Question 3
- State four functions of a wholesaler to a retailer.
- Explain five advantages of small scale retail business over a large scale business.
Observation
Candidates’ performed well on part (a) of the question but did not do well on part (b). Some candidates’ wrote the reasons of a small scale retail business instead of advantages of a small scale retail business over a large scale business. Other candidates failed to compare small scale retail business with large scale business in answering the question.
- Advantages of small scale retail business over a large scale business
- Quick decision: The small trader can make decisions on matters that affect his business faster than the large scale business;
- The capital required to start and run a small scale business is smaller and will
be easy to raise than large scale business; - The small retailer can draft in his family to assist him but the large scale business had to employ competent hand which will be costly;
- Small scale retailers offer personal attention to attract more customers to the small retailers than the large scale business;
- The possibility of credit facilities attract more customers to the small scale retailers because he knows the customer than large scale business;
- The ability to sell in the smallest unit (say a wrap of salt) also attracts more customers to
the small scale retailers - Operation period is an added advantage to the small trader, he can open seven days a week and even to late hours unlike the large scale outlet.