Retail Stores

                        Retail consists of the sale of goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be individuals or businesses. In commerce, a "retailer" buys goods or products in large quantities from manufacturers or importers, either directly or through a wholesaler, and then sells smaller quantities to the end-user. Retail establishments are often called shops or stores. Retailers are at the end of the supply chain. Manufacturing marketers see the process of retailing as a necessary part of their overall distribution strategy. The term "retailer" is also applied where a service provider services the needs of a large number of individuals, such as a public utility, like electric power.

Shops may be on residential streets, shopping streets with few or no houses or in a shopping mall. Shopping streets may be for pedestrians only. Sometimes a shopping street has a partial or full roof to protect customers from precipitation. Online retailing, a type of electronic commerce used for business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions and mail order, are forms of non-shop retailing. Shopping generally refers to the act of buying products. Sometimes this is done to obtain necessities such as food and clothing; sometimes it is done as a recreational activity. Recreational shopping often involves window shopping (just looking, not buying) and browsing and does not always result in a purchase.

::Features of retail stores::

Retail stores come in all sizes and are designed in many different ways. They sell everything imaginable and some things you probably never imagined. They are as diverse as the people who shop in them, but they all have a few things in common. The owners all want to make profit and succeed. To help them in their hunt for profitability, many retailers resort to standard features designed to make their shops more visually appealing. The next time you are in a retail store, think about the different physical features of the place and you’re likely to see one or more of these.

::Transition Zone::

The transition zone is the first thing consumers sees when they approach a retail store. This area is the space at the front of the shop that the customer must pass through to get into the store. The transition zone is designed to be welcoming and attractive and generally make passersby want to come inside. This is especially important in a mall or a store in a row of other shops competing for business. Usually, displays and other décor used in the design of the transition zone feature the most popular or attractive items the store offers or somehow sets or suggests a mood that shoppers will adopt as they enter the store, putting them in the right frame of mind to shop for these specific products.

::Location Specific Bargains or Necessities::

Retail stores that have bargain items or extremely popular products because they are a necessity of their target consumers use an area of the store near the rear to place these items. The idea for placing necessities and other items that people are likely to make the effort to look for is useful in two ways. It frees up space near the front of the stores for more exposure to items that are not as likely to be on the mind of the customer as they walk in. More importantly, if items are commonly sought out in the rear of the store, it means that the customer must walk past everything else to get there and then walk past it again to get to the register to pay for it. This exposes the products in the middle of the store to the customer and it encourages more impulse buying. Grocery stores commonly use this tactic by placing milk, eggs and other common grocery necessities in the rear of the store.

::End Caps::

End caps are aisle displays that are placed at the end of the shelving units so that you do not have to go down the aisle to see the products. Often, these end caps are stocked with products that are part of promotions or sales and are designed to draw customers to the aisle and encourage impulse buying.

::Cashwrap::

The cashwrap is the register area where customers bring their items to pay for them before leaving the store. This area is typically overstocked with small, inexpensive, high-margin items that customers are likely to buy on impulse without much thought. They are typically items that are not necessary, but still appealing.

--Types of retail stores--

Retail stores sell a variety of consumer goods in a number of different formats. Retailers purchase the goods from a middleman known as a distributor or directly from the manufacturer. Stores may sell a wide variety of merchandise or specialize in certain types of products. Retail stores may vary greatly in size, or can be found in the virtual world of the Internet.

::Department Stores::

Department stores consist of separate sections, known as departments, such as clothing, sporting goods, automotive supplies, health and beauty products and electronics equipment. Some department stores may also sell food products. Some department stores feature discounted merchandise, while others sell more expensive items geared toward the upscale shopper.

::Grocery Stores::

Grocery stores sell prepackaged dry food products as well as perishable items like produce, dairy and meat products. Grocery stores also typically sell non-food items such as stationery supplies, cookware, health and beauty products and greeting cards. Larger grocery stores may include features like fast-food restaurants and flower shops, as well as modern conveniences like Internet cafes.

