Traditional selling method. Forms and methods of selling goods in retail trade. Applying Selling Methods to Retail

Analysis of the main methods of sales of the supermarket "Central"

The sale of goods is the final stage of the trade and technological process in the store. The operations performed at this stage are the most responsible, as they are related to the direct customer service.

The nature and structure of operations for the sale of goods depend primarily on the range of goods sold and the methods of their sale. So, the buyer spends much less time on the choice of goods of daily demand than on goods of periodic or rare demand. The content of operations for the sale of goods in stores that use various methods of sale, which is understood as a set of techniques and methods for selling goods to customers, differs significantly.

The method of retail sale of goods, which is used in the supermarket "Central" - the method of sale through the counter (traditional method).

All stages of the technological process in the store are shown in the following figure 2.

This technological scheme does not indicate auxiliary operations, which include: unpacking, preparation for sale, organization of storage and delivery of containers.

Selling goods through the service counter includes: meeting the buyer and identifying his intention; offer and display of goods; assistance in choosing goods and advice; offering related and new products; settlement operations; issuance of purchases.

Figure 2

The buyer who comes to the store is greeted cordially, while a neat impression is left by a tidy appearance store employees, order and cleanliness in the trading floor. Revealing the intention of buyers is carried out by the sales staff unobtrusively, in a polite manner.

After identifying the intention of the buyer, the seller shows the relevant goods. At the same time, he draws attention to the characteristics of individual goods, offers other similar goods instead of missing ones. If necessary, the seller is obliged to provide qualified advice to the buyer, which may include information about the purpose of the goods and methods of their operation, consumption rates, etc. The seller's obligations also include the offer of related products to the buyer.

The sale of goods is completed by settlement with buyers and the issuance of purchases to them. These operations can be performed on the work controller-cashier.

The flowchart of the process of the traditional sales method is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3

Let's analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this sales method in Table 3, which were identified in the course of the operation of the Centralny supermarket.

Table 3 - Advantages and disadvantages of the traditional sales method used in the Central supermarket

Thus, this method of sales is characterized by some isolation of the buyer of the seller, which can be called the “counter effect”. The counter, as it were, separates the seller and the buyer, making their communication not effective enough. The buyer would like to ask about the product, but, seeing the queue and the busyness of the seller, does not do this, which reduces the likelihood of a purchase. This is not typical for every buyer, but, according to surveys, it happens quite often.

A common feature of all store methods of selling goods is the performance of direct customer service operations on the trading floor of the store in which best conditions for the organization of bargaining and hospitality services for the population. At the same time, when applying various methods of sale (the main ones are the traditional method of selling goods through the service counter and a group of progressive methods in the sale of goods - selling goods through self-service, with individual service, by samples, with an open display, etc. .) the content of operations for the sale of goods differs significantly.

Selling goods through the service counter

The essence of the traditional method of selling goods is that both the buyer and the seller are necessarily involved in the process of choosing goods, who personally performs the main operations of selecting and showing the goods to the buyer, making settlements and handing over the purchase. Goods fenced off from buyers by a counter are located in such a way that their bulk is inaccessible to the buyer, and sometimes invisible to him. Buyers can get the right product for review and selection only directly through the seller. Having finished serving one buyer, the seller begins to serve the next, and so on.

The sale of goods through the service counter is carried out by sellers. In stores that use this method, the final stage of the trade and technological process consists of the following operations: meeting the buyer and identifying his intentions (demand); offer and display of goods, assistance in choosing goods and consultation; offering related and new products, carrying out technological operations related to measuring, cutting, weighing goods, etc.; settlement operations; packaging and distribution of purchases. In this case, settlement operations can be performed at the workplace of both the seller and the controller-cashier. The general concept of operations for the sale of goods through the service counter is shown on. Figure 17 17.5.

. Rice 175. Schematic diagram of the process of selling goods through the service counter

When selling technically complex goods with a warranty period, in addition to the listed operations, the seller is obliged to make a note in the passport for the product confirming the date of sale and the right to buy for warranty service, write out a sales receipt and hand it over to the buyers.

Despite the fact that when organizing the sale of goods through the counter, public service spends considerable time on the purchase of goods, the independence of buyers in the choice of goods is limited, the traditional method of selling goods is still quite widespread in domestic trade enterprises. The use of the traditional method of selling goods in modern trade practice is due to both the object of ivnima and subjective factors. The main objective factor in the use of the sale of goods through the service counter is the existence of a number of goods that are inappropriate to sell providing customers with unlimited access to the product display - expensive jewelry, watches, cameras and other goods specific to the organization of customer service, among the subjective factors in the first The turn can be called the attempts of sellers and store management to prevent theft of goods by buyers.

