex assortment. Orders can be taken in a store, auto shop, place of work or at home of buyers. They may be submitted orally or in writing. The calculation is carried out by prepayment at the cash desk of the store or by postal transfer (when selling fuel and building materials), as well as by paying the cost of goods at the time of their receipt. Pre-ordered items can be delivered to the customer's home or handed to the customer at the store. Orders for food products must be completed within 4-8 hours. For non-food products, the deadline for order fulfillment is set depending on the type of goods and the possibilities for its execution. This method of selling goods is especially convenient for residents of small settlements who can order technically sophisticated goods or other durable goods through convenience stores or auto shops without wasting time traveling to other localities to purchase them.
Regardless of the method of selling goods used, store employees must strictly observe the rules of trade contained in the basic rules for the operation of the store, the rules for retailing certain food and non-food products and other documents (sanitary rules for food stores, rules for using measures and measuring devices, etc. .).
In addition to the methods of retail sale of goods discussed above, other fairly effective methods of selling goods have become widespread in foreign practice. For example, the trend of bringing retail service closer to the consumer has found its expression in vending machines. It is most widespread in the United States, where over 1.5% of retail turnover is sold through vending machines annually. Here, with the help of vending machines, in addition to tobacco and confectionery, books, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, stationery and household items are sold. There are fully automated stores where trade is carried out around the clock.
mail order- a special form of universal commerce without a store. Parcel trade has become widespread in highly developed countries. In the UK, this form of trade is used by 18 million people. almost a third of the country's population.
In Germany, more than 5% of the volume of retail trade is carried out with the help of mail order. The main convenience of mail-order trade for the population is the sale of goods on credit with payment by installments. When buying a product, the buyer is obliged to pay 5% of the cost of the product (the product is sent on the seventh day after placing the order), and the remaining amount is repaid within 5-9 months, depending on the type of product. Mail order is especially popular among working married women and also in areas where the retail trade network is not well developed.
Electronic commerce (virtual trade). IN last years a new kind of shopless trade has appeared, which has much in common with the postal trade - “electronic”, which refers to making purchases at home using personal computers. Payment for the purchased goods is also carried out through a computer using special credit cards.
The prospect of this trade is due to the progressive development of the Internet in the country, as well as the sufficiently high preparedness of many corporate and individual users for the use of information and telecommunication technologies in commerce.
There are constant reports abroad that large enterprises or entire industries will henceforth make their purchases via the Internet or that they are creating their permanent electronic trading sites in it. Electronic transactions between these enterprises and corporations dramatically reduce the costs of buying and selling raw materials, goods, and products. Electronic commerce between enterprises (business partners) has been called “business to business”. At the first stage of the development of e-commerce, this type of trade between business partners should receive a priority direction of development in Russia, given the acute problem of supplying products for state needs through enterprises.
Further development and improvement of information technology and organizational and legal support will significantly expand the possibilities of using electronic commerce of companies with consumers (individuals), i.e., according to the “business-to-consumer” formula. There is experience of such trade in Russia (GUM, etc.).
The development of these types of e-commerce will make it possible to actively include Russia in the advanced era of scientific and technological progress, which is very characteristic of the 21st century that has come - the century of electronic commerce.
Retail sale of goods is the most important element of commercial activity, which has a direct impact on the final result of the work of a trade organization.
commercial activity on the organization of retail sales is aimed at increasing sales and ensuring the profitability of trade organizations by actively influencing this process through the formation and stimulation of demand for goods.
The merchant should take into account that the retail organization includes, at a minimum, technological and commercial aspects, each of which affects the final sales efficiency, which are presented in Figure 14.
The effectiveness of the sale of goods can be ensured by, first of all, right choice method(s) of selling goods. At the same time, it should be taken into account that in the specialized literature and textbooks a wide range of terms and concepts are used, which sometimes act as synonyms. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to try to distinguish between such concepts as the form of sale, methods of sale and forms of sale, service systems, styles of sale and forms of retail organization.
Under organizational forms retail trade understand the organization of store, non-store and company trade.
Method of retailing goods - a set of techniques and methods and operations aimed at the rational organization of the process of selling goods.