::Specialty Stores::

Specialty stores sell specific types of merchandise, such as jewelry, electronics equipment or toys. The specialty store may be further divided into different categories within the specialty. For example, toy stores may have separate departments for board games, video games, dolls and model cars. Specialty stores may be small, independently-owned operations or larger stores that are part of a retail chain.

::Box Stores::

Box stores, also known as warehouse stores, sell merchandise packaged in larger quantities that feature lower unit costs to the consumer. They appeal to shoppers who wish to buy frequently-used items in bulk to save money. Because they offer larger package sizes, box stores are usually very large and sparsely decorated, giving the look and feel of a warehouse.

::Online Stores::

With the advent of the Internet age, online stores allow shoppers to make purchases from home or at the office by using a computer. Customers browse through the retailer's online catalog which features photos of the merchandise and written product descriptions. When the shopper makes a selection, she pays for the merchandise with a credit card or by using an online payment service. The merchandise is then shipped to the shopper's home.

--Benefits of retail store--

Some of these are common but others are very specific and should be considered by all, the amount of focus a person puts on any one point is totally dependent on them as an individual.

::Balance::

Cues have different balance points depending on their construction, materials and dimensions even if they have the same overall weight. The balance point is very important and specific to many players so it should be considered when buying a new cue.

::Weight::

Some customers don't know how heavy they want their cue to be or they want to compare different weights with each other. With our interchangeable weight bolt system you have the opportunity to accommodate customer’s requests on the spot so there is no guessing on what their new cue will weigh.

::Quality::

We have all seen cues with shoddy inlay work, raised rings, fuzzy wrap, sugar stains in the shaft, flawed taper, etc. etc. which you can't see or more importantly can’t feel on a computer screen. When the cue is in your hand you have a chance to inspect the cue and even hit with it before buying which gives you total confidence in the product you are purchasing.

::Wood grain::

Every piece of wood is unique with some pieces having better coloring or grain structure than others, people have very specific preferences when it comes to this and is a deal breaker/maker in some situations. This is especially critical in shaft wood and when you view a cue online you can only see the cue pictured, not the actual cue you’re buying.

::Damage/ Flaws::

Anytime that a cue is handled there is the potential for a dent or a ding to occur, accidents happen during shipping even if something is packed perfectly. In a face-to-face transaction you are able to inspect the cue before you buy it which should prove to be invaluable to your customer.

::Feel::

One of the most important factors in buying a cue is how solidly the cue hits or feels. When you are in a store that allows you to hit a few balls with a cue, chalked or not, it gives you a huge advantage over any website. Players know what they want in a cue and there is only one way to know for sure that the cue they picked out is the one that they want and that is to play with it. The only one way a player can know for sure that the cue they picked out is the one that they want is to play with it.

::Straightness/ Warpage::

We do everything we can to ensure that every cue we make is straight when delivered but nothing beats being able to roll a cue or shaft before you buy it.

::Warranty::

We strive for perfection in every cue but there are some instances where the product doesn’t quite fit that description. If there is ever an issue with an item having a local dealer to answer your questions and provide prompt service is a huge benefit. You will never have to spend 15 minutes on an automated phone service or wait for someone to return your email to get the personal attention that you want when having an issue with an item.

::Immediate Gratification::

You don’t have to worry about lead times, losing your package in the mail, human error or receiving a cue that is not up to your expectations. You get the cue you want, when you want it, which is right now.

::Service::

While FAQ’s are full of information and cover a range of topics there is nothing that replaces a living, breathing human when it comes to answering questions. Personal experience and history are things that can never be replaced by a printed list or automated system and definitely can’t provide that personal touch you want when picking out a cue.

::Reputation::

Buying a cue in your store and being able to shake their hand and look them in the eye while making a purchase speaks volumes, 90% of our sales come from referrals and that is something that our dealers can be very proud of.