WBCHSE HS Vocational Organised Retailing cheat sheet

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

Organised retail is characterised by licensed operations, standardised pricing, tax invoicing, professional management and multiple outlets; unorganised retail is owner-managed with flexible pricing and limited records.

Core retail functions: assortment building, breaking bulk, storage, transportation, grading, financing, risk bearing and market information.

Retail mix elements: product, price, place, promotion, people, process and physical evidence.

Conversion rate = (number of transactions ÷ footfall) × 100.

Basket size = net sales ÷ number of transactions.

Sales per square foot = net sales ÷ selling area in square feet.

Organised retail advantages: standardised return policy, printed GST invoice, trained staff, chain-wide sourcing and economies of scale.

Retail supply chain flow: manufacturer → distributor/wholesaler → retailer → consumer; e-commerce may shorten it to manufacturer → marketplace → consumer.

Convenience store: small selling area, long trading hours, limited SKUs, high gross margin and location near residential areas.

Supermarket: self-service food and grocery format with central checkout, moderate selling area and high stock turnover.

Hypermarket: large destination format combining grocery and general merchandise, with low margin and high volume.

Department store: multiple product departments under one roof with central billing and service staff.

Specialty store: narrow product category with deep assortment, such as only footwear or only eyewear.

Discount store: low price, limited service, basic fixtures and low-rent locations.

Cash-and-carry: bulk selling to businesses against membership; payment at counter and self-transport by buyer.

Format selection depends on catchment population, rent, capital, assortment width, price positioning and competition.

Franchise outlet is owned by a franchisee but operates under the franchisor's brand, systems and standards.

Grid layout uses parallel aisles and is efficient for grocery because it exposes maximum shelf length and simplifies replenishment.

Racetrack/loop layout guides shoppers along a main aisle past multiple departments; free-flow layout uses irregular fixtures for browsing.

Decompression zone is the first 1.5–2 m inside the entrance; it should carry a welcoming display, not dense shelving.

End cap is the display at the end of an aisle; it has high visibility and is used for promoted or impulse products.

Planogram is a diagram specifying product position, facings and shelf space; compliance is checked during store walks.

Opening cash float is counted and recorded before the first sale; closing reconciliation compares expected cash with actual cash.

Facing means pulling products to the shelf edge and aligning labels; it improves presentation and on-shelf availability.

Single queue for multiple counters reduces perceived waiting; an express counter is reserved for small baskets.

Store opening checklist: safety walk, lighting, signage, cash float, POS login, shelf replenishment and staff briefing.

RATER service quality dimensions: Reliability, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy and Responsiveness.

Sales conversation sequence: greet, probe needs, present solution, handle objections, close, confirm and follow up.

Open question invites detail, such as What will you use it for?; closed question confirms, such as Do you need a bill?

FAB statement links Feature → Advantage → Benefit to the customer's stated need.

Objection handling: listen fully, acknowledge, clarify the real concern, respond with evidence and confirm agreement.

Upselling offers a higher-value version; cross-selling offers a related product or accessory.

Complaint handling: listen, apologise for the experience, resolve within authority, record, escalate if unresolved and follow up.

Consumer Protection Act 2019 provides rights including safety, information, choice, being heard, redressal and consumer education.

Service recovery paradox: a well-resolved failure can raise satisfaction above the pre-failure level.

Assortment breadth = number of product categories; depth = number of variants or SKUs within a category.

Open-to-buy = planned purchases at retail − stock on order − stock on hand.

GMROI = gross margin ÷ average inventory at cost.

Stock turnover = cost of goods sold ÷ average inventory at cost.

Visual merchandising elements: window display, mannequins, colour blocking, focal point, lighting, signage and props.

Colour blocking groups merchandise by colour to create impact; a focal point is the first item the eye lands on.

Price lining offers a limited set of price points, such as ₹499, ₹999 and ₹1,499, to simplify choice.

Markdown = original selling price − reduced selling price; markdown % = markdown ÷ original price × 100.

Category management decisions cover assortment, pricing, promotion, shelf presentation and replenishment.

ABC analysis classifies inventory by annual consumption value: A high value, B medium, C low.

VED analysis classifies by criticality: Vital, Essential, Desirable; it is used for spare parts and critical stock.

FSN analysis classifies by movement: Fast, Slow, Non-moving.

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

Reorder point = demand during lead time + safety stock.

FIFO issues oldest stock first; FEFO issues earliest-expiry stock first and is used for food, medicine and cosmetics.