When selling goods through the service counter, the main burden falls on the seller, whose qualifications determine the speed and quality of customer service. Therefore, it is important to properly organize the work of the seller and his workplace. So, before the start of sales of goods, the seller must prepare the necessary trade equipment, packaging materials, place them at the workplace, check the serviceability of trade and technological equipment on the trading floor (measuring, refrigeration, cash register equipment), the availability of price tags on goods, information signs and other visual aids, as well as the sanitary condition of the workplace.

Directly during customer service, the duty of the sales staff is a polite, friendly attitude towards each customer who came to the store's trading floor, while during the meeting the buyer is positively affected by the neat appearance of the seller, cleanliness and order in the trading floor.

In the process of identifying the intentions of the buyer, the seller must find out the intentions of the buyer regarding the style, model, price and other features of the product, and the operation of identifying the intentions of the buyer itself must be performed by the seller unobtrusively and in a polite manner.

One of the most important elements of customer service in a store is the operation of displaying goods, performed after detecting the intentions of the buyer. The correct organization of the display of goods can only be ensured on the basis of a well-thought-out scheme for the placement of goods, the use modern ways their teaching. When displaying goods, the seller must offer several varieties of relevant products, draw the attention of the buyer to the features of individual products, offer other similar products if the buyer needs the product is not currently on sale. In the process of familiarizing the buyer with the goods, the seller can (and is obliged) to provide the buyer with qualified advice on the purpose of the goods, the differences between similar goods of different brands, the methods of their operation and the peculiarities of its care, the conformity of the goods offered current trends development of fashion, to reveal the merchandising, aesthetic properties of the goods, the quality of products, etc.

When providing advice, it is important not to be limited to providing information about the product that interests the buyer, but also to ensure the promotion of new products and contribute to the education of aesthetic tastes in the purchase.

Some of the necessary information about goods in a store that sells goods using the traditional method of sale can be obtained by the buyer from mute information (various indexes and reference tables), which allows to some extent to speed up the process of servicing individual buyers and reduce the waiting time for subsequent buyers at maintenance.

When the buyer chooses a certain product, the seller's obligations include the performance of technical operations related to cutting, cutting, weighing goods, which are characterized by significant labor and time costs for their implementation. Therefore, for high-quality customer service, the seller's workplace must be organized in accordance with the requirements of technological maps for the organization of work of sellers. Technological cards it is expedient to develop sales organizations for each workplace, taking into account the specifics of the range of goods sold, the characteristics of the technical equipment of the enterprise, and the methods of sale used.

An important role in the qualitative performance of technical operations with visualization, cutting, weighing of goods is also played by the seller's knowledge of the rules for the sale of individual goods and mastering the most rational ways to perform individual technical operations.

The sale of goods by the traditional method ends with the payment for the goods and the delivery of the purchase to the buyer. At the same time, depending on the scheme of organization of the trade and technological process adopted in the store, invoices for goods can be settled both directly at the workplace of the seller, and at the workplace of the controller-cashier in the settlement node. Therefore, the seller is obliged to indicate to the buyer not only the mind of payment for the goods, but also at which cash desk the cost of the goods must be paid and where it can be received. After paying the cost of the goods, the seller is obliged to pack the goods and politely hand over the purchase to the buyer.

The process of serving customers in a store using the traditional method of selling goods can also be completed by providing customers with additional services, therefore, the seller must find out from the buyer which particular ambassadors from the proposed list are needed.

Generalized requirements for organizing the sale of goods according to the traditional method of selling goods in stores are reflected in Table 171

. Table 171

Elements of the process of selling goods and serving customers according to the traditional method of selling goods through the service counter

When organizing the sale of goods according to the traditional method, in order to prevent crowding and inconvenience in their independent inspection of goods displayed in showcases and other demonstration equipment, it is important to choose the right schemes (options) for planning trading floors. The most common one? with a trading floor depth of 6-7 meters, it is advisable to place cabinets and counters in one line, close to the wall that separates the trading floor from utility rooms; if the depth of the trading floor reaches more than 8 meters, the workplaces of sellers can be located along two or three walls. The linear planning scheme provides: approaching the workplaces of sellers to the premises for storing goods, with shorter labor costs for moving goods to the trading floor; the ability to replenish inventory during the store, without creating inconvenience for customers, the ability to maneuver individual sellers.

