"In the retail jungle dominated by giants like Walmart and Costco, survival for small and medium sized retailers will require a major shift from the traditional strategy of merchandise management to focus on generating customer value. Coping with Retail Giants critically analyzes the modern retail market and identifies how businesses gain the competitive edge over the major retailers that currently control the market. Dr. Samli argues that as society advances economically, consumers will seek better values generated by the retailing sector. This powerful stimulus will accelerate the retail revolution and will be primarily carried out by entrepreneurial retailers-managers in small and medium size retailing. Dr. Samli blends retail theory and practice to present a new model for retailing that delivers customer value, and ultimately, retail success. "-- Provided by publisher.

"Retailing is the moment of truth in the capitalistic market system because the results of all the economic activity and economic gains are delivered to the consumer through retailing. If the economic system is creating consumer value, retailing is the main deliverer of it. Manufacturer's efforts either pay off or are wasted at this level of delivery. In this sense, retailing is the firing line for most marketing plans and managerial decisions as well as for consumer attempts to satisfy their needs and improve their quality of life. This book is for retailers who are entrepreneurial, independent and creative, and above all, capable of critically analyzing and explaining what is happening in the market in terms of economic changes, consumer needs, and communication networks. They analyze these and many other varieties and connect these changes to their own business. Thus, this book addresses decision makers who make a genuine attempt to give more to their customers and hence try to survive the retail jungle. This book is not a 'how to' book dealing with step-by-step recipes. Rather, it attempts to bring theory and practice together and, by doing so, give a boost to all retail practitioners. But, above all, the book addresses small and medium size retailers who are having a difficult time surviving the pressures of gigantic discounters and chains. This book, deals with small and medium sized retailers and provides directions on how to be more entrepreneurial and proactive, as well as how to create your own competitive advantage"-- Provided by publisher.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Machine generated contents note: -- Dedication -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- About this Book -- Introduction -- 1. Pre-opening Preparations -- 2. Retail Marketing Strategy Development -- 3. Fitting into Multi-Layered Retail Competition -- 4. Major Trends in the Retailing Sector which Independents Must Know -- 5. The Retail Evolution -- 6. Capitalizing on Market Potentials -- 7. Consumer Behavior and Retail Strategy -- Appendix to 7 The High Touch Effect -- 8. Strategy Alternatives -- 9. Developing Measuring, and Managing Store Image -- 10. People are our Strength -- 11. We Must Communicate with our Market -- 12. Developing a Merchandise Mix -- 13. Pricing Strategies -- 14. Being Connected to a Supply Chain -- 15. Store Performance Evaluation -- Postscript.