Contemporary issues in the retail industry

Abstract

With regard to both the consumer behavior and the overall competition structure, the retail industry is constantly changing. Each industry has its peculiarities, retail is no exception. The customer loyalty levels are decreasing, therefore, the retail management at large has to decide which effective measures to take, in order to simultaneously gain new customers and retain the existing ones. At present, the average buyer is educated, experienced, and keenly self-aware of his/her importance, as well as of the entire purchasing process. Consequently, it is essential to obtain access and keep the buyer satisfied. The changes required, with regard to the management of retail chains, should thus cover all the stages of the process, ranging from the procurement to sales. In this particular paper, we examine the corporate governance process and its’ requirements of competing on the retail market. The overview of the entire organizational structure and the processes required to operate under current retail management conditions will be analyzed. The findings will prove to be quite beneficial to Croatian retail companies and aid in overcoming the major threat of EU competitors, laying out the changes necessary for survival within this particular industry branch.