The choice of the option of linear planning of workplaces depends not only on the size and shape of the trading floor - it is also necessary to comply with the requirements according to which the area occupied by the workplaces of sellers should not exceed 40% of the trading floor area. Cash desks must be located on the front line of the trading floor, and not along the line of equipment for the workplaces of sellers, it is inconvenient for both cashiers and sellers. The optimal depth and width of cash desks is 1.5 m.

The acceleration of customer service in stores selling goods through the counter can be facilitated by the transfer of settlement operations for goods outside the sales department - to the settlement nodes. At the same time, such decisions should be sufficiently justified and focused on reducing the waiting time for customers for service.

The level of service for customers in the traditional method of selling goods can be quantified on the basis of various indicators, in particular, an indicator of the average amount of time spent by customers waiting for service.

The average amount of time spent by customers waiting for service is determined, as a rule, on the basis of time measurements during the period of the most intense flow of customers in the store. Timekeeping of costs and time is advisable to keep separately for the following elements: 1) waiting for service (consultation) by the seller, 2) waiting for the calculation. In this case, the total number of measurements taken should not be less than 20 vents.

The results obtained are processed by carrying out the calculation according to the formula:

Where. Cho - the total amount of time buyers wait for service (consultation) by the seller, min;

Mon - the total amount of waiting time for customers to calculate, min; n - number of timing measurements

A more accurate and detailed assessment of the main parameters of the customer service process in a store can be carried out based on the use of the mathematical apparatus of the queuing theory

In general, the use of the traditional method of selling goods in stores reduces the level of trade services for the population, since the time spent by buyers on purchasing goods increases, and their independence in choosing a product is limited.

At the same time, in the practice of both domestic and foreign trade, the traditional method of selling goods remains a convenient method that is advisable to use in small trading enterprises, selling food and highly specialized non-food products. Selling through the service counter is advisable to use for such goods that cannot be transferred to self-selection by buyers, since they require special, careful handling, which is achieved by the presence and participation of the seller in the demonstration of the goods, explaining its properties and features, verifying the quality of the goods in the presence of the buyer , demonstrations in action. In general, over-the-counter sales are more effective than self-service and other progressive methods, provided stores are provided with a wide range of bulk goods and low-intensity purchase flows.

The nature and structure of operations for the sale of goods depend primarily on the range of goods sold and the methods of their sale. So, the buyer spends much less time on the choice of goods of daily demand than on goods of periodic or rare demand.

According to the determining method of sale, stores are divided into groups: - a store that sells goods through the counter;

A store that sells goods using the self-service method;

According to samples and catalogs;

A store selling goods using the open display method;

On pre-order.

Selling goods on the basis of an open display of goods is one of the most convenient methods for selling goods for buyers. An open display allows you to speed up the sale of goods, increase the throughput of the store, and expand the volume of sales of goods.

This method provides for free access of buyers to the goods laid out on the trading floor, the ability to independently inspect and select them without the help of the seller, which allows for a more rational distribution of functions between store employees. Selected goods are paid for at settlement nodes serviced by controllers - cashiers. With an open display of goods, the technological layout of the trading floor and other premises of the store, the organization of liability, the supply of goods, as well as the functions of store employees, change.

Functions of the seller with this method of service:

Buyer consulting;

Display of goods;

Control over the safety of goods;

Performing settlement operations.

The sales process here consists of the following main operations:

Meeting the buyer and providing him with the necessary information about the goods sold, services, etc.;

Receipt by the buyer of an inventory picture or cart for the selection of goods;

Self-selection of goods by the buyer and their delivery to the settlement center;

Calculation of the cost of selected goods and receipt of a check;

Payment for purchased goods;

Packing purchased goods and placing them in the buyer's bag;

Return of the cart to the place of their concentration.

The entire range of goods is placed by groups, types and purpose, laid out on special island-type counters and in wall cabinets. For displaying shoes and piece textile goods, as a rule, inclined shelves are used, and for household goods - horizontal ones. All goods are supplied with price tags; if necessary, special boards are installed on the trading floor, on which the purpose and methods of using the goods are indicated.

The buyer can approach all the goods available in the store, independently inspect and select the goods he needs. Taking the selected goods, the buyer goes to the workplace of the controller-cashier, usually located at the exit from the store. Cash registers are installed at the workplace of the controller-cashier. The controller-cashier knocks out a check, packs the goods and hands it over to the buyer along with the check.

The process of selling goods in a store with an open display of goods requires a clear organization, namely:

In the trading floor it is necessary to constantly have a wide range of goods. All items in the store must be on sale;

Equipment for displaying and displaying goods should not contain decorative ornaments. The layout should provide the buyer with a free selection of the desired product;

Equipment for the display and display of goods must always be filled, for this, exhibition and working stocks must be systematically replenished;

When making a purchase of goods, the buyer should be given maximum independence.

