Punjab PSEB Senior Secondary NSQF Organised Retail cheat sheet

Organised retail = licensed, GST-registered, professionally managed retail with standardised processes and systems; unorganised retail = owner-run kirana or street vendor without such systems.

Format choice rests on four variables: size in sq ft, location (high street, mall, highway, residential), assortment (width vs depth) and price positioning (value to premium).

Convenience store: roughly 500–2,000 sq ft, 3,000–5,000 SKUs, 16–24 hour trading, high gross margin, low average basket, located inside a residential catchment.

Supermarket: 5,000–20,000 sq ft, food and grocery dominant, self-service with checkout counters, gross margin typically 18–25%.

Hypermarket: above 20,000 sq ft, food plus general merchandise, destination location with parking, thin margins around 12–18% and high volumes.

Department store: several departments under one roof, each with its own staff and assortment, apparel and lifestyle led, staff-assisted selling.

Specialty store: narrow category with deep assortment (only footwear, only eyewear); category killer = same depth plus discount pricing and big-box size.

Cash and carry: membership wholesale, bulk packs, B2B buyers, minimal frills; omnichannel adds ROPO - research online, purchase offline.

India FDI rule: single-brand retail 100% on automatic route; multi-brand retail 51% with government approval and local sourcing norms.

Opening routine: staff entry and key log → lights and air-conditioning → housekeeping check → planogram and VM check → till float issue → replenishment → signage → doors open.

Daily store KPIs: conversion rate = bills ÷ footfall × 100; ATV = net sales ÷ bills; UPT = units sold ÷ bills; shrinkage % = shrinkage ÷ net sales × 100.

Layout decision rule: grocery and pharmacy → grid; department store and lifestyle → racetrack/loop; boutique and premium → free-flow; large speciality → spine or herringbone.

Grid layout maximises shelf space and speeds fill-and-shop trips but limits browsing; free-flow raises browsing time but cuts shelf capacity.

Decompression zone = first 1.5–5 m inside the entrance, kept free of merchandise; the entry statement or seasonal display sits in the hot zone just beyond it.

High-draw destination categories (milk, bread, staples) go at the back and in the right-hand power aisle so customers walk past impulse categories.

Shelf levels: top = stoop and slow-moving, eye level around 1.2–1.5 m = highest saleability, bottom = bend; brand leaders at eye level, bulk at the bottom.

Planogram fixes facings, shelf space and position per SKU; compliance is checked against the printed planogram on every replenishment cycle.

Backroom discipline: GRN raised on receipt, FIFO/FEFO rotation, damaged goods segregated in a marked dump area, empty cartons cleared each shift.

RATER service quality model: Reliability, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy, Responsiveness - reliability (right first time) carries the greatest weight with customers.

CRM cycle: collect data → segment → design offer → execute → measure response → update record; data collection needs consent under India's DPDP Act 2023.

RFM segmentation: score Recency, Frequency and Monetary value 1–5 each; 555 customers get retention offers, 111 customers get win-back offers.

Customer lifetime value = average transaction value × purchases per year × retention years − acquisition cost.

NPS = % promoters (score 9–10) − % detractors (score 0–6); passives scoring 7–8 are excluded from the calculation.

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

Escalation rule: associate handles policy-level issues, supervisor handles refunds/exchanges beyond the stated limit, store manager handles injury, legal and media matters.

Service recovery paradox: a fast, fair resolution after a failure can leave the customer more loyal than a trouble-free transaction would have.

Returns policy must state the time limit, original bill, condition of goods and refund mode; refunds return to the original payment instrument, not cash for card or UPI sales.

Seven steps of selling: prospecting → pre-approach → approach → presentation/demonstration → objection handling → close → follow-up.

AIDA: Attention (approach and display), Interest (demonstration), Desire (benefit and social proof), Action (close).

FAB chain: Feature (what it has) → Advantage (what it does) → Benefit (what it means for this customer), one sentence for each step.

Objection rules: acknowledge, isolate ('is price the only concern?'), answer with evidence, confirm the answer, then close.

