A STUDY ON PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF UN ORGANISED RETAIL

BUSINESS IN TIRUNELVELI CORPORATION.

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

PERSONAL DETAILS
1. Name

2. Nativity
Urban

Semiurban

Rural

3. Sex/Gender
Male

Female

4. Age
Below 20

21 to 30

31 to 60

Unmarried

Widow

5. Marital status
Married
6. Educational Status
No formal education

Primary school

SSLC/HSC

Diploma level or Degree

Post graduate level

Scholars

7. Nature of family
Nuclear

Joint

8. Family monthly income

Below Rs. 5000

Rs. 5000 to Rs. 10,000

Rs.10,000 to Rs.25,000

Rs.25,000 to Rs.50,000

above Rs.50,000

9. Forms of Organization of activity

Joint stock company

Partnership

Sole Proprietorship

10. No of family members associated with your business:

Below 3

3 to 5

5 to 8

above 8

2 to 3

3 to 5

11. No of persons employed from outside

No body

Only one

above 5

12. Experience in this field

1 to 4

4 to 6

6 to 10

10 to 15

above 15 years

13. working hours

Less than 5 to 6 hours

6 to 12 hours

12 to 15 hours

More than 15
14. Classify the specify the type of unorganized retail business you own
Grocery

Healthcare & Parts and books

Beverages and footwear shops

Cosmetics

Textiles

Fruits and vegetables

Electronic goods

Others

15. What was the initial investment

Below Rs.10,000

Rs.10,000 to Rs.20,000

Rs.30,000 to 40,000

above Rs.40,000

Rs.20,000 to 30,000

16. What was your source of investment

Own

Borrowed

Both

If borrowed specify the sources

Relatives
Co-operative Banks

Friends

Commercial Banks
Financial institutions

II

Money lenders

17. Opinion about the price of the retail shop

Very high

high

Nocommends

Low

Very low

18. Why did you select this field

Field
Self interest
Traditional business
More profitable venture
Family situation

Very high

High

Moderate

Low very low

19. What is the layout size of the store

Less than 200 sqft

200-500 sqft

500 to1000 sqft

above 1000 sqft

20. What are your layout / Size of the storage / Godown area
Less than 100 sqft

100 to 200 sqft

200-300 sqft

above 500 sqft

21. How many customers generally visit your shop everyday
Below 50

50 to 100

100 to 150

150 300

above 300
22. What is the socio economic profile of most your customers purchase
Upper class less than 50,000
Upper middle class 25,000 to 50,000
Lower middle class 25,000 t0 10,000
Lower class ( < 10,000)
23. Do you think there is good scope for business
Yes

No

III

If yes
family support

Security of job

Financial security

Business expansion

24. Do you encourage your children to this field

Yes

No

If No what are the reason

Job stress

Over work load

Free of the mind

No peaceful job

Others

25. Have you insured your shop

Yes

No

26. What is your monthly turnover

Less than 5,000 6000

Rs.6,000 to 7,000

Rs.8,000 to Rs.9,000

above Rs.9,000

Rs. 7,000 to 8,000

27. Do you think your business will grow in future

Yes

No

Unsure

28. Do you give home delivery

Yes

No

Technology
29. Please tell us about the technological facilities that you use currently use, and the
ones which you plan to use in the near future

Facilities

Current using

IV

Plan to use in
future

Computerized billing
Credit card machine
Scanning/bar coding
Computerized
accounting(software
Air Conditioning
Electronic Weighing
machine
30. Which of these statements best describes what you would do if you obtained bank
credit in future
a) I will start another business along with the current one
b) I will expand and add more services to the same business
c) 1 will get out of this business and start something new
d) I had never thought of expanding
e) I will use family purpose
31.Has there been any big store/organized retail nearby your business?
a) Yes

b) No

Trade Unions
32. Are you a member of a trade union/Association?
a) Yes

b) No

33.Any affiliation to political party link?

