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There are many types of shop today
and they have all developed over time. The way in which
we shop in modern times has developed over many years and
is still developing. Below is the history between the different
types of shops that you will see in modern high streets.
Inspired by the success of the Co-operatives
other organisations followed the example set by the Rochdale
Pioneers. Thomas Lipton started a grocery shop in Glasgow
in 1872. It proved to be so successful that he opened another
- and then several more.
All of his shops looked alike; they carried
the same kind of stock, all charged the same price and all
expected to be paid in cash.
Other traders followed suit and branched
out into other areas and other goods. The spread of chain
stores grew rapidly in the early part of the 20th century.
Boots, originally a chemist's
selling medicinal products, began selling a wide range of
goods from cosmetics to kitchenware.
An American, Frank Winfield Woolworth,
opened his first British shop in Liverpool in 1909 selling
cheap fast-selling lines like pots, pans and buttons. He
charged only two prices for everything; you either paid
3d or 6d.
Today's chain stores have followed Lipton's
model and have a uniform style, a distinctive appearance
and layout. They are almost entirely self-service.
Branches are usually in the high streets
or main town shopping areas and are instantly recognisable
from both the outside and within. It has been suggested
that this is one of their most valuable assets; shoppers
are made to feel that they're on safe, familiar ground.
Chain stores have a central buying policy,
rather like the co-operatives, which helps keep costs to
a minimum, And because of the size of their commercial operations
they can have an enormous economic advantage over their
smaller independent competitors. As they buy in vast quantities,
their suppliers will often give them big discounts so that
they can then afford to cut their prices to their customers.
They can employ specialist designers,
advertising agents, technical and legal advisers. Their
packaging, labels and price tickets are professionally designed
and made by experts.
But they can't offer the
same degree of personal service and attention that
a small shop can. Their staff, though usually well-trained,
can't predict what stock they are likely to buy in and so
can't guarantee what will be on the shelves.
The Bon Marché store
in Paris, which opened in 1872, is usually credited with
being the first department store. It offered a new concept
in shopping where you could buy a wide range of goods, furniture,
clothes, carpets, hardware, food and much more under one
roof.
Gordon Selfridge opened his purpose-built
London store in 1909 with the slogan "why not spend
a day at Selfridges". And people did. One reason for
the popularity of department stores was that they offered
restaurant and toilet facilities for their customers. Both
were found particularly invaluable by lady shoppers who'd
previously had to endure a certain degree of discomfort
on shopping days for there were no such things as public
toilets then.
Today's department stores are bigger
still and sell an even wider range of goods from china and
glassware to garden furniture; from home computers to pet
food.
Few of them are owned by the original
families who built them up - even though they may still
keep on the family name. Many have been taken over by groups
like the House of Fraser Group who control Harrods
in London and several other major department stores around
the country.
Like the multiples and chain stores they,
too, buy in bulk. You'll usually find that their prices
are lower than the smaller independent shops but higher
than chain stores. In general they will offer a mixture
of self-service and personal service.
Some department stores also rent
out space within the building to an independent company.
This can sometimes cause confusion if, for example, you
want to take something back to complain. It's unlikely that
the store itself would be responsible. Instead you'd need
to contact the individual company direct.
Supermarkets grew rapidly in the
1950s when many grocery shops changed from the traditional
over-the-counter method of selling to an open plan arrangement
that allowed you to select goods for yourself.
Most sell food and general groceries,
and today the majority are run by chain or multiple organisations
like Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose. They carry a wide
range of both "own brand" and branded goods
There are, also, other supermarkets run
by voluntary chains like Spar.
These are similar organisations that grew up during the
late fifties when several independent grocery shops realised
that they couldn't compete with the big supermarket chains.
So they organised themselves into groups
and bought in bulk at discount from a central marketing
organisation and were then able to pass on the discount
to their customers. Although the shops took the title of
the group's chain and carry "own brand" goods
(like Spar) they are independently owned.
Voluntary chain stores have really provided
a lifeline for many grocery shops which would otherwise
have had to close down.
The difference between these and supermarkets is simply
one of size. The idea for hypermarkets originally came from
France. They're enormous buildings about 20 times bigger
than supermarkets, eg - Tesco Extra
Most are single-storey and all have huge
car parks because they tend to be built on the outskirts
of towns, Parking is free and trolleys can be unloaded directly
into your car.
They carry a vast range of goods from
groceries to electrical equipment to underwear and invariably
have a restaurant or coffee shop. Prices tend to be low.
These usually stock a very limited range of popular household
items - often electrical goods. They rely on a very fast
turnover and don't offer much in the way of customer service.
Usually the goods will come ready packed
from their store room and you select the model you want
from the ones out on display, so you don't have the opportunity
to examine before you buy. But neither do you have to wait
weeks for delivery and can take the goods there and then
if you're able to carry them home.
Sadly, these are now in declining
unless they specialise in something, such as records and
tapes, delicatessen, craft or health food shops.
Prices are often higher than hypermarkets,
supermarkets and discount stores because they can't buy
in bulk from their suppliers. So although their range may
be wider they will only carry small quantities of each.
But you get the benefit
of personal service and advice. You can also order more
unusual or individual items instead of simply having to
accept whatever happens to be there on the shelf.
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