There are the following methods:
Individual customer service or selling goods through the counter (traditional method of selling);
Open display of goods;
Sale of goods according to samples or catalogs;
Sale of goods by self-service method;
Sale of goods on pre-orders;
Electronic commerce.
Characteristics of sales methods, their advantages and disadvantages are presented in table 7.
Figure 14 - Technological and commercial operations of the retail sale of goods
Table 7 - Methods of selling goods
| Selling method | Method characteristic | Advantages | Flaws |
| All customer service operations are performed by the seller | Effective for products that require consultation or additional information when the buyer asks to destroy the overall packaging (weigh not a large number of goods, measure the amount of fabric, etc.) | Reduces the level of customer service, increases the time spent on purchasing goods, limits the independence of customers in choosing goods. The quality of the service depends on the qualifications of the sales staff, their knowledge of the range, compliance with the ethics of relationships with customers | |
| Self service | Buyers have free access to goods openly laid out on the trading floor, independently select them in inventory baskets or carts, pay for purchases at the settlement node when leaving the store (section) | In trading halls, 20-30% more varieties of goods can be placed and sold than in stores when selling goods with individual service; 15-20% increase in the throughput of stores and turnover per 1 employee | "Customer Forgetfulness" |
| Sale of goods with an open display | Buyers have free access to goods openly laid out at the seller’s workplace, independently select them, using the advice and assistance of the seller, pay for goods in the packaging table or directly at the seller’s workplace | More convenient than traditional methods, since many buyers have the opportunity to simultaneously familiarize themselves with openly laid out goods samples, without distracting the seller to perform functions related to the display of goods and information about their assortment; allows you to speed up the operation of the sale of goods, increase the throughput of stores and increase the productivity of sellers | Service time is longer than self-service |
| Sale of goods on orders | Buyers place a pre-order for the goods they need through the order desk or by phone; at the agreed time they receive the goods in the store or the goods are delivered to their homes. Payment for orders is carried out either in advance or at the time of receipt of the order. | Allows customers to save time on the purchase of goods | It is necessary to come to the store twice (to order the goods and to redeem them) or, in case of home delivery, to wait for the goods |
| Sale of goods by samples | Buyers independently or with the help of sales consultants choose goods according to the samples presented on the trading floor and, after paying for the purchase, receive them directly in the store or they have the goods delivered to their homes (for an additional fee or without it) | On a relatively small area of the trading floor, you can display samples of a fairly wide range of goods. | Samples exhibited on the trading floor must have price tags with full information about the product. When additional questions buyers should seek the help of sales consultants |
| Selling goods by catalogs | Instead of natural samples of goods, a catalog with their photographs and descriptions is offered; after selecting the goods and paying for it, the goods are delivered to the buyer by mail or delivered by courier | Ease of organizing the trade and technological process | The buyer does not see the goods, he is forced to believe the descriptions presented in the catalogs |
| Electronic commerce | Making a purchase of goods electronically, i.e. using computer-network technologies. Paid goods are delivered either by mail or by courier | Ease of organization of the trade and technological process, the possibility of using various forms payment (in cash upon delivery of goods by courier; Bank transaction; cash on delivery; postal money order, virtual money; bank card) | The buyer does not see the product, he is forced to believe the descriptions provided on the websites of electronic stores |
One-to-one customer service or over-the-counter sales- a method of retail sale in which the seller provides the buyer with a choice and inspection of goods, measures the quantity in accordance with the order of the buyer, packs and releases the goods. This method of sale is used in cases where the goods arrive unprepared for sale, require weighing, measuring and other operations performed by the seller. This method finds application in gastronomic departments, butchers, etc.
In shops that sell goods through the counter, the process is more expensive, because includes a large number of labor-intensive operations. The operating scheme of this method of selling goods is shown in Figure 15.
Figure 15 - Scheme of the method of selling goods through the counter
Sellers who carry out the entire process of customer service must have the necessary qualifications, know the assortment well, and observe the ethics of relationships with customers. Not every employee meets the requirements professional excellence, which causes additional difficulties in the organization of service and requires the manager of the trading floor special attention and control.
Self service- a method of retail sale of goods, based on the independent inspection by buyers of goods laid out on commercial equipment, the selection of the necessary goods and their delivery to the settlement center. The technological process of selling goods by self-service method is a "chain" of sequential operations, the scheme of which is shown in Figure 16.