Objection types and responses: price → value and cost per use; need → link to a stated requirement; trust → warranty, brand proof, reviews; timing → trial close and a follow-up date.

Closing techniques: assumptive, alternative choice (A or B), summary, urgency and trial close; a trial close can be repeated, but false urgency is never acceptable.

Open questions widen needs discovery, closed questions confirm details; the salesperson should listen more than talk, roughly a 70:30 listen-to-talk ratio.

Upsell = higher value or an add-on of the same item; cross-sell = a complementary category; both raise ATV and UPT.

Sales funnel metrics: footfall → approach rate → demo or trial rate → conversion → ATV; the weakest ratio is where coaching is directed.

Mandatory pack declarations under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules: MRP inclusive of all taxes, net quantity, month and year of manufacture, consumer care details, packer or importer name and address.

Food packs additionally need the FSSAI licence number, veg/non-veg mark, nutritional information, best-before or expiry date and allergen declaration.

Product knowledge checklist: composition, size or grade, care and usage, warranty, shelf life, competitor comparison, most common complaint.

Textile essentials: knit vs woven, GSM, pure vs blended fibre, expected shrinkage; know the top three claims and top three customer questions per sub-category.

VM composition rules: focal point at eye level, triangular or pyramid arrangement with tall–medium–small rhythm, odd numbers (rule of three), colour blocking by shade.

Balance: symmetrical for formal and stable presentation; asymmetrical with visual weight low and movement on one side for lifestyle stories.

Fixtures: gondola (double-sided shelf run), four-way (hanging arms), round rack, dump bin (impulse), end cap (promoted SKU at aisle end), mannequin, POS counter unit.

Signage hierarchy: window/entry → category → brand → price → promotion → checkout; price tags sit on the product or shelf edge as per policy and legal requirement.

Window refresh cycle: every 2–4 weeks and with each promotion or festival; glass cleaned daily and focal lighting brighter than the surrounding area.

Stock turnover ratio = COGS ÷ average inventory, where average inventory = (opening + closing) ÷ 2; days of inventory = 365 ÷ turnover ratio.

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

Safety stock = (maximum daily sales × maximum lead time) − (average daily sales × average lead time).

EOQ = square root of (2 × annual demand × ordering cost ÷ holding cost per unit per year), the quantity where ordering cost equals holding cost.

ABC analysis: A ≈ 10–20% of SKUs giving 70–80% of value, counted weekly; B counted fortnightly; C (large count, low value) counted monthly.

FIFO for packaged and non-perishable goods, FEFO for perishables, dairy, bakery and pharmacy; stock within 30% of shelf life is flagged for return or markdown.

Shrinkage sources: shoplifting, internal theft, supplier short supply, damage, expiry, billing errors; audit trail = GRN, transfer note, damage report, return to vendor.

Cycle counting samples a few SKUs daily, a full physical count is periodic, and blind counts (counter cannot see the book figure) give the truer variance.

Aged stock rule: no sale for 90 days = slow mover, 180 days = dead stock; action is markdown, bundle, return to vendor or inter-store transfer.

POS hardware set: barcode scanner, POS terminal with billing software, cash drawer, tax invoice printer, weighing scale, EDC card machine, UPI QR and customer display.

GST tax invoice fields: supplier name, address and GSTIN, serial number, date, buyer details, HSN/SAC, description, quantity, taxable value, CGST/SGST or IGST rate and amount, total, place of supply.

EAN-13 barcode: 13 digits - GS1 prefix 890 for India, then company and item reference, ending in a check digit that validates the scan.

Till reconciliation: opening float + cash receipts − payouts (refunds, petty cash) = expected closing; expected closing − counted cash = short (debit) or over (credit).

Cash controls: one cashier per till, no shared logins, dual control for cash drops, blind count at shift end, safe drop of high-denomination notes, CCTV over the till.

Counterfeit check on Indian notes: watermark, security thread, intaglio raised print, micro-lettering, latent image and colour-shift numeral.

Card and UPI rules: never ask for or store the PIN, never write down card numbers, confirm the amount on the EDC before the transaction, match the signature, retain chargeback records.

