The International Expansion of Major Retail Chains - Essay Example

A significant segment of this retailing upheaval has taken place in the area of logistics where British retailers had taken over the supply chain, thereby, lessening the lead times from the manufacturing plant to the store. The grocery segment, particularly, possesses a streamlined logistical system with investment into multiple distribution hubs and transport to provide an increasing figure of super-stores. This logistical concept is now being confronted by technological, environmental, and political transformations.

The policy of the government to reduce environmental harm, thereby, revitalizing town centers puts forward great challenges for logistics. As put forth by Clarke, the early stress on retailers along with store location activities offered to feign both the wider anatomy of the product channel and the stand of consumption in shaping retail transformation (Clarke, 1996). By the middle of the twentieth century, consumers had an associatively restrained option of stores and stocks for their major periodical shopping spree.

Most of the market-places were inclusive of a choice that encompassed the conventional supermarkets, convenience stores, and a deteriorating number of small neighborhood food shops. Following that, during the 1970s, however, an out-and-out bash took place in the new types of retail formats. 1980 initiated the 'significantly differentiated' formats which were competent for the dollars of customers. This new choice was inclusive of hyper-marches, warehouse shops, super-combos, super-stores, and limited variety discount stores.

Apparently, in the early 1980s, strategic and tactical positioning became critical matters for survival in the retail industry (Arnold et al, 1983). Here, we will discuss the challenges as put forth by the transformations that have taken place since the 1980s. Around a century ago, even as retailing was entirely different from what it is now, several big transformations of the twentieth century were already there in their embryonic stage.

For example, most of the products were named, if not 'branded' by the retailers, which gave rise to manufacturer branding. Also, retail operations experienced various novel technologies, chiefly in construction and transport, and had a great impact on them.