Figure 16 - Scheme of the self-service method
The self-service method has become widespread in supermarkets, most non-food stores. The exceptions are household electrical appliances and cars, refrigerators, carpets and rugs, bicycles, motorcycles, boats, motors, television and electronic equipment, and some others. The self-service method shows its advantages only if the following provisions are observed:
Development of an optimal planning solution for the trading floor;
The use of inventory baskets or carts by buyers when selecting goods;
Unlimited entry of buyers and free access to goods laid out on commercial equipment;
Thoughtful selection and placement of equipment;
Possibility of obtaining at any time advice or assistance of a consultant-seller;
Free orientation of buyers in the trading floor, provided by the presence of signs and other information means.
The efficiency of self-service is greatly enhanced by the use of bar coding; weighing equipment, with the help of which buyers can independently weigh the goods they have selected; introduction of payment methods with plastic bank cards.
Sale of goods by samples - This is a method of retail sale based on free access and selection of goods by the buyer according to the samples displayed on the trading floor, payment for them and receipt of tori corresponding to the samples. At the same time, it is possible to deliver large-sized goods to customers at home. The technological process is shown in Figure 17.
Figure 17 - Scheme of the method of selling goods by samples
This method allows you to present samples of a fairly wide range of goods on a relatively small area of the trading floor. After self-inspection and selection, the buyer pays for it and receives the purchase. The working stock can be formed at the workplace of the seller, at the warehouse of the store, at the warehouse of the wholesaler or the manufacturer of the goods. This method is widely used in the sale of bulky goods (refrigerators, cars, motorcycles, building materials, etc.).
The sale of goods with an open display has become widespread in retail trade. Sale of goods with an open display - a method of retail sale in which goods are openly displayed on the sales floor and freely accessible, but the final service requires interaction with the seller. The choice and selection of goods is carried out by the buyer independently, but quality control, consultations, weighing or measuring, packaging and dispensing of goods are carried out by the seller. The technological process with this method consists of the operations shown in Figure 18.
Figure 18 - Scheme of the method of selling goods with an open display
This method is used in the sale of hosiery, perfumes, haberdashery, school stationery, souvenirs, dishes and other non-food and food (vegetables, fruits, etc.) goods. The considered method is convenient in comparison with serving through the counter in that at the same time many buyers can familiarize themselves with openly laid out goods without distracting the seller for display and informing operations. With a rational organization of open display sales, sales operations are accelerated, the throughput of the store is increased, and the productivity of salespeople is increased.
Selling goods by catalogs is a kind of method of selling goods by samples, because instead of natural samples of goods, a catalog of their photographs is attached with a description of the options - after choosing the goods and paying for it, the goods are delivered to the buyer by mail or delivered by courier. Shops that trade in this way usually have showrooms.
Sale of goods on pre-orders can be attributed to the services of retailers. The buyer makes a preliminary order of the goods he needs in the order desk or by phone, specifying the time for the purchase of the goods or their delivery to his home. Payment for goods can be made in any way convenient for the buyer (pre-payment in cash at the cash desk of the store or cash payment upon receipt or delivery by courier).
The development of communication tools, caused by the achievements of scientific and technological progress and changing lifestyles modern people, contributes to the emergence of new, progressive methods of selling goods. These include e-commerce, telephone sales, advisory sales, sales of goods through vending machines, spectacle sales, paradoxical sales, etc.
The presence of a telephone, a computer in the family, the creation of electronic directories gave the basis for the development sales of goods by telephone and e-commerce. The process of selling goods by phone is similar to selling goods on pre-orders. It is possible to make a purchase of goods by placing an order by phone, and in teleshop. They received the name "Shop on the sofa", "Top-shop" and others. This method resembles the method of sales presentations, however, unlike the latter, sales representatives demonstrate the goods not at the consumer's home or office, but on TV.