Thus, in the self-service store, the time spent by the buyer on the purchase of goods is significantly reduced. Since the consumer serves himself, a quick purchase of goods is ensured with any flow of buyers.

Open-layout stores require fewer employees, and therefore lower wage costs. Store areas are used more rationally, as the space previously occupied by counters and aisles for sellers is freed up.

Since we are opening a warehouse store with a low price level, this store will work on the basis of an open display of goods - this is one of the most convenient methods for selling goods for buyers. Free access of customers to the goods laid out on the trading floor, the ability to independently inspect and select them without the help of a store employee.

The Home Goods store, which sells goods using the open display method, is based on the principle of free selection of goods by customers. Our store is most effective when selling goods of a simple assortment of the most popular demand, as well as when selling goods that are well known to the buyer, the range of which is relatively stable. In addition, it is effective with a high intensity of customer flows, since this method of sale provides significant savings in the number of personnel. The choice of the defining method of selling goods forms the basis of the store's trade and technological process and the level of customer service.

The act of retail sale includes a whole range of legal, economic, sociological, cultural, technological and commercial aspects. If we single out its commercial and technological components, then this can be conditionally represented as follows:

Thus, the act of sale is always present in the technological process and is its final link. The technology for its implementation is determined by the method(s) of sale of goods used.

Under sale method understand the totality of techniques and methods of selling goods to customers.

Depending on the degree of participation of the seller in the service and the technology for choosing goods, retailers use two main service systems: traditional and progressive.

The traditional system is represented by the sale of goods through the service counter. Progressive ones include: self-service, selling goods with an open display and selling goods by samples.

The progressiveness of these methods is determined by the following factors:

Wide independence of buyers in the process of choosing goods and creating maximum convenience for them in the process of familiarization, vacation and settlement operations;

Acceleration of the process of trade customer service;

Sellers become consultants, assistants in the selection of goods, "co-buyers";

Increasing the throughput of the store without expanding the retail space;

Increasing the culture of trade and reducing distribution costs.

The time spent by customers in stores using progressive selling methods is reduced by 30-50%, and throughput is increased by 1.5-2 times. With a rational organization of the trade and technological process in self-service stores, labor productivity increases by 15–20%, the use of the material and technical base improves, distribution costs are reduced by 10–15%. Sociological studies show that the introduction of self-service saves at least 10 hours per week per family.

Progressive methods of sale allow solving one of the most important social and economic tasks of trade - reducing consumption costs, the relevance of which increases with the transition to market relations. This is due to an increase in the rhythm of life and, consequently, a higher appreciation of each free hour. Therefore, these methods of sale are becoming more widespread in the practice of enterprises in the retail market. However, efficiency is determined by the implementation of a whole set of requirements and principles, which will be discussed below.

2 Traditional and progressive methods of selling goods

The tradition of selling goods through the service counter originated from the time of the appearance of commodity exchange processes and continues to this day. The versatility of the retail organization process makes the traditional method acceptable for the sale of food and a wide range of non-food products.

The traditional method of retail sales (sales through the counter) – method retail sale of goods, in which the seller provides the buyer with an inspection and selection of goods, packs and releases the goods. This method provides for all forms of settlement with customers, after-sales service.

Traditional service is used if the goods arrive unprepared for sale, require weighing, measuring and other operations performed by the seller. Service by the seller is recommended above all for the sale of goods that require more detailed explanations. In the USA, for example, this method of sale is used mainly in specialized stores (bakery, butcher, shoe, etc.).

Operational scheme this method of sale can be represented as follows:

In over-the-counter stores, the selling process is more costly, involving many operations, most of which are labor intensive. Thus, the identification of demand is accompanied by the offer and display of goods. Further, assistance is provided in the selection and consultations and offers of related products, novelties are carried out. And only after that, weighing, measuring operations are performed; payments are made for goods; The goods are packed and delivered to the buyer.

Thus, the service process takes a lot of time, the throughput of the store is low, personnel costs are significant, and there is a high probability of a queue forming. In addition, it is important to note that the seller carries out the entire service process and he must have a high professional level. He is required to have a good knowledge of the assortment, competent and fast execution of the entire cycle of technological operations and compliance with the ethics of relationships with customers.

It is clear that not every employee meets the requirements of professional skills, which causes additional difficulties in the organization of service and requires special attention and control from the sales floor manager.

In this regard, if conditions permit, it is advisable to use the self-service method.

Self service– a method of retail sale based on self-inspection, selection and delivery by the buyer of selected goods to the settlement unit.

