Haryana BSEH Senior Secondary NSQF Retail cheat sheet

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

Retailer functions: breaking bulk, holding stock, providing assortments, offering credit, and delivering after-sales service.

Organised vs unorganised retail: organised retail operates under a legal licence with fixed premises, staff and accounting; unorganised retail is informal, small-scale and often family-run.

Store format decision rule: size of assortment and price depth determine format - wide and deep with low price points to a hypermarket; narrow and deep points to a specialty store.

Food-only formats: kirana store (neighbourhood, credit-based), supermarket (self-service, 400-2,500 sq m), hypermarket (large, multi-category, 5,000+ sq m).

Non-food formats: department store (many categories, service counter), specialty store (one category, deep range), category killer (deep range, low price), convenience store (limited range, long hours, high margin).

Non-store retailing: e-commerce, catalogue, direct selling, vending machines, telemarketing and TV shopping - no fixed walk-in storefront.

Franchise vs company-owned: a franchisee invests capital and pays fees but uses the franchisor's brand and standard operating procedures; company outlets are owned and staffed by the brand.

Opening checklist: lighting, air-conditioning, POS terminal login, cash float count, shelf fill, price tags, cleanliness and fire-exit clearance.

GRID layout: parallel aisles at right angles; efficient for groceries, maximum shelf space, fast restocking, but limited browsing freedom.

RACETRACK (loop) layout: a main aisle circles the store and draws customers past all sections; used in department stores and apparel.

FREE-FLOW layout: no fixed aisle pattern; suits boutique and specialty formats and encourages browsing but wastes floor space.

Front zone holds high-impulse and seasonal goods; middle zone holds high-margin products; back zone holds staples and destination goods that pull customers through the store.

Decompression zone is the first 1-1.5 m inside the entrance where customers slow down and orient - avoid placing high-priority merchandise there.

Planogram is a diagram showing exactly where each SKU sits on a fixture; it is the standard tool for shelf allocation and restocking.

Store opening and closing must be logged with time, staff name and cash-drawer total; variance between opening float and closing total must be reported the same day.

Assortment breadth = number of product categories carried; depth = number of variants (size, colour, brand) within a category.

Merchandise planning formula: Planned Sales = Opening Stock + Purchases − Closing Stock (at retail or cost value).

Gross Margin Return on Inventory (GMROI) = Gross Margin ÷ Average Inventory Cost; a value above 1 means each rupee of inventory returns more than a rupee of margin.

Sell-through % = (Units Sold ÷ Units Received) × 100; low sell-through signals markdown or reallocation.

Markup % = (Retail Price − Cost Price) ÷ Retail Price × 100. Markdown % = (Original Price − Reduced Price) ÷ Original Price × 100.

Stock-to-sales ratio = Average Stock ÷ Net Sales; it shows how many months of stock are held relative to selling rate.

ABC analysis: A items are the top ~70% of sales value (tight control), B items ~20%, C items ~10% (loose control).

Never-out list (core/basic items) must be replenished continuously; fashion and seasonal items follow a buy-plan calendar with review dates.

Product knowledge covers features (what it is), advantages (what the feature does), benefits (what it means for the customer) - sell on benefits.

FAB sequence for a presentation: Feature → Advantage → Benefit, stated in one sentence per product.

Visual merchandising principles: balance, emphasis (focal point), proportion, rhythm, harmony and contrast.

Eye level (roughly 1.2-1.5 m from floor) is the prime selling zone; children's eye level is about 0.9-1.1 m.

Rule of three: odd-numbered groupings (3, 5) look more natural and are preferred for display clusters.

Window display must be changed at least fortnightly or with each promotion; a display date and theme should be recorded.

Signage rules: price, size and care instructions must be visible; a sign must match the ticket on the product exactly to avoid customer disputes.

Cross-merchandising places complementary items together (e.g., shirts with belts) to raise basket size; it must not block aisle clearance.

Service quality dimensions: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibles; reliability is the most important to customers.

Customer lifetime value (CLV) = average purchase value × purchase frequency × retention period; it justifies spending on service recovery.

CRM records: name, contact, purchase history, preferences, complaints and consent to be contacted; data must be collected only with the customer's consent.

Complaint handling sequence: listen without interruption → apologise for the experience → ask clarifying questions → offer a solution within policy → confirm satisfaction → log the case.

Escalate to a supervisor when the demand exceeds your authority (refund above limit, legal threat, safety issue) - do not promise what you cannot deliver.

Service recovery paradox: a customer whose complaint is resolved well may become more loyal than one who never complained.

Loyalty programme mechanics: points per rupee, tiered membership, birthday offers and referral rewards; enrolment requires consent and a valid contact.

Mystery shopping and customer feedback forms measure service standards; results should be reviewed against defined service KPIs.

Seven-step sales process: approach → probing/needs discovery → presentation → handling objections → closing → cross-sell/up-sell → follow-up.

Open questions (what, how, which) uncover needs; closed questions (yes/no) confirm details such as size or budget.

SPIN sequence: Situation → Problem → Implication → Need-payoff; implication questions make the cost of the problem visible.

Feature-advantage-benefit statements convert product facts into customer-relevant reasons to buy.

Objection handling methods: acknowledge and clarify, provide evidence, compare alternatives, and isolate the real objection before answering.

