Role Of Retailing Business In The Development Of Nigeria Economy

Introduction

Retailing is the final link between producers of goods and services and the ultimate consumers. Retailing is the last stage in the distribution of goods and services, the earliest retailing activity could be seen from the European craftsman and those people that produces what they gold to the users, craftsman could be gold smiths, silversmiths and tailors, the traveling merchants made the development between European and other outside countries by carrying goods from place to place according to needs. As the traveling merchants move on, they operate their trading activities.

As marketing stated to play essential roles in industrial activities, they come up with what is regarded as general stores. The general stores stocked so many types of products and they are some how enlarging their stock. At a time, they need some helpers of marketing activities and those include transportation, communication, banking activities and system with helper of trade, the retailing establishment experienced.

Retailing is the final link between producers of goods and services and the ultimate consumers. Retailing is the last stage in the distribution of goods and services, the earliest retailing activity could be seen from the European craftsman and those people that produces what they gold to the users, craftsman could be gold smiths, silversmiths and tailors, the traveling merchants made the development between European and other outside countries by carrying goods from place to place according to needs. As the traveling merchants move on, they operate their trading activities.

As marketing stated to play essential roles in industrial activities, they come up with what is regarded as general stores. The general stores stocked so many types of products and they are some how enlarging their stock.
At a time, they need some helpers of marketing activities and those include transportation, communication, banking activities and system with helper of trade, the retailing establishment experienced. Some sort of revolution, secondly the growth of trade in Africa was as a result of the fact that most African countries have their system patterned along their colonial counterparts.

1.1 The Background of the Study

For an insight into the personnel management and Administration in City Gift Supermarket, Enugu, I would try to give a brief history of City Gift Supermarket, Enugu. The shop was built at an estimated cost of N26,000.00 (Twenty six million Naira) to help in reducing unemployment problem in the society and to make goods and service available to the customers. It was established in late 90s.

The establishment is divided into many departments, purchasing department, distribution and warehousing department. Each of the department are headed by the head of that department. This retailing establishment employs about fifty workers, (50) in various departments. The retailing outfit have many products which they handled. The products are flours of all kinds electronics sets of all kinds. Good stuffs, medicines of all kinds and numerous other product the company can boast of selling thousands of items everyday for the company to continue to exist therefore, expertise are highly needed in the company.

Coming to employment, majority of the workers from the area were employed since the company was established. Again the establishment helped in a big way in reducing unemployment problem. The establishment is completely very well as far as other retailing establishment are concerned.

1.2 The Statement of the Problem

There is no doubt that some retailing establishment in Enugu State are performing below expectation. That is why they do not meet the required sales volumes considering the opportunities open to them for exploitation. It is the intention of this project to explore the reason behind their poor performance. This establishment has some problems like competition.

We cannot say that City Gift Supermarket, Enugu is the only retailing establishment in Enugu State there are many other retailing establishment that is competiting with it, such as Kings Way Stores, Leventis Stores, U.A.C. etc. Sometimes, this kings way shops will reduce their prices with N1.00 so that they can draw customers from other shops, after their customer has purchase the goods they will take it to their customers house with their delivery van.
Sometimes these retailing establishment will go and buy an inferior goods to sale at a high price to their customers. Then after their customers has purchase these goods he bought from the store is not a quality one, then he return the goods back to the seller and the seller himself will be confused because he thought the goods is a quality goods.
High cost of rentage is another problem that most of all these retailing establishment are facing. Now it is well known to everybody that the cost of rentage has increased everywhere, and this retailing establishment at times find it very difficult to pay their rent money because they do not gain all the time.

And the owners of the house will not want to know whether they are gaining or not. All what he wants is his rent money, most often because of high rent some retailing establishments add a little money while selling their goods.
And also these retailing establishment will not get efficient store-keeper, that knows about retailing. They will be wasting their time and energy working in the establishment without achieving any thing. This will make the owner of the establishment to look for a person that is qualified for shop keeping or managing of his shop.

Furthermore, poor control system is another problem in these establishment. The system of their control is poor and this will lead to the downfall of the establishment. If the management of City Gift Supermarket, Enugu did not look into the problem of poor control system in the shop very well, the shop will close down.

Finally high price of product is another problem that is facing retailing establishment in Nigeria. At times they will, but the price of the goods is very high and this will make their customers to stop patronizing them. As a result, they will lose some of the customers.

1.3 The Economic Impact of City Gift Supermarket, Enugu

The Economic Impact of City Gift is that retailing establishment management can increase sales through an efficient marketing strategy.

The economic impact of City Gift is also to educate mangers of retailing establishment on how to gain retain customers loyalty.

1.4 The Importance of the Study

The importance of the study is to alert the management of City Gift Enugu to become very sensitive to the effective use of marketing strategy within the establishment.

In the same vain, its management at all levels would be actually aware of the product and services requirements of the customers. It is also expected to create awareness to the organisation’s contribution to their well-being. This will in no doubt build a co-operate image to the company within and outside the state.