The technological process of selling by the self-service method is a "chain" of sequentially performed operations:

The self-service method is used in the sale of most food and non-food products. Exceptions are household electrical appliances and cars, refrigerators, carpets and rugs, bicycles, motorcycles, boats, motors, tents, radio and television equipment, radio souvenirs and some other goods.

Distinguish full and partial(limited) self-service.

Self-service is considered complete if all goods are sold in the store by this method. Partial self-service is when some goods are sold directly by sellers. Such goods, as a rule, arrive at the store in bulk, and their preliminary packaging is not advisable. The share of goods sold through self-service must be at least 70% of the total retail turnover of the store.

In addition, there are enterprises with full or partial service. With full service, the duties of the seller-consultant include the readiness to personally help the buyer at all stages of the search, comparison and selection of goods. Partial service, on the other hand, implies the possibility of connecting the seller to the buyer's search for a particular product or offering advice on the goods presented in the store.

The experience of selling goods using self-service, with the correct solution of a number of organizational and technological issues, shows the yoke significant advantages over the traditional method (Table 1). However, it should be noted that the self-service method shows its advantages only if a number of fundamental provisions are observed:

Development of an optimal planning solution for the trading floor;

Unlimited entry of buyers and free access to the goods laid out on the equipment;

The use of inventory baskets or carts by buyers when selecting goods;

Possibility of obtaining at any time advice or assistance of a consultant-seller;

Free orientation of buyers in the trading floor, provided with a rational system of signs and other information means;

The predominance of self-service sales (at least 70%) in the total turnover.

The development of an optimal planning solution involves, as a rule:

Linear layout of equipment;

Placement of a single settlement node at the exit from the trading floor;

Strict separation of incoming and outgoing streams;

Rational placement of sections, product groups and areas of application of the work of sellers.

Table 1 - Comparative characteristics traditional (over the counter) method of sale and self-service.

Still of interest to practitioners are the Methodological recommendations developed by a team of scientists from CINOTUR (Central Institute for the Scientific Organization of Labor, Management and Rationalization) on transferring consumer cooperation stores to self-service (Moscow, 1971). in addition, since 1999 the research institute of Belkoopsoyuz has also taken some steps to streamline the work of consumer cooperation stores. Thus, the requirements for exemplary stores of the system of consumer cooperation set out the basic principles for the use of retail space, methods of sale, development technological schemes placement of equipment; advertising and information design and implementation of other organizational and technological operations in stores. Of course, there is a need for serious research into the issues of trade services at the level of a special scientific institute, which has been successfully working in the West for more than a decade. For example, in the United States, the Center for Trade Education and Research at the University of Florida has been established, funded by 12 national and regional trading companies.

The efficiency of self-service is qualitatively increased when using bar coding of goods. In Western countries, almost all trade is based on bar codes. In its absence, trade does not accept goods from the manufacturer or accepts, but at a significant discount. Bar coding is economically justified if it covers at least 85% of the goods. At the same time, stores, regardless of their size, reduce the current costs of selling goods, subject to the established assortment. There is an opportunity to speed up the time of settlements with customers, constantly monitor the state of inventory, the progress of sales.

Along with the use of plastic cards, store cards have been successfully introduced in some stores. Their use allows not only to simplify settlement operations, but also to "fix" customers with your store. The presence of the card gives the buyer the right to additional services (free distribution of catalogs of a commodity enterprise, information about new products, ordering by phone, etc.).

To progressive methods of sale also refer sale of goods by samples and open display.

Sale of goods by samples – this is a method of retail sale based on free access and choice of goods by the buyer according to the samples displayed on the trading floor, their payment and receipt of goods corresponding to the samples with possible home delivery (at the request of the buyer). The technological process in this case can be represented as follows:

This method allows you to present samples of a fairly wide range of goods on a relatively small area of ​​the trading floor. After self-examination of the goods and selection, the buyer pays for it and receives the purchase. The working stock can be formed at the workplace of the seller, in the pantries of the store, in the warehouses of the manufacturer or wholesaler.

Sale of goods by samples is widely used in the sale of furniture, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, musical instruments, motorcycles, bicycles, building materials, fabrics, lighting, heating and heating appliances and other large-sized and technically complex goods. This method of sale is regulated by the “Rules for the sale of goods by samples”, approved by the Order of the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Belarus No. 83 dated June 16, 1998.

The sale of goods with an open display has also become widespread in retail trade.

Sale of goods with an open display – a method of retail sale in which goods are openly displayed on the trading floor and freely accessible, but the final service requires the "intervention" of the seller. Therefore, familiarization of buyers with the available assortment, selection and selection of goods is carried out by the buyer independently (as in self-service), and then quality control operations, consultations, weighing or measuring, packaging and release of goods by the seller follow.

