Haryana BSEH Secondary NSQF Retail cheat sheet

Retail = sale of goods or services directly to the final consumer for personal, non-commercial use; it is the last link in the distribution chain.

Channel formats by ownership: independent store, chain/multi-outlet, franchise, department store, supermarket, hypermarket, convenience store, specialty store, e-commerce and omni-channel.

Distribution chain order: manufacturer → wholesaler/distributor → retailer → consumer; each intermediary adds margin and service.

Retailer functions: assortment building, breaking bulk, holding stock, providing information, after-sales service, and credit.

Organised vs unorganised retail: organised players maintain licensed premises, formal accounting, payroll and standard pricing; unorganised retail is largely owner-run informal trade.

Indian retail classification: single-brand retail, multi-brand retail, e-commerce marketplace and inventory-based models have separate policy treatment.

Omni-channel = integrated stock, pricing and returns across physical store, website and app; multi-channel = separate channels without integration.

Retail value drivers: location, price, assortment depth vs breadth, service quality, convenience and experience.

Service sequence: greet → probe need → present options → handle objections → close → confirm and thank; each step has a defined purpose.

Open questions (what, how, which) gather needs; closed questions confirm facts; leading questions bias the answer and should be avoided in needs discovery.

Feature–advantage–benefit (FAB) rule: state the product feature, what it does, and the benefit to this specific customer.

Objection handling methods: listen fully, acknowledge, clarify the real objection, respond with evidence, then confirm resolution.

Upselling = offer a higher-value version; cross-selling = offer a complementary product; both require a genuine customer need to avoid mis-selling.

Service recovery steps: apologise, listen, fix or offer options, follow up; a resolved complaint handled fast often raises loyalty above pre-complaint levels.

Customer types by behaviour: decisive, analytical, talkative, undecided; adapt pace and detail rather than applying one script to all.

Body language basics: eye contact, open posture, personal space, tone matching; these carry more weight than scripted words in first impressions.

Daily opening checklist: premises clean, lights/AC on, POS ready, cash float counted, shelves faced, staff briefed, signage correct.

Daily closing checklist: cash reconciled and deposited, POS day-close report, stock secured, perishables handled, alarms set, incidents logged.

Planogram = diagram fixing product position, facing count and shelf space; compliance is measured by % of positions matching the planogram.

Stock rotation rule: FIFO for general goods, FEFO (first-expiry-first-out) for perishables and dated stock.

Shrinkage sources: theft (customer/staff), supplier fraud, paperwork error, damage, spoilage; each needs a different control.

Product handling rules: respect stacking limits, keep heavy items low, separate food from non-food and chemicals, follow temperature zones for chilled/frozen.

Store layout zones: decompression/entrance, power wall, hot zone (right of entrance), cold zone, checkout impulse area.

Stock receiving: verify against purchase order, check quantity and quality, record GRN, report short/damaged goods before shelving.

Stock turnover ratio = cost of goods sold ÷ average inventory at cost; higher ratio means faster movement for that category.

Reorder level = (average daily sales × lead time in days) + safety stock.

Safety stock covers demand and lead-time variability; it is not the same as cycle stock or display stock.

Economic order quantity balances ordering cost and holding cost; EOQ = √(2DS ÷ H), where D = annual demand, S = order cost, H = holding cost per unit per year.

ABC analysis: A items = high value/low count (tight control), B = moderate, C = low value/high count (simple periodic review).

Perpetual vs periodic inventory: perpetual updates stock on every transaction; periodic counts stock at fixed intervals.

Physical stock count variance = book stock − physical stock; investigate both positive and negative variances.

Dead stock and slow movers are identified by days-since-last-sale or sell-through %; action options are markdown, bundle, return to vendor or clearance.

Display types: window, point-of-sale, end-cap, gondola end, free-standing, feature/theme and clearance; each has a distinct sales role.

Rule of thirds and pyramid/triangle arrangement give a display a focal point and visual balance.

Colour blocking groups products by colour family; contrast blocking uses complementary colours to attract attention.

Sight lines: eye-level shelf (roughly 1.2–1.5 m) is prime selling space; children's products go lower.

