Analysis of Retail Strategies and Technologies

This assignment requires you to analyze various aspects of the retail industry by examining six given academic sources. You'll explore topics such as e-commerce, omnichannel retailing, product reviews' impact on sales, inventory management, and regulatory frameworks for food labeling in retail settings. The task is to synthesize information from these sources to discuss key trends, challenges, and solutions in contemporary retail practices.

Retail theory

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Overview of Schuh organisation.................................................................................................1
Key relevant changes in UK fashion retail.................................................................................2
Relevant changes within macro environment.............................................................................3
Discuss strategies and tactics of organization.............................................................................4
Recommendations.......................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Retail is persuasive, favourable and comfortable technique for selling various goods and
services in the huge market area. Retailing define that business, trade and commerce that will
take shape and forms. This includes that process of commercialism customers products and
services with the help of multiple sources of distribution to gain maximum profit. Marketers
satisfy the demand and needs of buyers and customers through use of supply chain management.
Schuh is the large footwear retailer company which is located in united kingdom. There are
around 118 stores of this firm are situated in UK (Fernie and Sparks, 2014). This organisation is
predominately a branded shoe stocks and also sell around 80 brand which includes Vans, Nike,
Adidas, Converse and their own schuh label. This organisation provide different new branded
products and services to their potential customers in better manner.
Overview of Schuh organisation
Schuh is the largest retailing company which is provided footwear, shoes in the united
kingdom. It is private firm which has more than 4000 employees who work for offering various
types of goods and services to their desired customers. An organisation provide high quality
goods which are reasonable for each buyers. Schuh operated and regulated around 118 stores in
all over the country. This is owned and operated a large chain of footwear shops. The firm offer
and serve high and low heels, flats, sandals, boots, trainers and slippers for women. Also provide
various accessories that includes school bags, socks, shoes, caps and other products. Schuh sells
goods online. It was established in 1981 and this is situated in Livingston, united kingdom. They
generally use geographic, demographic and psycho-graphic strategies for offering products to
their potential customers (Grana and Ling, 2014). For surviving in the large market place, they
are using various strategies and policies such as brand equity, distribution strategy, market
analysis and competitive analysis. Schuh retail company operate their business and also make
effective designed goods which are available in the large stores. Most of the multinational
organisation sell their goods and services with the help of developing latest strategies and
policies in proper manner. On the other hand, cited firm also generated maximum profit by
making effective products and services for their desired buyers. Schuh is placed in 43rd position
in the market of united kingdom. Along with this, there are various tools and techniques which
assist in promoting goods of Schuh that includes personal relation, promotional activities and
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advertisement. Also they need to develop and make new products for earning huge amount of
profit.
Key relevant changes in UK fashion retail
Schuh is the largest sports products industry. They develop and make different products
for their health conscious customers. They have faced backlash for producing various products in
the countries where quality of life is very low. PESTLE analysis of schuh are described as under:
Political factors – Schuh have suppliers, distributors and ships who are transfer their
products to their customers in all over the world. It required them for extend international supply
chains and also follow political rules and policies at the time of selling goods through online. An
organisation using various political forces as an effective method of involvement of assumed
products. Each and every country abide with their own taxation policies and system. So schuh
also required to obey by such regulations and norms for selling and products should be
distributed offshore. On the other hand, firm tend to outsource the development and formulation
of their goods of the country. With the affect of political factors, this will reduces the production
cost of company. Also it is necessary for schuh is to follow all rules and regulation which are
made by government such as Labour laws, product safety laws, international trade agreement
and consumer safety goods regulations (Wrigley and Lowe, 2014).
Economic factors - It is that factor which directly or indirectly affect on schuh business
operations and its major functions. This sports products industry is mainly concentrated. There
are more than 50 companies who are earn around 70% profit from this sector. This sports good
firm is surviving in the competitive market place. The global economy rate is always fluctuated.
Schuh need to research where they distribute and sell their creative products among their
customers. It will make sure that company require to analyse growth and opportunity in proper
manner. They will play an essential role with their pricing materials. Along with this, they also
face major challenges while import and export specific products.
Social factors – This factor also affect on their product designing. So schuh change their
goods design according to the demand of customers. Their products are available for any age,
caste, gender or lifestyle. The main focus group of this firm are health conscious customers who
show love for sports. They should keep up with health trends and preferences for provide their
large number of people. They also conduct and serve voluntary program. So they need to help
communities and adoptive the health of an individual (Piotrowicz and Cuthbertson, 2014).
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Technological factors – This is that factor which help in updating and upgrading new
techniques and methods for gaining higher profitability and productivity. With the help of latest
technology, they test their products under different conditions. Also they try to optimize their
coaches and professionals performance in the sport sector. For durable result to athletic issues,
they use natural substantial regenerate in better manner. They assist in doing online selling with
the help of various sites and social media channels. In current time period, they are study the
smart sportswear business. Famous technology which is Fitbit that is popular in the health
communities. So schuh can use and adopt this technological advancement for diving into new
industry and formulate bounds towards the competition (Price, 2017).
