Supply Challenges and Customer Impact: A Case Study on McColl's Shops

This report is a case study on McColl's, a British convenience shop and newsagent operator, exploring the supply challenges faced by such businesses. The study delves into the concept of convenient shops, identifying their role in the supply chain and the challenges they face, including inventory management, merchandise management, and distribution network complexities. The report investigates the impact of these supply challenges on customers, considering factors such as pricing, product availability, and shopping behavior. The research aims to determine the challenges and recommend strategies for McColl's to overcome them, enhancing customer satisfaction and business sustainability. The literature review provides a comprehensive overview of relevant research, and the report includes sections on research methodology, data analysis, findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

The Convenient Shops
Supply Challenges and
Impact on Customers

Table of Contents
Research Topic: The Convenient Shops Supply Challenges and Impact on Customers. A case
study on McColl's............................................................................................................................1
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................1
Background to Research Topic..............................................................................................1
Background to Research Organisation...................................................................................1
Research Rationale.................................................................................................................2
Research Aim and Objectives................................................................................................2
Research Questions................................................................................................................2
Research scope.......................................................................................................................3
Chapter 2: Literature review............................................................................................................3
Chapter 3: Research Methodology...................................................................................................7
Research Tool.......................................................................................................................10
Sampling...............................................................................................................................10
Timescale..............................................................................................................................11
Resources..............................................................................................................................11
Chapter 4: Data analysis and interpretation...................................................................................12
Chapter 5: Research findings.........................................................................................................16
Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations..............................................................................17
Chapter 7: Reflection.....................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................20

Research Topic: The Convenient Shops Supply Challenges and Impact on
Customers. A case study on McColl's.
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION
Background to Research Topic
Convenient Shops mainly comprises of small retail business which stocks a range of
everyday items like coffee, groceries, snack foods, confectionery, soft drinks, toiletries,
magazines and newspapers. Thus, plays a vital role in completing a supply chain but still many
challenges associated with their limited store size and finding a balance between a convent range
and right pricing of products is faced by theses Convenient Shops which lead significant impact
on its customers. Many challenges are there which are lead out and faced by these convenient
shop like inventory management, managing merchandise and distribution network which not
only affects their profitability and performance level but also leads significant impact on the
services provided to consumers. Thus, following investigation is lead out to evaluate and
determine about the Convenient Shops Supply Challenges and Impact on Customers.
Background to Research Organisation
The research organisation selected for current investigation is McColls Retail Group which
is basically a British convenience shop along with a newsagent operator that is trading under the
trading names McColls. The McColls is basically a corner store operating as a small retailer that
stock and sell a range of day to day utilisation product such as coffee, groceries, snack foods,
confectionery, soft drinks, tobacco products, over-the-counter drugs, toiletries, newspapers, and
magazines. The McColls Retail Group is the leading neighbourhood retailer of UK which is
having more than 1550 convenience stores along with various newsagents across various
location of UK. The McColl's convenience shop is having a vision of becoming favourite shop
of customer’s through emphasising on its effective presence, ever growing convenience offer and
providing excellent services (McColl’s Corporate website, 2020.). Excellent customers services
and strategic priority is the key of success for McColl's convenience shop along with a dedicated
and hard working workforce to overcome the set challenges and issues. Thus, McColl's
convenience shop is selected for current investigation to evaluate about the Convenient Shops
Supply Challenges and its Impact on Customers.
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Research Rationale
The selection of current research topic is rationale and justifiable as it provides all needed
information about the concept of Convenient Shops and there operations. It is important to
understand about the Convenient Shops Supply Challenges as it plays a major role in competing
the supply chain by offering day to day utilisation product to customers by the way of small
corner shop. Further, the selection and conduction of current investigation is also rationale and
important to determine the impact of The Convenient Shops Supply Challenges on its customers
along with evaluating the possible measures and strategies to overcome these challenges. Beside
this, the selected research topic also meets the personal interest and implication of researcher
thus, it is rationale to lead enhancement in skills and knowledge of investigator and other
scholar.