The technological process with this method consists of the following operations:

This method is used in the sale of hosiery, perfumery, haberdashery, school stationery, souvenirs, porcelain-faience, tulle-garden products, fabrics, as well as other non-food and some food products (vegetables, fruits, etc.).

The method under consideration is more convenient than the traditional one in that at the same time many buyers can familiarize themselves with openly laid out goods without distracting sellers for display and information operations. With a rational organization of open display sales, sales operations are accelerated, the throughput of the store is increased, and the productivity of salespeople is increased.

3 Modern Selling Methods

The development of communication tools, caused by the achievements of scientific and technological progress and the change in the lifestyle of modern potential buyers, the mentality of both buyers and sellers, is an effective factor contributing to the development of new methods of sale.

Thus, the presence in each family of a telephone, television, computer and the creation of electronic directories provide grounds for the development of telephone sales and electronic commerce.

Advisory sale may occur in the sale of engineering services, in the field of scientific research, construction, computer science. In this case, the seller becomes in some cases a mentor, adviser, consultant, assistant to the buyer.

The development of the leisure industry has given rise to spectacle sales, the development of morals and value systems - paradoxical sale. The latter presents the sale as a staged performance, where the seller plays the role of hostess or host. This method of selling is based on listening, the manifestation of human warmth, affection that exists in relationships in a close circle, sharing common points of view on the problem posed.

Interactive e-commerce represents electronic system, which allows buyers to communicate with the seller through a TV and phone or computer. Consumers are connected to the retailer's database using a computer and modem. They pay a monthly fee to use the system.

Thus, the sale takes on more and more subtle and varied forms, and it is increasingly difficult to view it as a chain of logically constructed transactions. A high level of competition leads to the emergence of new ways of selling goods, and here the latest computer and communication technologies play a special role.

The development of sales methods is not without problems. According to some Western scholars, the sales methods used in developed market economies become less and less effective in a glut of the market as the consumer protection movement develops. Potential buyers, thanks to the abundance of information, not only know their rights better and better, but also get acquainted in detail with the methods and techniques of the sale of which they are the object. It becomes more and more difficult to attract them using the phone, even pre-prepared presentations do not give the expected result.

The sellers who occupy these positions in conditions of a negative choice often make their negative contribution. High turnover of personnel with low wages does not contribute to the growth of professionalism of personnel. Therefore, it is necessary to radically reconsider the approach to selling and its methods and recognize these issues as extremely important in the organization of modern retail trade.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the sales methods used.

Optimization of technological processes of direct customer service in the store is reflected in the achievement of the tasks set by the enterprise to achieve a certain economic and social efficiency.

The social effect of the chosen method of sale is to reduce the buyer's time spent on purchasing goods, to improve the culture of trade service, and to improve the working conditions of the store staff.

The economic effect of the introduction of the sales method is expressed in an increase in the throughput of the store, an increase in turnover, an improvement in the use of retail space and trade and technological equipment, and an increase in the productivity of trade workers.

To analyze the results of the correct choice of the sales method and the effectiveness of its implementation, several approaches can be used:

Comparing the performance of self-service stores with the performance of similar stores using the traditional sales method;

Comparison of the performance of the store before and after its transfer to new method sales;

Comparison of the performance of stores using the same sales method among themselves;

Analysis of the dynamics of store performance.

Traditionally, all analyzed indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of the method used are conventionally divided into three groups (Table 2).

Table 2 - Groups of indicators for evaluating the performance of stores.

World practice confirms that, in general, in large stores, the turnover per 1 m 2 of trading space and per employee is much higher. Lower level of distribution costs. This is due to a significantly higher level of mechanization of technological processes, the use of progressive commodity supply systems, a wide choice of goods, the creation of greater convenience for buyers, etc.

At the same time, in the practice of trade and small-sized retail space, stores have high economic, technical, technological and social indicators, if all options are carefully analyzed and optimal solutions are found for each element of the technological process of trade customer service.

Retail sale of goods is the most important element of commercial activity, which has a direct impact on the final result of the work of a trade organization.

Commercial activities for the organization of retail sales are aimed at increasing sales and ensuring the profitability of trade organizations by actively influencing this process by creating and stimulating demand for goods.

The merchant should take into account that the retail organization includes, at a minimum, technological and commercial aspects, each of which affects the final sales efficiency, which are presented in Figure 14.

