Retail Chains

Chains

Origins of Retail Chains

It is likely that, as markets became more permanent fixtures they evolved into shops. Although advantageous in many respects, this removed the mobility that a peddler or traveling merchant may still have enjoyed. For some shopkeepers, it made sense to obtain extra stock and open up another shop, most probably operated by another family member. This would recover business from peddlers, create new business and the greater volume would allow the shopkeeper to strike a better deal with suppliers. Thus the Retail Chain would have started.

It is thought that this process was started in China over 2200 years ago with a chain of shops owned by a trader called Lo Kass. Excavations reveal that shops in ancient Rome were, in many respects, much like small shops are today, so it is most likely that retailer chains existed then.

From Family Business to Formal Structure

Although retail chains would have been mostly run by families, as some chains grew, they would have needed to employ people from outside of their family. This was a limiting factor as there would have been a limit to the amount of trusted non family members available to help run the chain. Another, even more definite limiting factor was the distance the furthest shop would have been from the original shop. The greater the distance, the more time and effort would have been needed to effectively manage outpost shops and to service them with goods. There was, therefore, a natural barrier to expansion. That was the case until transport and communications became faster and more reliable. When this happened towards the end of the 19th century, chains became much bigger and more widespread. Many of these businesses became more structured and formalized, leading to the retail chains that we see today.

Beginnings of Retail Trade | Chains | How Retail Developed | Self-Service Stores | Birth of Distance Retailing

History | Marketing | The Supply Chain | Types of Retail Outlet

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