Trial close signals readiness (e.g., 'Would you like this gift-wrapped?'); do not close before the customer has agreed the need is met.

Up-selling moves the customer to a higher-value model; cross-selling adds a related product - both need a stated benefit, not pressure.

Add-on ratio = add-on sales ÷ total transactions; it is the standard KPI for measuring cross-sell effectiveness on the floor.

Billing sequence: greet → scan/enter items → confirm quantity and price with the customer → apply discount or coupon → take payment → issue bill → thank and bag.

Cash handling rule: count the change aloud, place the customer's note on the drawer ledge until change is given, then deposit it.

Cash drawer reconciliation: Opening float + Cash sales − Refunds = Expected closing cash; any variance must be recorded and reported.

Payment modes: cash, debit/credit card, UPI, wallet and gift card; each must be logged separately in the POS for settlement.

Card/UPI transactions require confirmation of the amount on the terminal before swiping or scanning; never key in a customer's PIN.

GST invoice must show GSTIN, invoice number, date, item description, HSN code, taxable value, tax rate and total tax.

Void, refund and exchange entries need a supervisor authorisation and a documented reason; the original bill is retained.

Daily closing: Z-report or day-end settlement is generated, cash counted against it, and the signed summary handed to accounts.

Reorder level = (Average daily sales × Lead time in days) + Safety stock.

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

Safety stock protects against demand and lead-time variability; it rises with service-level target and demand volatility.

FIFO (first in, first out) is mandatory for perishables and dated goods; LIFO is rarely used in retail because of expiry risk.

Stock turnover ratio = Cost of Goods Sold ÷ Average Inventory at cost; higher turnover means faster-moving stock.

Perpetual inventory system updates stock on every sale; periodic system counts stock at fixed intervals - cycle counting is a hybrid used in stores.

Shrinkage = book stock − physical stock; causes include theft, damage, supplier short-delivery and billing error, and it is expressed as a % of sales.

Physical stock count: freeze movement, count in teams of two, record on signed sheets, reconcile variances and investigate above-tolerance differences.

4Ps of retail marketing: Product, Price, Place and Promotion; in retail, Place (store location and layout) and People are decisive.

Promotion types: discount, bundle, buy-one-get-one, coupon, loyalty points, festival offer, and clearance sale.

Promotional calendar is built around festivals, paydays, end-of-season and store anniversaries; each promotion needs start/end dates and a budget.

Discount must be shown on the MRP-compliant ticket; the maximum retail price cannot be exceeded and discounted price must be legible.

POP (point-of-purchase) material: shelf talkers, danglers, standees, floor stickers - placed at the decision point, not in the decompression zone.

Promotion ROI = (Incremental Gross Profit − Promotion Cost) ÷ Promotion Cost × 100.

Local store marketing uses catchment-area activity: flyers, society tie-ups, community events and WhatsApp broadcasts with customer consent.

Advertising claims must be truthful and substantiated; comparative claims about competitors require verifiable evidence.

Communication process: sender → encoding → message → channel → decoding → receiver → feedback, with noise affecting every stage.

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

Active listening: give full attention, paraphrase, ask clarifying questions and confirm understanding before responding.

Non-verbal elements - eye contact, posture, tone, gestures and personal space - carry much of the message; in Indian retail a respectful distance of about 1 m is normal.

Telephone etiquette: answer within three rings, greet with store name and your name, speak clearly, and repeat the order back.

Written retail communication (email, notice, WhatsApp) must state purpose, action required and deadline, and be proofread before sending.

Barriers to communication: jargon, noise, language difference, preconception and emotional state; each has a specific remedy (simplify, repeat, translate, clarify).

Grapevine is informal workplace communication; managers should monitor it but use formal channels for decisions.

A CV for retail must list contact details, education, work experience with dates, key skills and references; keep it to one or two pages.

Interview preparation: research the store, prepare a self-introduction, prepare answers on strengths and weaknesses, and carry documents.

SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

Team roles: leader, facilitator, recorder and timekeeper; a team charter defines the goal and each member's responsibility.

Entrepreneurship stages: idea generation → market survey → business plan → funding → registration → launch → review.

Business plan sections: product/service, target customer, market and competition, marketing plan, operations, financial projections and risk.

Indian MSME registration (Udyam) and GST registration are the basic compliance steps for a small retail business; a shop licence and FSSAI licence apply for food.

Break-even point in units = Fixed Cost ÷ (Selling Price per unit − Variable Cost per unit).

Fire safety: know the location of extinguishers and exits; PASS technique - Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handle, Sweep.

Exits and stairways must be kept clear of stock and cartons at all times; blocked exits are the most common safety violation in stores.

Electrical safety: no daisy-chained extension boards, no wet hands near sockets, damaged cords tagged and removed from use.

Manual handling: bend the knees, keep the load close, keep the back straight, do not twist while lifting; use a trolley for loads above about 20 kg.

Personal hygiene for food and fresh-produce areas: clean uniform, tied hair, trimmed nails, handwashing before handling, no jewellery on hands.

Cleaning schedule: floors swept and mopped at fixed intervals, spillages cleaned immediately with a wet-floor sign displayed.

First aid: the box must be stocked and its location known; report every injury in the accident register, however minor.

Food safety: FSSAI licence is required for food retail; check expiry dates on receipt, apply FIFO, and keep raw and cooked items separated.