Signage rules: price, size, offer and unit price must be accurate and match the POS record; wrong signage causes disputes and legal risk.

Window display refresh cycle is typically 2–4 weeks or tied to season/festival; stale windows reduce footfall conversion.

Cross-merchandising places related items together (e.g., shoes with socks and polish) to raise basket size.

Cleanliness, lighting, dust-free shelves and straight facing are baseline standards; gaps and empty spaces signal poor stock control.

POS billing sequence: scan/enter item → verify price and quantity → apply discount/promo → total → take payment → issue bill → bag → thank.

Cash tender rule: state the amount received aloud, keep the note on the drawer until change is counted and handed over.

Cash drawer reconciliation: opening float + cash sales − refunds − payouts = expected closing cash; compare with actual count.

Card/UPI payment: confirm success on the terminal or app, never rely on the customer's screen; match the amount to the bill.

Void, refund and exchange need authorisation and a documented reason; unrecorded voids are a major fraud route.

GST invoice essentials: seller GSTIN, invoice number and date, buyer details where required, HSN/SAC, taxable value, tax rate and amount, total.

Barcode/UPC supports scanning and price lookup; a failed scan is handled by manual keying with price verification, not by guessing.

Cash handling safety: limit cash in the drawer, drop excess to a safe, count in a secure area, and never share till passwords.

Communication process: sender → message → channel → receiver → feedback; noise at any stage distorts the message.

7 Cs of communication: clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, courteous.

Active listening behaviours: paraphrase, ask clarifying questions, avoid interrupting, confirm understanding before responding.

Digital literacy basics: file/folder management, email etiquette (subject line, greeting, body, sign-off), password hygiene, and safe browsing.

Digital payment and POS tools: UPI, card, wallet, e-commerce marketplace listing, and billing software are core retail digital skills.

Entrepreneurship idea screening: assess customer need, market size, competition, capital requirement, break-even and risk before launch.

Break-even quantity = fixed costs ÷ (selling price per unit − variable cost per unit).

Small retailer registrations to know: GST registration thresholds, Shop and Establishment Act registration, Udyam/MSME registration, FSSAI licence for food.

Fire safety: know extinguisher locations, keep exits and extinguishers unobstructed, and follow PASS (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep).

Electrical safety: no daisy-chained extension boards, no damaged cords, tag and report faulty equipment, dry hands at switches.

Slip/trip/fall controls: clean spills immediately with a wet-floor sign, keep aisles and back rooms clear, secure loose cables and mats.

Manual handling rule: bend knees, keep load close, avoid twisting, get help or use a trolley for heavy or bulky loads.

Food hygiene: separate raw and cooked, maintain cold-chain temperatures, cover and label food, follow FEFO, and maintain personal hygiene (handwash, clean uniform, no jewellery on hands).

Personal protective equipment in retail: gloves and cut-resistant gloves for blade/box work, safety footwear in stockrooms, aprons for wet or food areas.

Incident reporting: record date, time, place, people involved, injury and action taken; report near-misses too, since they predict real accidents.

Hygiene of premises: scheduled cleaning of floors, washrooms, trial rooms, billing counters and display shelves, with a cleaning log maintained.

Project report structure: title, objective, scope, methodology, data/observations, analysis, findings, conclusion, and annexures.

Field survey basics: define sample, prepare questionnaire, pilot it, collect data, tabulate, and present findings with simple charts.

Common retail project topics: customer satisfaction survey, footfall analysis, shrinkage study, display effectiveness, competitor price comparison.

Employability skills set: communication, teamwork, problem solving, time management, digital skills, customer orientation, and workplace ethics.

CV essentials: contact details, objective, education, skills, projects/internship, achievements, references; keep it to 1–2 pages and error-free.

Interview preparation: research the employer, prepare examples using Situation–Task–Action–Result (STAR), and prepare questions to ask.

Workplace ethics: punctuality, honesty in billing and stock records, confidentiality of customer data, and respect for colleagues and customers.

Assessment in NSQF vocational subjects typically combines theory marks with practical/project and viva marks; maintain a dated practical file and portfolio as evidence.