IN Lately such a method of sales as " sales presentation" or "personal selling". This method of sales is used when selling products of well-known cosmetic, pharmaceutical companies, as well as for selling dishes, jewelry and many other groups of goods. Sales presentation- this is a personal sale of goods, including their oral presentation and a visual demonstration of these goods in action. The main purpose of the presentation is to convince, to turn the buyer's interest into a sale. The ultimate goal is a thorough study and the transformation of a consumer who has not yet made a decision into a buyer. Presentation underpins network marketing. Sales representatives demonstrate the product, how it is used, the distinctive properties of the product and the results of its use directly to the consumer at home, at work or in the office of the seller company. Thanks to this method of sale, potential buyers not only learn better about the consumer properties of certain goods offered for sale, but also see the product in action, and can appreciate the benefits of its use. This method is used by Zepter, Mary Kay" and others.
Electronic commerce is a method of retailing goods when the sales process is carried out electronically using Internet technologies. There are two classes of systems for e-commerce:
- "Business-to-Business" (Business-to-Business - B2B);
- "Business-to-Customer" (Business-to-Customer - B2C).
B2C systems include:
Web showcase - a price list of a trading company designed using web design tools, which does not contain the business logic of the trading process;
The online store contains, in addition to the web-showcase, all necessary business logic for managing the process of Internet trading (back office), and the trading Internet system (TIS) is an online store, the back office of which is fully (in real time) integrated into the trading business process of the company. The advantages of e-commerce are manifested in the fact that the buyer can be offered a more flexible system of discounts, immediately issue an invoice, taking into account the cost of delivery and insurance. In addition, he will be able to see the real state of the warehouse and receive information about the progress of his order. The buyer will first of all purchase goods on the websites of those companies that provide the best prices And good service. It is on these competitive advantages build their plans to attract a permanent clientele Internet merchants.
E-commerce is beneficial for both buyers and merchants. From the point of view of buyers, e-commerce has the following advantages over traditional selling methods:
- reducing the cost of the procurement process, because searching for the right products in disparate and often outdated supplier catalogs, the process of asking the supplier for product details, price, cost and delivery method takes a lot of time and money from buyers. B2B e-commerce allows you to reduce costs and, in addition, save time in the procurement process;
- reducing unnecessary costs- often buyers pay for goods and services much more than they actually cost. Automating the buying process will avoid such overlays;
- wide choice and the best price policy. Despite a fairly wide choice of providers, an offline buyer is still forced to choose providers primarily on a geographical basis and is often limited in time and money that can be spent on exploring all the possibilities, so the choice is not always optimal. Powerful Internet search capabilities and access from anywhere the globe significantly increase the efficiency of selection.
Sellers benefit from:
- reduction in sales costs: Selling through conventional distribution channels is often inefficient, resulting in avoidable costs and time and space constraints. The Internet offers new opportunities, allowing to reduce the costs associated with the sales process, for example, for pre-sale preparation of goods;
- new customers and increased profits: The Internet allows you to attract new customers who are not available through traditional sales channels, and, consequently, increase your income;
- reducing the cost of order management. Negotiating with buyers using telephone, fax and mail, the seller not only spends more time than when using electronic means of communication, but also more often risks making a mistake. Automation of the information exchange process helps the seller reduce the likelihood of error and speed up the time from receipt of the order to its payment.
When selling goods through vending machines (vending) personal contact with the buyer is not established, there is simply a purchase and receipt of goods using a mechanical device.
The concept of the method of selling goods
The act of retail sale includes whole complex legal, economic, sociological, cultural, technological and commercial aspects. If we single out its commercial and technological components, then this can be conditionally represented as follows:
Thus, the act of sale is always present in the technological process and is its final link. The technology for its implementation is determined by the method(s) of sale of goods used.
Under sale method understand the totality of techniques and methods of selling goods to customers.
Depending on the degree of participation of the seller in the service and the technology for choosing goods, retailers use two main service systems: traditional and progressive.
The traditional system is represented by the sale of goods through the service counter. Progressive ones include: self-service, selling goods with an open display and selling goods by samples.
The progressiveness of these methods is determined by the following factors:
Wide independence of buyers in the process of choosing goods and creating maximum convenience for them in the process of familiarization, vacation and settlement operations;
Acceleration of the process of trade customer service;
Sellers become consultants, assistants in the selection of goods, "co-buyers";
Increase bandwidth store without expanding retail space;
Increasing the culture of trade and reducing distribution costs.