Research Aim and Objectives
Research aim
The aim of current investigation on McColl's convenience shop is, “ To determine about
the concept of Convenient Shops Supply Challenges and its Impact on Customers”. An
investigation leads out on McColl’s.
Research Objectives
 To evaluate about the concept of Convenient Shops.
 To determine the main Convenient Shops Supply Challenges faced by McColl's
convenience shop.
 To investigate about the impact of Convenient Shops Supply Challenges on the
customers.
 To recommend suitable measures and strategies for McColl's convenience shop to
overcome the Convenient Shops Supply Challenges in an effective manner.
Research Questions
 What is meant by the concept of Convenient Shops?
 What are the main Convenient Shops Supply Challenges faced by McColl's convenience
shop?
 What is the possible impact of Convenient Shops Supply Challenges on the customers?
 Which are the most suitable measures and strategies for McColl's convenience shop to
overcome the Convenient Shops Supply Challenges in an effective manner?
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Research scope
The current investigation is having a wide scope as it comprises of detailed analysis of
concept of Convenient Shops along with leading and facilitating an enhanced understanding
about the main Convenient Shops Supply Challenges faced by a corer shop. Apart from this the
wide range of scope of current study also emphasis on the possible impact of Convenient Shops
Supply Challenges on the customers to evaluate and determine suitable solution for a
convenience shop to overcome the Convenient Shops Supply Challenges in an effective manner.
Chapter 2: Literature review
Literature review is defined as a comprehensive summary of respective research on a
particular topic on which research is conducted. With the help of literature review researcher can
allow themselves to provide a theoretical base for research with the help of which determination
of the nature of research can be underlined. Research review is basically a written overview
which is being done upon research objectives with the help of different sources on selected topic.
In this sources mainly include websites, scholar articles works, government report and more.
Mentioned below literature review is been done upon different research objectives of present
research. With the help of this proper and clear understanding of research topic is done in
effective manner.
The concept of Convenient Shops
Convenient shop or convenient store is mainly is small retail business that stocks up wide
range of daily basis items such as soft drinks, snack foods, over-the-counter drugs, coffee,
toiletries, magazines, newspaper, confectionary and more (Convenience Store – Definition And
Examples. 2020). It has been identified that convenience store basically perform their business
operations in populated area. These stores allow individuals to get product and services
according to their needs (Septiani, Setiawan and Farhana, 2020). Due to their sheer convenience
they are defined as convenience stores as they provide the services to consumers 24/7/365 or for
specific time as per according to permission or business requirement. Further this has been
evaluated that these stores are mainly design by emphasizing upon convenience and needs of
consumers. These stores provide services for long hours in which individuals have to pay a little
higher price comparatively to supermarket for the products and services. There are different
examples of convenience stores that are kiosk, mini convenience stores, limited selection
convenient stores, traditional convenience stores, hyper convenience store and expanded
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convenience stores (Erler, Kec and Dittrich, 2020). All these stores conduct their business
operations while having consumer centric approach in order to satisfy their needs effectively
while assuring value in return.
Main Convenient Shops Supply Challenges faced by McColl's convenience shop
McColl's convenience shop faced different types of convenient shops supply challenges.
These are having direct and indirect impact upon their profitability and brand image. According
to the viewpoint of McColl, Macgilchrist and Rafiq, 2020, it has been identified that every
convenient shop constantly faces challenge which is mainly related to inventory management,
managing merchandise and distribution network in order to retain consumer interest on
continuous basis. In context with McColl's convenience shop it has been defined that they are
facing major challenge which is related to handling of inventory in an effective manner and
management of channels of distribution in order to serve customers better. Due to the increase in
the trend of online and social media challenges convenient shop faces challenges to manage their
business activities, along with this quality and regulatory compliance is also acts as a challenge
which is affecting McColl's. In this it is essential for company to provide their product and
services with exclusive label and as per Government and consumer body regulatory measures.
