Discuss Sales and Merchandising

Order Description
Check out attachment which contains all points too.

As part of the formal assessment I am required to submit a Sales and Merchandising assignment. This assignment sets out to evaluate;

LEARNING OUTCOME 1: Critically evaluate current approaches to merchandising decisions and advise on their improvement

LEARNING OUTCOME 2: Evaluate the importance of the concepts of brand and customer value in the context of a marketing strategy

ASSIGNMENT BRIEF

From a sales and merchandising perspective, we should provide a reasoned and academically underpinned analysis and evaluation of the current merchandising decisions of the chosen retailer (Carrefour) and advise on the improvement of all above mentioned points.

In addition, we should evaluate the importance of branding and customer value concepts in the marketing strategy of the selected company.

We MUST underpin your analysis and evaluation of the key points with appropriate and wide ranging academic and industry research and ensure this is referenced using the Harvard system.

Core Concepts:

? Needs, wants, and demands
? Target markets, positioning, segmentation
? Offerings and brands
? Value and satisfaction
? Marketing channels
? Supply chain
? Competition
? Marketing environment
? Marketing planning

– Branding and loyalty
Creating brand equity, customer perception, crafting the brand positioning, dealing with competition, international branding. Creating and delivering customer value, satisfaction and loyalty; communicating value.
– Product management in the retail business
Store location. Category management; selecting products; sources of supply; buying, stock management; product range management. Pricing, profitable product management; allocating space to products; visual merchandising; store design. Product Management in non-store retailing

Assignment should include the following:

1. An introduction
(mention executive summery about this paper)

2. An outline of the companys (Carrefour) background and kindly focus on their appearance worldwide, Middle east and dig in deep for their appearance in United Arab emirates as they have 44 shops.

3. Discuss brand equity, brand positioning and international and domestic branding efforts of the company.

? Brand Equity(Brand Awareness, Perceived Quality, Brand Association, Brand Loyalty,etc)

? Brand Positioning(Prices, Product assortment, convenient use and visit, Service quality,etc).

? International and domestic branding efforts( Basically you can elaborate on Carrefour branding efforts, for example how they starch the branding by creating exclusive products branded by Carrefour, as well as they sponsor worldwide sports teams and local events.

Note you can give example of any other Hyper market practice if Carrefour is no doing so.

4. Analyze how the company creates and delivers customer value
(basically you can mention about Carrfour distribution channels, loyalty program and incentives for customers, they have application Tagged by Myclub where you own points for any transactions and you can reem).

5. Evaluate current levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty.
(You can elaborate on satisfaction of Carrefour customers and what methods they use to evaluate satisfaction( survey, mystery shopping, Periodic surveys, Customer loss rate, Monitor competitive performance). You can get data online and list the reference for any survey facts. In Addition, additional service feature they provide(Buy now and pay within 3-6 and 12 month installment, Gift card for family, Extended warranty,etc).

6. Analysis of the category and product range management.
(Analyze deeply about products Carrefour sells for example(food, Mobiles 7 Tablets, Outdoors, health & Beauty, items, Home appliances, electronics, clothing,etc). In addition you can mention the innovation of Carrefour product as well as add value offers). Key points(Product assortments advertising of pricing, point of sale displays). You can add any ideal example of other hypermarket practice in this regard.

7. 7.Discuss and evaluate the pricing strategy and its effect on positioning and branding (10%).
(how prices is aligned with company vision, and you can mention season offer they do for seasons(Ramdan season, Easter, Back to school) in order to retain there customers. They promote so intensively via several channels(online, oudoor,etc)

8. Discuss the store location strategy
(Location of the store in general and in United Arab Emirates especially where usually they open in shopping malls and they opened Carrefour express mini Carrefour in small communities). In addition, they position there branding sign outside the malls constantly.

9. Discuss the sources of supply; buying strategy, and stock management
(You can mention there buying strategy and stock management and how they support local harvest by collaborating with local farmers and create special section for that with attractive branding).
Further points:
? Selecting and Buying goods
? Analysing consumer spending and buying habits
? Reviewing the performance of current items for sale
? Managing stock levels
? Meeting and negotiating terms with wholesalers and suppliers
? Maintaining relationships with suppliers and sourcing new suppliers for the future
? Monitoring sales and inventory within the store

10. Analysis and evaluation of the visual merchandising and store design, and shelf-allocation to products.
Basically you can elaborate Store layout, Selling area, salles support areas, storefront, floor plan, lighting, product assortment for example some hypermarkets they locate fruits in the entrance that reflects fresh and colorful feeling.

11. Evaluation of the product management in non-store retailing of the retailer.
You can elaborate on they online selling however it does not include food whereas other hypermarket do so mention example pls.
you can suggest that they can partnership with fuel and metro station so they open mini Carrefour in fuel stations. In addition, they can initiate Carrefour vending machine at schools, universities as well as airports.

12. Advise on the improvement of the current approaches to merchandising decisions of the retailer
elaborate deeply in this regard.

13. A conclusion
Summarizing the assignment with high level recommendations.

Overall Structure (5%)

Presenting items in a logical structure and, correct referencing in text and bibliography (Harvard style).
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