principles of retail marketing strategy

Marketing Paper
Marketing 500 – Examination 3

Take Home Essay –

Please answer the question in a comprehensive way at the graduate level using applied examples to illustrate your key points. Please be sure to cite reference materials (text and lecture) where appropriate. Please submit in class and to the dropbox by the due date.

These questions are about the marketing distribution system. Please read the case study on “Sears: Why You Should Shop There” on page 415-416 and online at Beachboard. Please answer the following questions about the cases drawing on text and lecture materials.

1) Discuss the principles of retail marketing strategy as noted in text and lecture. In terms of these principles, illustrate how Sears became the premier retailer in the US.

2) Next, according to the same principles of retail marketing strategy, discuss how lost its positioning as the premier retailer in the US.

3) What marketing strategy has Sears adopted today to help turn things around? Has it worked? Why/Why Not?

4) Despite Sears’ experience, do you feel the function of retailers in the channel distribution system will 1) generally remain the same in the future or, 2) do you think it will (or is) evolving into something different (and into what), or 3) retailing will cease to exist as it is known today, and products will be distributed direct from manufacturers? Pick one and explain/discuss in context of the principles of retail marketing strategy?