This challenge is having direct impact upon company brand image. These are some of the certain
challenges that have been faced by McColl's convenient shop which is affecting them in number
of ways (Hjertquist and Jung, 2020). All these challenges are required to be effectively overcome
by respective convenient shop in order to ensure their long-term sustainability and profitability in
market.
Possible impact of Convenient Shops Supply Challenges on the customers
According to the viewpoint of Hjertquist and Jung, 2020, it has been evaluated that
convenience shops supply challenges such as inventory management, distribution network and
more are significantly having adverse impact upon consumers. Now a day’s consumers are living
busy lifestyles. This makes them to have more convenient shopping experience. Thus challenges
of convenient shops supply such as distribution network that causes delay in availability of
product and higher price affect purchasing behaviour of customers. This has been determined
that customers mainly focus upon price and quality while making their shopping decision thus
due to higher price and delay in availability of product in convenient shop make customers to
undertake use of online shopping in which they get qualitative product. Further it has also been
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analysed that due to convince customers are also willing to pay more when it comes to personal
care items, pet supplies and groceries. Thus, convenient shops supply challenges are affecting
consumer shopping behaviour that makes them to shift their buying tend towards online and
supermarkets. In addition to this according to the perception of Nam and Kannan, 2020,
customers are attracted with different offers that changed their shopping experience, in this they
have access to buy quality product with reasonable price.
Most suitable measures and strategies for McColl's convenience shop to overcome the
Convenient Shops Supply Challenges in an effective manner
It is essential for McColl's convenient shop to effectively overcome the convenient shops
supply challenges in more effective and efficient manner. For this management of company can
undertake advantage of suitable strategies as well as measures. It has been identified that as
customers nowadays prefer more convenience as they are living busy life. In this it is essential
for McColl's convenient shop to have their own unique concept in which they can emphasize
more upon consumer time saving. According to the viewpoint of Munene, 2020, customers
mainly prefer to have shopping experience in limited time. In this, McColl's convenient shop can
also undertake advantage of reduction of cost in order to provide high quality and affordable
shopping experience to customers.
According to the perception of Yusof, Jusoh and Maulan, 2020, McColl's convenient
shop by focusing upon location can also assure maximum satisfaction of their customers. In
relation to this McColl's convenient shop with having efficient store visibility can affect decision
making of customers. In this company can select location of their store in those areas that save
total shopping cost and time of consumers. It effectively helps customers to maximize their
shopping experience. According to the viewpoint of Muema, 2020, location proves to be an
effective element that enhances customer’s experience of shopping. Thus, by focusing upon this
aspect McColl's convenient shop can maximise image of their retail store. With the help of the
strategy of having stores in location where customers have easy access to buy products McColl’s
convenient shop can effectively allow themselves to overcome convenient shop supply
challenges effectively.
In addition to this McColl’s convenient shop can also overcome convenient shops supply
challenges by providing excellent salesperson services to their customers. It not only maximizes
shopping experience of customers but also assure their loyalty towards store. With the help of
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effective salesperson services McColl’s convenient shop can ensure that customers are provided
with the proper and accurate knowledge of the use and other information of products which
increases their comfort of buying the products. With the help of this strategy McColl’s
convenient shop can ensure more loyalty as well as satisfaction from their consumers which also
enhance retail store sustainability and success for long period of time. With the help of
salesperson entity can provide customers with effective assistance while they buy products in
shop. It enhances consumer shopping experience, as sales person are well equipped with the
knowledge of products. Thus, with having friendly and helpful assistance of salesperson
customers can have better shopping experience comparatively to online channels.
In present competitive retail environment it is essential for convenience shop to focus upon
consumer service importance (Leung and Loo, 2020). For this McColl’s convenient shop is
required to provide high quality consumer service products and services to their consumers with
good consumer services as it helps in developing positive image among mindset of consumers.
