Meaning of supermarket
After departmental store, supermarket is the other large scale retailing institution. This was first started in United States Of America. The practice of supermarket appeared during the great economic depression of 1930. In the beginning, supermarkets were established and operated mainly for the purpose of selling foods, vegetables, fish, meat, fruits, milk and other dairy products. But in the present age, supermarkets also sell non-food merchandise such as household goods, cosmetics, dolls, electrical materials, handkerchiefs, soaps and so on.
Supermarket is such a retail institution in which varieties of goods, specially, food varieties are sold in same place. More emphasis is given to self service. Limited free services are provided to customers. Effort is made to sell goods at minimum price so that most of the customers are benefited. It is organized and operated on the basis of departments, but it is very different from departmental store.
Features of supermarket
The main features of supermarket are as follows:
1. Variety of products
All varieties of goods including other non-food items such as medicines, cosmetics, ready-made garments, household goods are sold out from supermarkets.
2. Self-service
Self-service is given more priority in supermarkets. Customers should bring goods to the counter by themselves, show the sellers and take bills; no seller's service is available.
3. Cheap price
Goods are found at cheaper price in supermarket. As it is not necessary to appoint sellers in supermarket and operation cost goes low, goods are sold at cheaper price. Along with this goods are sold only for hand-cash, there does not appear financial crisis.
Supermarkets do not provide services to customers as departmental stores provide. It provides nominal limited services to customers free of charge.
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5. Separate departments
In supermarkets, separate departments are operated for certain items (product lines). Supermarkets are organized and operated on department basis.