Bill correction: void before payment, return or credit note after payment; refunds follow the original payment mode and need manager authorisation above the store limit.

Imprest petty cash: fixed float, a voucher for every payment, reimbursement equal to vouchers, balance always restored to the float.

Communication process: sender → encoding → message → channel → decoding → receiver → feedback, with noise at every stage; feedback is the proof the message landed.

Seven Cs: clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, courteous.

Active listening behaviours: face the speaker, keep eye contact, nod, paraphrase ('so you need it before Friday'), summarise and confirm.

Non-verbal cues carry much of the message; the often-cited Mehrabian ratio is 55% body language, 38% tone, 7% words - treat it as directional, not exact.

Telephone etiquette: answer within three rings, greet with store name and your name, ask permission before holding, repeat numbers back, close with a summary.

Email etiquette: specific subject line, one topic per mail, greeting and sign-off, correct grammar, no all-caps, attach the file before sending, reply within one working day.

CV sections: contact details, career objective, education with NSQF level and marks, skills, experience with measurable achievements, references.

STAR answers: Situation, Task, Action, Result - the result must be measurable and personal, not described only as a team outcome.

NSQF is a 10-level competency framework; retail Qualification Packs are set by the Retailers Association Skill Council of India under NSDC, and each job role carries a QP code.

PASS fire drill: Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side; use only on small fires and always keep an exit behind you.

Extinguisher classes: A solid combustibles, B flammable liquids, C gases, D metals, K cooking oil; electrical fires need CO2 or dry powder, never water.

Safety colours: red = prohibition and fire equipment, yellow = warning, blue = mandatory instruction, green = safe condition, escape route and first aid.

Evacuation: know two exits, the assembly point and the roll-call headcount; use stairs not lifts; staff sweep fitting rooms and washrooms while guiding customers out.

5S: Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardise, Sustain; aisles, fire exits and electrical panels stay clear at all times.

Food hygiene: FSSAI licence, handwash before handling, gloves and hairnets, no jewellery, separate veg and non-veg tongs, cold chain below 5°C and hot holding above 60°C.

Manual handling rule: bend the knees, keep the load close to the body, back straight, no twisting, use a trolley and get help above the safe individual limit.

Hazard reporting: spill → barricade, clean immediately and place wet floor signage; damaged fixture or exposed wire → isolate, tag and report; injury → first aid plus incident register entry.

Compliance set: no child labour, no bribery, POSH Act 2013 Internal Committee where 10 or more workers, Consumer Protection Act 2019 against unfair trade practice, no misleading claims, customer data used only with consent.

Business plan sections: concept and format, catchment and competitor survey, location and lease, assortment and pricing, staffing, capex and opex, sales forecast, break-even and funding.

Break-even units = fixed cost ÷ (selling price − variable cost per unit); break-even sales value = fixed cost ÷ contribution margin ratio.

Margin % = (SP − CP) ÷ SP × 100; markup % = (SP − CP) ÷ CP × 100; a 20% margin equals a 25% markup.

Working capital = current assets − current liabilities; in retail it is dominated by inventory days minus supplier credit days.

Registrations for a shop: GST (₹40 lakh goods / ₹20 lakh services threshold, lower in special category states), Shops and Establishment, local trade licence, FSSAI if food, Udyam for MSME benefits.

Funding routes: MUDRA Shishu up to ₹50,000, Kishore ₹50,000–₹5 lakh, Tarun ₹5–10 lakh; PMEGP subsidy; CGTMSE-backed bank loans; startup seed schemes.

Franchise models: COCO company-owned company-operated, FOCO franchise-owned company-operated, FOFO franchise-owned franchise-operated; the franchisor earns royalty as a % of sales.

Career ladder: trainee/associate → senior associate or cashier → team leader/supervisor → department manager → store manager → area or regional manager; parallel roles in VM, buying, supply chain and CRM.

Skills employers test in retail hiring: customer orientation, numeracy, stock sense, integrity, grooming, POS software literacy and willingness to work shifts and weekends.