In context with McColl’s convenient shop it is required for them to provide good after sales
service to their consumers in order to maintain and build a healthy relationship with them for
long-term sustainability of store. Along with this they are also required to provide customers
with easy payment options in order to provide them easy and time effective shopping experience
services. Convenient parking also plays an important role as with the help of ample parking
space strategy company can provide higher shopping satisfaction to their customers. It is one of
the most important strategy through which McColl’s convenient shop can overcome convenient
shops supply challenges. Along with this, by providing environment friendly shopping bags for
free to their customers entity can allow themselves to build positive and healthy relationship with
customers that also enhances their brand image in marketplace. Lastly McColl’s convenient shop
can overcome the challenges by providing easy return and exchange of goods facilities to
customers. It is one of the most effective strategy through which respective convenient shop can
gain maximum competitive advantages.
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
This sections forms a vital part research project which provided all crucial and needed
information about the research methods and approaches used for leading out and conducting a
research work. Research methodology represent a systemic and specific procedure to indentify
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and select method for effective collection, analysis and evaluation of information about a topic
(Ndlovu-Gatsheni, 2017). In order to ensure and facilitates appropriate selection of research
method for current investigation on McColl's convenience shop use of research onion is made
which ensures proper justification and reasons for selection of each methods and philosophies.
The research onion model was developed by the Saunders which describes the various stages that
are undergone by a researcher while developing and leading out an efficient methodology for an
investigation. A description and discussion about these stages of research onion are discussed
and evaluated below along with selection of appropriate research method for current
investigation lead out on the on McColl's convenience shop.
Figure 1: Research Onion, 2020.
Research philosophy- It represent and being the first and outermost layer of the Saunders’s
Research onion which represents the set of beliefs and principles about the way and phenomenon
used for collection of data and also represents the way of analysis and interpretation of
information related with a particular set of topic. The research philosophy layer of research onion
is divided and bifurcated into four main categories comprises of Pragmatism, Posistivitism,
Realism and Interpretivism out of which the most suitable one is adopted y the investigator on
the basis of nature of study and topic selected (VanKooten, 2019). The current study is based on
McColl's convenience shop and aim at evaluating the concept of Convenient Shops Supply
Challenges along with its Impact on Customers thus, a more theoretical and better understanding
about the attitude and behaviour of research is required. Therefore, selection and utilisation of
Interpretivism philosophy of research is most suitable as it support small samples for
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investigation to conduct and lead out an in-depth study. Further, the reason behind making use of
Interpretivism philosophy also comprises of fact that it support qualitative form of data and
provides better understanding about the perceptive and behaviour of individuals through leading
a systematic way of investigation which support more reliable and authentic conclusion.
Research Approach- It represent the second layer of Saunders resrch onion which basically
comprises information about the plan and procedure that would be adopted by the investigator
and consists of steps of broad assumptions which relates with the detailed methods of data
gathering, analysis and interpretation during course of a study (Daniel and Harland, 2017). This
layer of research approach is bifurcated into two main types comprises of inductive and
deductive form of research approach out which inductive approach of research is more
appropriate with respect to current investigation on McColl's convenience shop. The main reason
for selection of inductive approach for current investigation is based on the fact that it facilitates
and concerned more about the generation of a new theory and better perceptive based on the
analysis and evaluation of theoretical set of information to meet and achieve set objectives in a
better and more effective manner.
Research strategies- It being the third layer of research onion which provides information
regarding the overall plan leads out by a research for efficiently conducting a research. Thus
research strategy provides a plan for researcher to guide with effective planning, execution and
monitoring of complete study. Research strategy basically comprises of techniques and tools
used for collection and analysis of data like action research, experimental research, Grounded
Theory, interviews, surveys, case study research, etc (Wiek and Lang, 2016). For current
investigation on McColl's convenience shop adoption of Grounded theory of research strategy is
made which provides and support a systematic inductive method to lead out and conduct
qualitative research in an effective manner which aim towards theory development. The research
strategy for current investigation comprises of a short and direct questionnaire comprising of
qualitative nature of method addressed with the help of interview.