The time spent by customers in stores using progressive selling methods is reduced by 30-50%, and throughput is increased by 1.5-2 times. With the rational organization of the trade and technological process in self-service stores, labor productivity increases by 15 - 20%, the use of material - technical base, distribution costs are reduced by 10 -15%. sociological research show that the introduction of self-service saves at least 10 hours per week per family.
Progressive methods of sale allow solving one of the most important social and economic tasks of trade - reducing consumption costs, the relevance of which increases with the transition to market relations. This is due to an increase in the rhythm of life and, consequently, a higher appreciation of each free hour. Therefore, these methods of sale are becoming more widespread in the practice of enterprises in the retail market. However, efficiency is determined by the implementation of a whole set of requirements and principles, which will be discussed below.
2 Traditional and progressive methods of selling goods
The tradition of selling goods through the service counter originated from the time of the appearance of commodity exchange processes and continues to this day. The versatility of the retail organization process makes the traditional method acceptable for the sale of food and a wide range of non-food products.
The traditional method of retail sales (sales through the counter) – method retail sale of goods, in which the seller provides the buyer with an inspection and selection of goods, packs and releases the goods. This method provides for all forms of settlement with customers, after-sales service.
Traditional service is used if the goods arrive unprepared for sale, require weighing, measuring and other operations performed by the seller. Service by the seller is recommended above all for the sale of goods that require more detailed explanations. In the USA, for example, this method of sale is used mainly in specialized stores (bakery, butcher, shoe, etc.).
Operational scheme this method of sale can be represented as follows:
In over-the-counter stores, the selling process is more costly, involving many operations, most of which are labor intensive. Thus, the identification of demand is accompanied by the offer and display of goods. Further, assistance is provided in the selection and consultations and offers of related products, novelties are carried out. And only after that, weighing, measuring operations are performed; payments are made for goods; The goods are packed and delivered to the buyer.
Thus, the service process takes a lot of time, the throughput of the store is low, personnel costs are significant, and there is a high probability of a queue forming. In addition, it is important to note that the seller carries out the entire service process and he must have a high professional level. He is required good knowledge assortment, competent and fast execution of the entire cycle of technological operations and compliance with the ethics of relationships with customers.
It is clear that not every employee meets the requirements of professional skills, which causes additional difficulties in the organization of service and requires special attention and control from the sales floor manager.
In this regard, if conditions permit, it is advisable to use the self-service method.
Self service– a method of retail sale based on self-inspection, selection and delivery by the buyer of selected goods to the settlement unit.
The technological process of selling by the self-service method is a "chain" of sequentially performed operations:
The self-service method is used in the sale of most food and non-food products. Exceptions are household electrical appliances and cars, refrigerators, carpets and rugs, bicycles, motorcycles, boats, motors, tents, radio and television equipment, radio souvenirs and some other goods.
Distinguish full and partial(limited) self-service.
Self-service is considered complete if all goods are sold in the store by this method. Partial self-service is when some goods are sold directly by sellers. Such goods, as a rule, arrive at the store in bulk, and their preliminary packaging is not advisable. The share of goods sold through self-service must be at least 70% of the total retail turnover of the store.
In addition, there are enterprises with full or partial service. With full service, the duties of the seller-consultant include the readiness to personally help the buyer at all stages of the search, comparison and selection of goods. Partial service, on the other hand, implies the possibility of connecting the seller to the buyer's search for a particular product or offering advice on the goods presented in the store.
The experience of selling goods using self-service, with the correct solution of a number of organizational and technological issues, shows the yoke significant advantages over the traditional method (Table 1). However, it should be noted that the self-service method shows its advantages only if a number of fundamental provisions are observed:
Development of an optimal planning solution for the trading floor;
Unlimited entry of buyers and free access to the goods laid out on the equipment;
The use of inventory baskets or carts by buyers when selecting goods;
Possibility of obtaining at any time advice or assistance of a consultant-seller;
Free orientation of buyers in the trading floor, provided with a rational system of signs and other information means;
The predominance of self-service sales (at least 70%) in the total turnover.
The development of an optimal planning solution involves, as a rule:
Linear layout of equipment;
Placement of a single settlement node at the exit from the trading floor;
Strict separation of incoming and outgoing streams;
Rational placement of sections, product groups and areas of application of the work of sellers.