The effectiveness of the sale of goods can be ensured by, first of all, right choice method(s) of selling goods. At the same time, it should be taken into account that in the specialized literature and textbooks a wide range of terms and concepts are used, which sometimes act as synonyms. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to try to distinguish between such concepts as the form of sale, methods of sale and forms of sale, service systems, styles of sale and forms of retail organization.

Under the organizational forms of retail understand the organization of store, out-of-store and company trade.

Method of retailing goods - a set of techniques and methods and operations aimed at the rational organization of the process of selling goods.

There are the following methods:

Individual customer service or selling goods through the counter (traditional method of selling);

Open display of goods;

Sale of goods according to samples or catalogs;

Sale of goods by self-service method;

Sale of goods on pre-orders;

Electronic commerce.

Characteristics of sales methods, their advantages and disadvantages are presented in table 7.

Figure 14 - Technological and commercial operations of the retail sale of goods

Table 7 - Methods of selling goods

One-to-one customer service or over-the-counter sales- a method of retail sale in which the seller provides the buyer with a choice and inspection of goods, measures the quantity in accordance with the order of the buyer, packs and releases the goods. This method of sale is used in cases where the goods arrive unprepared for sale, require weighing, measuring and other operations performed by the seller. This method finds application in gastronomic departments, butchers, etc.

In shops that sell goods through the counter, the process is more expensive, because includes a large number of labor-intensive operations. The operating scheme of this method of selling goods is shown in Figure 15.

Figure 15 - Scheme of the method of selling goods through the counter

Sellers who carry out the entire process of customer service must have the necessary qualifications, know the assortment well, and observe the ethics of relationships with customers. Not every employee meets the requirements of professional skills, which causes additional difficulties in the organization of service and requires special attention and control from the manager of the trading floor.

Self service- a method of retail sale of goods, based on the independent inspection by buyers of goods laid out on commercial equipment, the selection of the necessary goods and their delivery to the settlement center. The technological process of selling goods by self-service method is a "chain" of sequential operations, the scheme of which is shown in Figure 16.

Figure 16 - Scheme of the self-service method

The self-service method has become widespread in supermarkets, most non-food stores. The exceptions are household electrical appliances and cars, refrigerators, carpets and rugs, bicycles, motorcycles, boats, motors, television and electronic equipment, and some others. The self-service method shows its advantages only if the following provisions are observed:

Development of an optimal planning solution for the trading floor;

The use of inventory baskets or carts by buyers when selecting goods;

Unlimited entry of buyers and free access to goods laid out on commercial equipment;

Thoughtful selection and placement of equipment;

Possibility of obtaining at any time advice or assistance of a consultant-seller;

Free orientation of buyers in the trading floor, provided by the presence of signs and other information means.

The efficiency of self-service is greatly enhanced by the use of bar coding; weighing equipment, with the help of which buyers can independently weigh the goods they have selected; introduction of payment methods with plastic bank cards.

Sale of goods by samples - This is a method of retail sale based on free access and selection of goods by the buyer according to the samples displayed on the trading floor, payment for them and receipt of tori corresponding to the samples. At the same time, it is possible to deliver large-sized goods to customers at home. The technological process is shown in Figure 17.

Figure 17 - Scheme of the method of selling goods by samples

This method allows you to present samples of a fairly wide range of goods on a relatively small area of ​​the trading floor. After self-inspection and selection, the buyer pays for it and receives the purchase. The working stock can be formed at the workplace of the seller, at the warehouse of the store, at the warehouse of the wholesaler or the manufacturer of the goods. This method is widely used in the sale of bulky goods (refrigerators, cars, motorcycles, building materials, etc.).

The sale of goods with an open display has become widespread in retail trade. Sale of goods with an open display - a method of retail sale in which goods are openly displayed on the sales floor and freely accessible, but the final service requires interaction with the seller. The choice and selection of goods is carried out by the buyer independently, but quality control, consultations, weighing or measuring, packaging and dispensing of goods are carried out by the seller. The technological process with this method consists of the operations shown in Figure 18.

Figure 18 - Scheme of the method of selling goods with an open display

This method is used in the sale of hosiery, perfumes, haberdashery, school stationery, souvenirs, dishes and other non-food and food (vegetables, fruits, etc.) goods. The considered method is convenient in comparison with serving through the counter in that at the same time many buyers can familiarize themselves with openly laid out goods without distracting the seller for display and informing operations. With a rational organization of open display sales, sales operations are accelerated, the throughput of the store is increased, and the productivity of salespeople is increased.

Selling goods by catalogs is a kind of method of selling goods by samples, because instead of natural samples of goods, a catalog of their photographs is attached with a description of the options - after choosing the goods and paying for it, the goods are delivered to the buyer by mail or delivered by courier. Shops that trade in this way usually have showrooms.