Choices of method- There are three main types of research methods which comprises of
qualitative, quantitative and mixed method of research. Out of these methods, the qualitative
nature of research is mainly based on in-depth analysis of theoretical facts and documents and
also leads a better in-sight about the behaviour and attitude of participants. On the other hand,
quantitative nature of research is mainly based in numeric and quantifiable form of data that is
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easy to collect and present but lack information about the nature and behaviour of respondents
(Phillips and Ritala, 2019). On the other side, the mixed nature of research comprises of use of
both qualitative as well as quantitative nature of research method. With regard to the current
investigation, the nature of study requires more in-depth and theoretical form of data to ensures
better evaluation of set objectives thus, utilisation of qualitative nature of research method is
made. The justification behind selection of qualitative research method is that it comprises of
collecting of non-numeric form of data which leads to better analysis and understanding of set
concepts, Opinion and other relevant experience. Thus, adoption of qualitative form of method is
most viable for current study to gather in-depth insight about the set topic and also leads to
generation of new ideas to reach ad accomplish a more effective and viable end result.
Time Horizons- This layer of research onion basically represents the set time frame and
expected term of conducting an investigation. Time Horizon layer is basically divided into two
types which consists of cross sectional horizons of time and longitudinal horizons of time
(VanKooten, 2019). The selection of longitudinal horizons of time does not seems appropriate
and suitable for current investigation on McColl's convenience shop as includes collection of
data on a repeatedly basis over a long period of time thus, it is more complex and time
consuming. Therefore, utilisation and adoption of Cross sectional form of time horizons are
made for current investigation which comprises of collection and analysis of data at a particular
point of time which helps in maintaining efficiency and effectiveness in completion of work.
Data collection and analysis- This represent the final and most vital layer of research onion
that provides information about the ways and sources used for collection of data along with its
analysis. With regard to current investigation, implication of both secondary and primary sources
of information is made a justification and reason for their adoption is provided below:
 Primary source- This sources comprises of actual origin of data where information
is collected by researcher directly from the participants (Ndlovu-Gatsheni, 2017).
The reason and justification for use of primary sources of information comprises of
fact that it provides first hand data that is most authentic and reliable set of
information. Use of interview technique us made for collection data.
 Secondary sources- This form of data collection comprises of gathering if
information from pre- exit sources such as past literature, article, newspaper,
journals, etc. The reason for making use of secondary sources of Information
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consists of a justification that it provides a better framework and base for leading out
a study and investigation in an effective manner with the help of support from past
findings and research.
The analysis of primary set of data collected with the help of interview would be made
with the help if thematic approach. On the other side, analysis of secondary information collected
with the help of online journal and articles in made in the literature review section of current
investigation.
Research Tool
Various research tools can be used in order to conduct a research in an effective manner so
that high quality information can be collected which can then be interpreted so that research aims
and objectives can be achieved. Research tools that can be used by researcher are experiments,
surveys, case studies, interviews, questionnaires etc. which can help in collecting desired
information from desired set of respondents (Bozarth and Handfield, 2016). In this research the
tool which will be used is interview which can help in collecting qualitative information from the
desired respondents so that it can then be interpreted and the objectives of research can be
achieved. Interview is a formal one-to-one communication in which the interviewer asks some
pre-determined set of questions from interviewee so that desired information can be collected
from them.
Sampling
Sampling is a research technique which helps in selecting a desired number of people from
a large population so that research can be conducted on that sample and required information can
be achieved (Mangan and Lalwani, 2016). Through sampling research can be made highly
effective and less time consuming as research questions can be asked to a sample audience
having similar characteristics as the large population so that effective information can be gained.
In this research a sample of 6 respondents is chosen so as to carry out the interview.
Timescale
Use of below stated Gantt chart is made to represent the time sake and duration of each
activity involved in Current investigation.
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