Legal factors – Schuh has ownership of intellectual property and IP system. So they have
to design patents, protecting their rights against transcript and conflicts. This patent also offer or
provide as legal protection for ending the imitative businesses. According to the large
organisation, they naturally have trademark manufacture. This is necessary for company is to
follow all rules and regulations which are made by government that needs to be follow by
company in proper manner.
Environmental factors – Schuh reduces the impact of environmental on their business. It
is the responsibility and duty of company manager is to monitor and evaluate the dangerous
substances and also try to remove them. It may happen because they offer or serve natural
materials in their specific goods to their customers. Also they follow ethical business exercises
by committing or their supplies which are follow rules and regulations in every country of their
products that should be manufactured.
Relevant changes within macro environment
Business environment is that marketing term which are related to those factors that
directly affect for maintaining and developing strong customer relationship in better manner
(Varley, 2014). Micro environment define the small factors within an organisation that affect on
their abilities and capabilities for offering products to their potential goods. Within micro
environmental factors, there are different factors which are discussed as under: Suppliers- There are large number of adults and youngsters of suppliers and also
produce various types of goods and services in the large market area. There are around
1300 suppliers of organisation spread in all over the world. Suppliers is the one who
supplies raw material and labour which is required for manufacturing operations to
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develop a product or services, and that final product is consumed by the users. Suppliers
can adopt a purchase policy with that support, it can put efforts to bargaining power.
Suppliers can be independent or business houses, they are combined together to provide
the manufacturing goods to company. After gathering all necessary items company can
develop the desired product (Yoon, Baldick and Novoselac, 2014). Competitors – Competition level has an importance to raise in economy livelihood, as
long as there are no rivalry in market the firm can't go on a long way, the monopoly is a
restriction for increase in demand of products and service, hence Schuh is running with
prosperity with almost 30 years, though it has a broad contention with Brooks Brothers,
Cole Haan, Stride Rite, etc. Customers - Any business lies on customers, creating customers is only an aim to attain
profit. Offering products and services with a satisfaction level of users is heart of a
business organisation, because end user contentment is most proficient target for a
business, because that derives sales and which is desired for a firm as Schuh.
 Shareholders : Shareholders can be define as the individuals or a group which has
potential share within an organization, as they can have a motive to fulfil the objective
of a firm. They have potential input in operations of a firm, they can be board members
and public , who are interested to gain profit from organization as they financed. Other
than board members, employees are also having there stake in Schuh, as they are
working there, company should there profit with them in terms of bonus or anything else
(Floyd, 2014).
Discuss strategies and tactics of organization
Schuh should identify its strategies and tactics of to promote its their business activities,
as that has a major role increasing sales. Although, it is already a one stop destination for its
admirers , so there is less requirement to observe its strategies but on the other hand, increasing
sales is the only way that can feed the hunger of business, because only potential rise in sales can
make it to reach it on peak, and that is the only pathway to stand in marketplace through incline
in business graph. There are many ways to boost an organization, one of that is through online
presence, and this is most leading way to acquire a market. This is a modern way to reach out
customers with less efforts, on the ground, research, advertisements, campaign always that leads
to know the demands of customers. Research is most essential when a company is launching a
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product according to the customer demand, after that advertisement and campaign are used to
releasing a product in a certain region, where is the modern time, a website promotes a business
broadly, without any restrictions. Schuh is a fashion retailer and now it offering a huge range of
footwear, that is in demand for its comfort and style, and this is the main feature for its
promotions, that should carry out in very well suited manner (Blázquez, 2014).
Tactics ans strategies of Schuh:
An organisation should adopt appropriate tactics and strategies to implement their
business in order to attain a high position on perch with an effective brand virtuosity in client's
conscious. Some strategies and tactics are described below that is followed by Schuh fashion
retailer: Train better – Providing a better training is a method to achieve the target. Schuh is a
fashion retailer, though the HRM of this firm needs to renders a training program, to
serve the best to its clients, as it is styling a marque, so it has some choosy clients, there
is special way to perform in front of them, and that increases its productivity. Some
firms belief in recruiting employees from rival firms, because they are trained and they
have experience that will added to business of company. Attract new clients with grate windows - Often companies promote their businesses
from advertising to enhance their profitability through the effective way of
communication, like advertisement or internet. They have more innovative ideas to
promotional strategies like buy one get one free, discount rate, gift hampers, cashback,
coupon code, search engine optimization by Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, delicious, etc.
These all are the framework that allure the customer to drag in to the stores and websites,
that give a drastic gain in sales and at the end it will be a benefit for the business
operations of Schuh (Gallino and Moreno, 2014).
 Invite them back – As competition is so tough in the market, so it becomes necessary to
bind a customer with the firm itself. But in current scenario, customers are seeking for
variety and quality both. So a firm should stand with dignity to maintain its growth, staff
should behave with a tender heart attitude to handle any kind of customer, that makes a
positive impact on shoppers. So that ones a visitor pull to the doorstep, that never can
leave from the store. Schuh is serves its products with style and quality that made its
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customer crazy for the brand, so that they can checkout in the store anytime but they can
leave that place, they has only one shop to purchase footwear with aesthetics.