Perpetual inventory updates stock records after every transaction; periodic inventory counts stock at fixed intervals.

Warehouse flow: receiving → inspection → put-away → storage → picking → packing → dispatch.

Bin card records quantity received, issued and balance for a specific storage location.

POS hardware set: terminal, barcode scanner, cash drawer, receipt printer, card or UPI payment device and customer display.

EAN-13 barcode carries 13 digits; the first digits identify the GS1 member organisation and the last is a check digit.

Intra-state supply: CGST + SGST; inter-state supply: IGST. A tax invoice must show GSTIN, invoice number, HSN or SAC, taxable value, tax rate and amount.

Cash handling sequence: opening float → tender → change → receipt → drawer close → end-of-day count.

Cash over/short = actual cash counted − expected cash from POS; a variance must be recorded and investigated.

Card security rule: never store CVV, PIN or full track data; mask card numbers on receipts.

Refund or void requires original bill or order reference, reason code and supervisor approval above the set limit.

Z report is the end-of-day POS summary of sales, taxes, discounts, tender types and voids.

UPI payment is confirmed only after the merchant device shows success and the reference ID is verified.

Communication process: sender → encoding → message → channel → receiver → decoding → feedback; noise distorts any stage.

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

Active listening behaviours: eye contact, nodding, paraphrasing, asking clarifying questions and not interrupting.

Non-verbal cues include posture, facial expression, gesture, tone, personal space and grooming.

Point-of-purchase communication: shelf talkers, wobblers, danglers, floor stickers, window graphics and digital screens.

Downward communication carries instructions and policies; upward communication carries feedback, grievances and suggestions.

Telephone etiquette: answer within three rings, greet with store name, speak clearly, confirm the request and close politely.

In a complaint, separate the customer's emotion from the facts; restate the issue before proposing a solution.

Avoid jargon and ambiguous words; confirm understanding with a feedback question.

CV sections: contact details, career objective, education, skills, experience or internship, achievements and references.

STAR interview method: Situation, Task, Action and Result; each answer should include a measurable result.

Retail grooming standard: clean uniform, ID badge, neat hair, trimmed nails, fresh breath and minimal fragrance.

Eisenhower matrix prioritises tasks by urgency and importance into do, schedule, delegate and delete.

Pareto principle: roughly 80% of results come from 20% of causes; it is used to prioritise top customers or tasks.

Conflict resolution steps: clarify the issue, listen to both sides, focus on behaviour not personality, agree action and follow up.

Employability skills include communication, teamwork, problem solving, digital literacy, time management and customer orientation.

Workplace ethics in retail: punctuality, honesty in cash handling, confidentiality of customer data and no misrepresentation.

Lifelong learning includes product knowledge updates, POS software upgrades and service-standard training.

Fire extinguisher PASS: Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handle and Sweep side to side.

Fire classes: A solid combustibles, B flammable liquids, C gases, D metals and E electrical; CO2 is used for electrical fires.

Evacuation rule: use the nearest safe exit, do not use lifts, proceed to the assembly point and report to the marshal.

Slip, trip and fall controls: wet-floor signs, immediate spill cleaning, cable management, good lighting and clear aisles.

Manual handling rule: bend knees, keep the load close to the body, avoid twisting and team-lift heavy loads.

EAS tags and CCTV are deterrent and detection controls; apprehension is done by trained security staff without physical confrontation.

Shoplifting indicators include bulky clothing, repeated aisle loops, avoiding staff and selecting high-value items without size or price checks.

Incident report records date, time, place, people involved, what happened, action taken and witness details.

Food safety in grocery: FEFO rotation, temperature checks for chilled or frozen stock and pest control records.

Retail career ladder: sales associate → senior associate → team leader or supervisor → assistant store manager → store manager → area or regional manager.

Specialist retail roles: cashier, visual merchandiser, buyer, category manager, merchandiser, warehouse executive and retail trainer.

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

Business plan sections: idea, market research, target customer, competition, marketing, operations, finance and risk.

Retail licences in India commonly include shop and establishment registration, trade licence, GST registration and FSSAI licence for food.

Udyam registration identifies MSMEs; Mudra loans and Startup India are common support routes for small retail ventures.

Franchise decision: compare franchise fee, royalty, territory, training, supply terms and exit conditions before signing.

Retail entrepreneur skills: customer insight, negotiation, inventory control, cash-flow management and digital marketing.

E-commerce seller onboarding requires GSTIN where applicable, bank account, catalogue and return policy.