World Class Merchandising: : Research, Results, and Recommendations

Citation

Churchill, D.W., Professor and Program, M. (1998), "World Class Merchandising: : Research, Results, and Recommendations", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 80-81. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcm.1998.15.1.80.2

This sequel to Principles of Merchandising: A Global Perspective is also favorably reviewed for many of the same reasons. It is easily read, with interesting information, convenient surveys and summaries, and alternative merchandising strategies. For example, from page one alone I learned that bodegas, bakkals, and botillerias are names for foreign retail outlets; and Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) classify consumers into Consumer activity clusters (CACs) which then are used to implement “trade channel marketing” strategies which, when combined, affect world class merchandising. These are just some of the things you might learn about the international merchandising of fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs).The book is divided into the following three main sections:

1. 1.

   Trade channel merchandising.

2. 2.

   Marketing research pertaining to merchandising and consumer buying habits.

3. 3.

   Operational marketing which involves market and organizational assessment, distribution coverage and routing, and key performance measurements.

Essentially, World Class Merchandising subdivides into the above three main areas which further break down into:

1. 1

   The look of the consumer:

2. 2.

   Defining consumer activity clusters and trade channels.

3. 3.

   Establishing trade channel marketing strategies.

4. 4.

   Determining trade channel merchandising standards and brand/package matrix.

5. 2

   The look of the outlet:

6. 6.

   Implementing packaging and pricing policies.

7. 7.

   Implementing impulse purchase point merchandising standards.

8. 8.

   Measuring, monitoring, and maintaining the implementation of merchandising standards through GLOBALSCORE audit.

9. 3

   The look of the organization:

10. 10.

    Selling systems.

11. 11.

    Distributing systems.

12. 12.

    Merchandising systems.

This book is augmented by research results from an 18‐month European study, a six‐month South American study, and interesting charts/statistics/ lore.

In summary, I found this book interesting and informative.