Table 1 - Comparative characteristics traditional (over the counter) method of sale and self-service.
| Methods | Advantages | Flaws |
| Traditional | Ensures the safety of the goods. More qualified advice | Includes many operations (more expensive). Service slows down (low bandwidth). There is a possibility of queue formation. Significant staff costs. |
| Specificity | plays a special role professional level seller. | |
| Self service | Free access to goods. Increase in throughput. Saving buyers time. Favorable conditions for making impulsive purchases. Efficient use of labor resources, retail space and equipment. Growth in sales volumes, reduction of costs and increase in labor productivity. | Higher one-time costs for the organization of the technological process of sale. The specifics of the layout, trade - technological equipment, anti-theft system. Higher costs for buyer forgetfulness. |
| Specificity | No psychological barrier when choosing a purchase |
Are still of interest to practitioners developed by a team of scientists TSINOTUR (Central Institute scientific organization labor, management and rationalization) Guidelines on the transition to self-service stores consumer cooperation(Moscow, 1971). in addition, since 1999 the research institute of Belkoopsoyuz has also taken some steps to streamline the work of consumer cooperation stores. Thus, the requirements for exemplary stores of the system of consumer cooperation set out the basic principles for the use of retail space, methods of sale, development technological schemes placement of equipment; advertising and information design and implementation of other organizational and technological operations in stores. Of course, there is a need for serious research into the issues of trade services at the level of a special scientific institute, which has been successfully working in the West for more than a decade. For example, in the United States, the Center for Trade Education and Research at the University of Florida has been established, funded by 12 national and regional trading companies.
The efficiency of self-service is qualitatively increased when using bar coding of goods. In Western countries, almost all trade is based on bar codes. In its absence, trade does not accept goods from the manufacturer or accepts, but at a significant discount. Bar coding is economically justified if it covers at least 85% of the goods. At the same time, stores, regardless of their size, reduce the current costs of selling goods, subject to the established assortment. It becomes possible to speed up the time of settlements with customers, constantly monitor the status inventory, sales progress.
Along with the use of plastic cards, store cards have been successfully introduced in some stores. Their use allows not only to simplify settlement operations, but also to "fix" customers with your store. The presence of the card gives the buyer the right to additional services (free distribution of catalogs of a commodity enterprise, information about new products, ordering by phone, etc.).
To progressive methods of sale also refer sale of goods by samples and open display.
Sale of goods by samples – this is a method of retail sale based on free access and choice of goods by the buyer according to the samples displayed on the trading floor, their payment and receipt of goods corresponding to the samples with possible home delivery (at the request of the buyer). The technological process in this case can be represented as follows:
This method allows you to present samples of a fairly wide range of goods on a relatively small area of the trading floor. After self-examination of the goods and selection, the buyer pays for it and receives the purchase. The working stock can be formed at the workplace of the seller, in the pantries of the store, in the warehouses of the manufacturer or wholesaler.
Sale of goods by samples is widely used in the sale of furniture, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, musical instruments, motorcycles, bicycles, building materials, fabrics, lighting, heating and heating devices and other large-sized and technically complex goods. This method of sale is regulated by the “Rules for the sale of goods by samples”, approved by the Order of the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Belarus No. 83 dated June 16, 1998.
The sale of goods with an open display has also become widespread in retail trade.
Sale of goods with an open display – a method of retail sale in which goods are openly displayed on the trading floor and freely accessible, but the final service requires the "intervention" of the seller. Therefore, familiarization of buyers with the available assortment, selection and selection of goods is carried out by the buyer independently (as in self-service), and then quality control operations, consultations, weighing or measuring, packaging and release of goods by the seller follow.
The technological process with this method consists of the following operations:
This method is used in the sale of hosiery, perfumery, haberdashery, school stationery, souvenirs, porcelain-faience, tulle-garden products, fabrics, as well as other non-food and some food products (vegetables, fruits, etc.).
The method under consideration is more convenient than the traditional one in that at the same time many buyers can familiarize themselves with openly laid out goods without distracting sellers for display and information operations. With a rational organization of open display sales, sales operations are accelerated, the throughput of the store is increased, and the productivity of salespeople is increased.
