Key Figures of Retail

Statistics and facts on Key Figures of Retail

Key Figures of Retail statisticsRetailing is one of the major economic sectors of the world. Within the sector there is a scale polarisation at both the business and the store level. The leading retailers are huge, multi-national businesses which dominate the sector. They operate a range of stores from major hypermarkets and supercenters through to small convenience stores.


Personal income, consumer confidence, and interest rates drive demand. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient supply chain management and effective merchandising and marketing. Large companies have advantages in purchasing, distribution, and marketing. Small companies can compete effectively by selling unique merchandise, providing superior customer service, offering a distinctive shopping experience, or serving a local market.

Retailing is also significant it its social dimension as well. Whilst economically retailing bridges production and consumption, in social terms it effects most of the population every day. It is the rare person who does not go shopping, or indeed has not worked in retailing or been involved in it in some way. For some, retailers offer their major social intercourse of the day or week and act as a social network, setting or center.

The term retailing is however changing, both in horizontal and vertical terms. Traditional product boundaries have altered and strict lines of business have dissolved. Retailers have also extended their tasks to encompass the supply chain and intermediaries and suppliers are effectively managed and controlled by the retailers’ channel dominance.

Major companies include Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Kroger, Costco, and Target (all based in the US), as well as Carrefour (France), Metro (Germany), Tesco (France), Schwarz Group (Germany), and Aldi Einkauf (Germany).

Industry description

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