Micro environment challenges
Micro environment has a biggest impact on a firm, as it supports like a backbone,
whereas it has some challenges too, that amend on its business, these situation are as below:
 Suppliers charges their willing prices as they have bargaining power, and it may be a
loss of business, because suppliers are charging raw material as they want, it will raise
the expenses in total product cost and that also leads to selling power of final goods
(Food and DrugAdministration, 2014).
 In micro environment, customer has the latent to increase and decrease in demands with
stylish shoes, female shoppers want colours and trendy styles with different kind of
footwear, whereas men want a boots and other kind of sneakers that give their
personality a vibrant charm. Kids are also obsessed with their styling.
 Investors are the most important for a businesses, what would happened if a investor pull
out their hands from a venture, because that is the main source of capital, they have to
make curiosity in business to earn profit and and that is the only way to gain the
customers too.
 Media is a major challenge to make a goodwill of business, because media can make an
image and brake it too. A firm has to execute well enough to maintain its virtue in
marketplace (Glover, Champion and Dainty, 2014).
Recommendations
It is recommended that Schuh should involve some innovative products according to the
customer's demand and requirements. It becomes necessary for the company to deal in various
kind of footwear products including other fashion and sports gears, that will resolve various
issues and problems for maintaining business activities and functions (Chiarvesio Marchi and
Maria, 2015). Schuh is also required to make strong management and leadership functions that
aid to manage team activities on each stage. They should deal with regular suppliers that are help
them to offer raw materials and labour at certain price, so there is no issue for bargaining.
Besides, suppliers there are some intermediates who charged extra wages, this can be avoid by
restricting middlemen entrance so that they can be easily avail the products, without intermediate
prices, and commodities will attract towards affordable shopping. An organisation need to
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maintain and control all business operations to satisfy users and their requirements. Schuh should
manufacture low cost products that can customer's meet with effective goods and services with
formulation of new productivity to earn maximum profitability. That will lead to build a hefty
and good relationship among buyers, suppliers and firm to generate maximum welfare.
CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned report it can be analysed that Retail is persuasive, favourable
and comfortable technique for selling various goods and services in the huge market area.
Retailing define that business, trade and commerce that will take shape and forms. Schuh is the
largest retailing company which is provided footwear, shoes in the united kingdom. Micro
environment define the small factors within an organisation that affect on their abilities and
capabilities for offering products to their potential goods. Schuh should identify its strategies and
tactics of to promote its their business activities, as that has a major role increasing sales. Schuh
is also required to make strong management and leadership functions that aid to manage team
activities on each stage.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Fernie, J. and Sparks, L., 2014. Logistics and retail management: emerging issues and new
challenges in the retail supply chain. Kogan page publishers.
Grana, R. A. and Ling, P. M., 2014. “Smoking revolution”: a content analysis of electronic
cigarette retail websites. American journal of preventive medicine. 46(4). pp.395-403.
Wrigley, N. and Lowe, M., 2014. Reading retail: A geographical perspective on retailing and
consumption spaces. Routledge.
Piotrowicz, W. and Cuthbertson, R., 2014. Introduction to the special issue information
technology in retail: Toward omnichannel retailing. International Journal of Electronic
Commerce. 18(4). pp.5-16.
Price, C. R., 2017. Revolution Will Not Be Funded, The: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial
Complex.
Varley, R., 2014. Retail product management: buying and merchandising. Routledge.
Yoon, J. H., Baldick, R. and Novoselac, A., 2014. Dynamic demand response controller based on
real-time retail price for residential buildings. IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid. 5(1).
pp.121-129.
Floyd, K. and et. al., 2014. How online product reviews affect retail sales: A meta-
analysis. Journal of Retailing. 90(2). pp.217-232.
Blázquez, M., 2014. Fashion shopping in multichannel retail: The role of technology in
enhancing the customer experience. International Journal of Electronic
Commerce. 18(4). pp.97-116.
Gallino, S. and Moreno, A., 2014. Integration of online and offline channels in retail: The impact
of sharing reliable inventory availability information. Management Science. 60(6).
pp.1434-1451.
Food and Drug Administration, HHS, 2014. Food labeling; nutrition labeling of standard menu
items in restaurants and similar retail food establishments. Final rule. Federal
register. 79(230). p.71155.
Glover, J.L., Champion, D., and Dainty, A.J.D., 2014. An Institutional Theory perspective on
sustainable practices across the dairy supply chain. International Journal of Production
Economics. 152. pp.102-111.
Chiarvesio, M., Marchi, V. D. and Maria, E. D., 2015. Environmental innovations and
internationalization: Theory and practices. Business strategy and the
environment. 24(8). pp.790-801.
Online
External analysis. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.academia.edu/8318901/External_analysis_of_Zara_and_value_chain_anal
ysis_of_Zara>.
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