a) Yes

b) No

34.Your opinion about the Union:

a) Satisfactory

b) Good

c) No Opinion

35. Any other problems you're facing from trade unions?

a) Yes

b) NO

Buying and selling:

36. Your buying pattern

37.

a) Cash

b) Credit

c) Both

d) From local market

e) outside

f) both

g) From registered dealers

h) unregistered

i) both

j) From retailers

k) wholesalers

l) manufacturers

Mode of purchase:
a) Daily

38.

c) Monthly

d) Yearly

How do you sell?

a) Cash

39.

b) Weekly
b) Credit

c) Both.

Barriers of accessing credit?

a) Terms and conditions documents
c)

b) High rate of interest

Dishonor

d) Delay accessing credit

40. business strategy you're following? (Preferable Rank 1.2.3.4 etc)

a) Quality of product/service

b) Reduce price level

c) Customer relationship

d) Infrastructure facilities

e) Offer and gifts

f) variety choice of products

g) Door delivery

h) clean shop

41. To identify Problems or Challenges of unorganized retail business:

Financial challenges /Problems

Particulars/Business

Very high

Fixed capital level

Working capital level
Creditors Repayment
Government
concessions/Subsidies

VI

High

Moderate

Low

Very low

Interest rate on loan

Pledge in Nationalized bank
Credit from financial institutions

Marketing Challenges/problems
Particulars/Business

Very high

High

Competition from
unorganized retailer (same
Retailer)
Competition from
organized retailer
Purchase of product from
Supplier and wholesaler
Availability of sub standard
product in the market
Bargaining behavior of
customer
Promotion/Advertising
activity
Distribution/mode of
channel
Wastage of goods and
Expired product
Damaged of Package of
product

VII

Moderate

Low

Very low

Labour Challenges/ problems

Particulars /Business

Very high

High

Moderate

Low

Very low

Absenteeism
Union/Association Activities
Negative attitude of Labour
Higher Wages
Not continues /stabilize works

Personal Challenges/problems
Particulars /Business

Very
high

Health of body
Excessive burden of work and
responsibility
Lack of knowledge about competition
Lack of knowledge about technology
Lack of co-operation from family members
Lack of free time
Excessive tensions and challenges

VIII

high Moderate Low Very low

Social and economic Challenges/problems

Particulars /Business

Very
high

high

Moderate

Low

Very low

Police & Politician interruption

Central Tax authorities' /General tax
Municipal authorities/Local tax
Technology and policy
Inflation/Flexible price level
Rent /Real estate are very high
Lack of Infrastructural facilities
Location and Environment

Organized retail and FDI challenges/Problems

Particulars/Business

Very high

changes in prices level

operational expenses
Reduce in staff
Changes in sales
Relationship with customer
Improved home delivery
Increased number of brands
Discontinued some product lines

IX

High Moderate

Low Very low

43.Government programme and policy

Government
Programme

High level
Satisfact ion
satisfac tion

Neutral

Dis satisfacti
on

High level
dis
satisfaction

Providing suitable
accommodation
Providing Liberal
finance
/policy/subsidiary
Providing Training
facilities
Providing legal
protection
Making familiar with
government schemes
Opening the malls

Providing social
welfare scheme of
family member
Providing loan
facilities

44. Please indicate your response to the following questions:Particulars

Neither
Strongly
Strongly
Disagree agree Nor Agree
disagree
Agree
disagree

I like to keep myself updated with

all the current business news

I usually know about the business

practices of my competitors

I follow the budget closely and

aware of the government policies
that affect my business

1 believe in making changes

necessary to satisfy my customers
I would like to introduce new
methods of customer service
I am looking for new avenues /
business
Technology (computerization) can
add much value to my business
1 do think changing my store
operations will enhance my
business
I would like to make up my store
more modern
1 will get good deal from my
suppliers even when large retailers
come in.
I can solve any type of problems
in retail business

XI