3 Modern Selling Methods
The development of communication tools, caused by the achievements of scientific and technological progress and the change in the lifestyle of modern potential buyers, the mentality of both buyers and sellers, is an effective factor contributing to the development of new methods of sale.
Thus, the presence in each family of a telephone, television, computer and the creation of electronic directories provide grounds for the development of telephone sales and electronic commerce.
Advisory sale may occur in the sale of engineering services, in the field of scientific research, construction, computer science. In this case, the seller becomes in some cases a mentor, adviser, consultant, assistant to the buyer.
The development of the leisure industry has given rise to spectacle sales, the development of morals and value systems - paradoxical sale. The latter presents the sale as a staged performance, where the seller plays the role of hostess or host. This method of selling is based on listening, the manifestation of human warmth, affection that exists in relationships in a close circle, sharing common points of view on the problem posed.
Interactive e-commerce is an electronic system that allows buyers to communicate with the seller through a TV and phone or computer. Consumers are connected to the retailer's database using a computer and modem. They pay a monthly fee to use the system.
Thus, the sale takes on more and more subtle and varied forms, and it is increasingly difficult to view it as a chain of logically constructed transactions. A high level of competition leads to the emergence of new ways of selling goods, and here the latest computer and communication technologies play a special role.
The development of sales methods is not without problems. According to some Western scholars, the sales methods used in developed countries market economy, in a glut of the market are becoming less and less effective as the consumer protection movement develops. Potential Buyers thanks to the abundance of information, not only do they know their rights better and better, but they also get acquainted in detail with the methods and methods of sale, the object of which they are. It becomes more and more difficult to attract them using the phone, even pre-prepared presentations do not give the expected result.
The sellers who occupy these positions in conditions of a negative choice often make their negative contribution. High turnover of personnel with low wages does not contribute to the growth of professionalism of personnel. Therefore, it is necessary to radically reconsider the approach to selling and its methods and recognize these issues as extremely important in the organization of modern retail trade.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of the sales methods used.
Optimization of technological processes of direct customer service in the store is reflected in the achievement of the tasks set by the enterprise to achieve a certain economic and social efficiency.
The social effect of the chosen method of sale is to reduce the buyer's time spent on purchasing goods, to improve the culture of trade service, and to improve the working conditions of the store staff.
Economic effect from the introduction of the method of sale is expressed in an increase in the throughput of the store, an increase in turnover, an improvement in the use of retail space and trade and technological equipment, and an increase in the productivity of trade workers.
To analyze the results of the correct choice of the sales method and the effectiveness of its implementation, several approaches can be used:
Comparing the performance of self-service stores with the performance of similar stores using the traditional sales method;
Comparison of store performance before and after transferring it to a new sales method;
Comparison of the performance of stores using the same sales method among themselves;
Analysis of the dynamics of store performance.
Traditionally, all analyzed indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of the method used are conventionally divided into three groups (Table 2).
Table 2 - Groups of indicators for evaluating the performance of stores.
| Economic | Technical - technological | Social |
| Trade turnover. Turnover per store employee. The share of sellers - consultants and cashiers - controllers in the total number of employees. Goods turnover, days Gross income level. The level of wages. The level of distribution costs. The level of loss of goods associated with self-service. | Share of sales area in total area shop. The amount of commodity stocks placed on 1 m 2 of the area of the trading floor. The share of commodity stocks placed on the trading floor. Installation area coefficient. Demonstration area coefficient. Equipment capacity factor. The number of varieties of goods sold. | Total time spent on shopping. Time spent searching for goods on the trading floor. Time spent on inspection and selection of goods. Time spent on consultations. Time spent on billing for a purchase. Purchase completion rate. The number of additional services provided to customers. The coefficient of completeness of the specified services. |
World practice confirms that, in general, in large stores, the turnover per 1 m 2 of trading space and per employee is much higher. Lower level of distribution costs. This is explained much more high level mechanization of technological processes, the use of progressive commodity supply systems, a wide choice of goods, the creation of great conveniences for buyers, etc.
At the same time, in the practice of trade and small-sized retail space, stores have high economic, technical, technological and social indicators, if all options are carefully analyzed and optimal solutions are found for each element of the technological process of trade customer service.
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