An Overview of Retailing

Abstract

The retailing as a process is least understood in India. Broadly the organized retail sector can be divided into two segments, In-store Retailers, who operate through fixed point of sale outlets and designed to attract a high volume of walk-in customers, as referred to as the brick-and-mortar formats, and the Non-store Retailers, who reach out to the customers at their homes or offices through direct selling, telemarketing and E-commerce. Until 2011, Indian central government denied foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, forbidding foreign groups from any ownership in supermarkets, convenience stores or any retail outlets. Even single-brand retail was limited to 51% ownership and a bureaucratic process.