Sale of goods on pre-orders can be attributed to the services of retailers. The buyer makes a preliminary order of the goods he needs in the order desk or by phone, specifying the time for the purchase of the goods or their delivery to his home. Payment for goods can be made in any way convenient for the buyer (pre-payment in cash at the cash desk of the store or cash payment upon receipt or delivery by courier).

The development of communication tools, caused by the achievements of scientific and technological progress and changing lifestyles modern people, contributes to the emergence of new, progressive methods of selling goods. These include e-commerce, telephone sales, advisory sales, sales of goods through vending machines, spectacle sales, paradoxical sales, etc.

The presence of a telephone, a computer in the family, the creation of electronic directories gave the basis for the development sales of goods by telephone and e-commerce. The process of selling goods by phone is similar to selling goods on pre-orders. It is possible to make a purchase of goods by placing an order by phone, and in teleshop. They received the name "Shop on the sofa", "Top-shop" and others. This method resembles the method of sales presentations, however, unlike the latter, sales representatives demonstrate the goods not at the consumer's home or office, but on TV.

IN Lately such a method of sales as " sales presentation" or "personal selling". This method of sales is used when selling products of well-known cosmetic, pharmaceutical companies, as well as for selling dishes, jewelry and many other product groups. Sales presentation- this is a personal sale of goods, including their oral presentation and a visual demonstration of these goods in action. The main purpose of the presentation is to convince, to turn the buyer's interest into a sale. The ultimate goal is a thorough study and the transformation of a consumer who has not yet made a decision into a buyer. Presentation is at the heart of network marketing. Sales representatives demonstrate the product, how it is used, the distinctive properties of the product and the results of its use directly to the consumer at home, at work or in the office of the seller company. Thanks to this method of sale, potential buyers not only learn better about the consumer properties of certain goods offered for sale, but also see the product in action, and can appreciate the benefits of its use. This method is used by Zepter, Mary Kay and others.

Electronic commerce is a method of retail sale of goods, when the sale process is carried out electronically using Internet technologies. There are two classes of systems for e-commerce:

- "Business-to-Business" (Business-to-Business - B2B);

- "Business-to-Customer" (Business-to-Customer - B2C).

B2C systems include:

Web showcase - a price list of a trading company designed using web design tools, which does not contain the business logic of the trading process;

The online store contains, in addition to the web-showcase, all necessary business logic for managing the process of Internet trading (back office), and the trading Internet system (TIS) is an online store, the back office of which is fully (in real time) integrated into the trading business process of the company. The advantages of e-commerce are manifested in the fact that the buyer can be offered a more flexible system of discounts, immediately issue an invoice, taking into account the cost of delivery and insurance. In addition, he will be able to see the real state of the warehouse and receive information about the progress of his order. The buyer will first of all purchase goods on the websites of those companies that provide the best prices and good service. It is on these competitive advantages that Internet merchants build their plans to attract a permanent clientele.

E-commerce is beneficial for both buyers and trade organizations. From the point of view of buyers, e-commerce has the following advantages over traditional selling methods:

- reducing the cost of the procurement process, because searching for the right products in disparate and often outdated supplier catalogs, the process of asking the supplier for product details, price, cost and delivery method takes a lot of time and money from buyers. B2B e-commerce allows you to reduce costs and, in addition, save time in the procurement process;

- reducing unnecessary costs- often buyers pay for goods and services much more than they actually cost. Automating the buying process will avoid such overlays;

- wide choice and the best price policy. Despite a fairly wide choice of providers, an offline buyer is still forced to choose providers primarily on a geographical basis and is often limited in time and money that can be spent on exploring all the possibilities, so the choice is not always optimal. Powerful Internet search capabilities and access from anywhere in the world greatly increase the efficiency of selection.

Sellers benefit from:

- reduction in sales costs: Selling through conventional distribution channels is often inefficient, resulting in avoidable costs and time and space constraints. The Internet offers new opportunities, allowing to reduce the costs associated with the sales process, for example, for pre-sale preparation of goods;

- new customers and increased profits: The Internet allows you to attract new customers who are not available through traditional sales channels, and, consequently, increase your income;

- reducing the cost of order management. Negotiating with buyers using telephone, fax and mail, the seller not only spends more time than when using electronic means of communication, but also more often risks making a mistake. Automation of the information exchange process helps the seller reduce the likelihood of error and speed up the time from receipt of the order to its payment.

When selling goods through vending machines (vending) personal contact with the buyer is not established, there is simply a purchase and receipt of goods using a mechanical device.