Checklist for shop observations
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What brands of the product are presently sold? |
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In what market segments? |
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In what size units? |
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In what quality? |
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What are the prices for each brand and size? |
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If similar products are on sale (e.g. if you are planning to sell orange juice - other types of fruit juice; if you are planning to sell potato chips or crisps - other types of snack food) what are the sizes, brands and prices of those? |
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Are the shelves full or does the product appear to be in short supply? |
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Are any promotions being done for the product you plan to produce or for similar products? |
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Is there any advertising for these products? |
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What type and quality of packaging is used by other brands? |
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What information is provided on the packages or labels? |
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What is your overall impression of the shop (including the staff)? Would it be a good place to sell your products? |
Checklist for retailer interviews
Opening statement. I am carrying out a study for the ABC company, which is thinking of producing a new product and selling it in this area through shops such as yours. As you sell this type of product do you mind if I ask you some questions, which will help our company decide whether or not to start producing it and, if so, where to sell it. Any information you give will be treated as confidential and only used to help us make a decision on whether or not to produce and how to market our products. Let me begin by asking...
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What products of this type do you sell? |
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Approximately what quantities of the product did you sell in the last 12-month period? |
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Do you sell more than one brand? If so can you say approximately how much of each brand you sold in the last 12 months? |
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How much of the product do you presently have in stock now? |
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In the last five years have your sales of this product been increasing or decreasing. If so, by how much? If there is an upwards or downwards trend in the overall total or for particular brands, can you suggest the reasons for this? |
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If you sell more than one size, can you say approximately how much of each size you sold in the last 12 months? |
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Do you stock all available sizes? If not, why not? |
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How do you get your supplies of this product? From the producer/importer, a wholesaler(s) (could you name them please?), other retailers? If you use more than one channel, what is your preferred method? |
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Approximately what quantities of similar products (e.g. all snack foods; all fruit juices) did you sell in the last 12 months? |
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Do sales of the product vary according to the time of the year? What are the reasons for this? Can you provide monthly sales figures? |
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Can you get enough of the product, or competing products, or is there sometimes a shortage? If the latter, do your suppliers give you any reasons for this? |
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Is the shortage said by suppliers to be a long-term problem or just temporary? |
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Are you aware of plans by producers or importers of similar products to increase the supply? |
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Would you be interested in stocking a new brand of the product? Under what conditions would you sell a new brand? |
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What do consumers say to you about the existing brands that you sell? Do they ever complain about the quality/packaging, etc. Do you think that a new product could sell well? |
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Which of the brands you sell do people prefer, and why do you think this is (quality, price, product appearance, packaging)? |
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What is the most important consideration for your customers? (price? quality? convenience? size?) |
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What do you pay your existing suppliers at present for each brand, size and quality? |
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At what prices do you sell these products? |
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Do you decide on the selling price or do you follow your suppliers recommendations? If you decide, how do you calculate your selling price? Do you follow the same mark-up for all products/brands or does the mark-up vary? |
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What mark-up would you apply to a new product? |
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What type of packaging would you prefer for this new product? Why? |
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Do you get complaints from customers about the containers used for other brands? |
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Would customers buy the product in different packaging, such as? |
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Do the brands you sell have sell-by or use-by dates? How long do they last? If so, what do you do with products if the date has expired? Can you return them to your supplier? Under what terms and conditions? |
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What quantities of your existing brands of the product do you take delivery of at any one time? How frequently do you receive deliveries? |
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If you agreed to sell a new brand of this product what are the minimum and maximum quantities of each size and type that you would accept delivery of at any one time? |
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How often would you expect deliveries to be made? |
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In what size of distribution containers (e.g. cardboard boxes) are other brands packed? How many retail packs are supplied in one container? Would you accept containers with less/more retail packs? |
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Do you accept deliveries at all times or only at certain times/on certain days? |
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When do you pay your suppliers? On delivery, at the next delivery, etc? How do you pay (cash, cheque)? If your suppliers give you credit, for how long? |
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In the past year, have any existing brands of the product
carried out any form of promotion that you participated in, such as: |
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If so, please describe the arrangements under which you participated. |
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If the store displays advertisements you might ask... please explain why you display advertisements for these products and not others? |
Checklist for wholesaler interviews
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What area or territory do you cover? Are there similar wholesalers covering the same area? |
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What quantities of the product for each size unit and brand did you sell in the last 12-month period? |
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How much do you presently have in stock? |
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In the last five years have your sales of this product been increasing or decreasing. If so, by how much? If there is an upwards or downwards trend in the overall total or for particular brands, can you suggest the reasons for this? |
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Do you stock all available sizes? If not, why not? |
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What quantities of similar products (e.g. all snack foods; all fruit juices) did you sell in the last 12 months? |
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Can you get enough of the product, or competing products, or is there sometimes a shortage? If the latter, do your suppliers give you any reasons for this? Is the shortage said by suppliers to be a long-term problem or just temporary? |
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Are you aware of plans by any producers or importers of this product to increase the supply? |
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Would you be interested in stocking a new brand of the product? Would you attach any special conditions to selling a new brand? |
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If there is more than one wholesaler in the area you might ask... do you expect to be the only distributor of a particular brand? |
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Do you allow your suppliers to supply some retailers or caterers directly? If so, under what conditions? |
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What do retailers say to you about the existing brands of the product that you sell? Do they ever complain about the quality/packaging, etc. Do you think that a new product could sell well? |
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What do you pay your existing suppliers for each brand, size and quality? |
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At what prices do you sell these products? |
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Do you decide on the selling price or do you follow your suppliers recommendations? If you decide, how do you calculate your selling price? Do you follow the same mark-up for all products/brands or does it vary? |
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What mark-up would you apply to a new product? |
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If you agreed to sell a new brand what are the minimum and maximum quantities of each size and type that you could accept delivery of at any one time? |
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How often would you expect deliveries to be made? |
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In what size of distribution containers are other brands packed? How many retail packs are supplied in one container? Would you accept containers with less/more retail packs? |
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Do you accept deliveries at all times or only at certain times or on certain days? |
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When do you pay your suppliers? How do you pay (cash, cheque)? Do you expect your suppliers to give you trade credit? If so, for how long? |
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In the past year, have any existing brands of the product carried out any form of promotion that you participated in. If so, please describe the arrangements under which you participated. |