Specialised Distribution
The term 'specialised retailing' or 'specialised superstore' or 'SSS' refers to a type of retail or self-service shop offering a wide range of products from a specific field such as sports equipment, DIY, furniture, footwear, toys, computer equipment, etc.
Thus, as a specialist, a hypermarket sells only one family of products. This is what differentiates it from a hypermarket, which is a generalist type of supermarket. Together with the large food stores or GSAs, the GSS form the large-scale distribution.
The changes in the retail sector are profound and long-lasting: changes in consumer expectations, profound questioning of distribution formats/channels, increased supply risks in both food and non-food, rising raw material costs and increased competition.
The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated the profound changes that have been taking place in the retail market since the beginning of the 2010s. Thus, the development of proximity and the rise of organic products as a basic trend have been joined by the digitalisation of behaviour, which is now the new way of consuming mass retailing.
In this context, the perception, anticipation and control of risks become fundamental issues for any Internal Audit Department that wishes to provide added value to general and operational management.
Faced with all these issues, our Distribution competence centre has developed skills, know-how and tools to help our clients develop their internal control systems, particularly in the following areas
► Develop and implement assortment strategy: Develop strategic directions and establish/implement business plans.
► Drive expansion in all formats (convenience, supermarket, hypermarket, drive and digital): organise, execute and monitor investments
► Manage public and social relations: define the institutional and internal communication policy, manage the relationship with social partners
► Selecting suppliers: determining the objectives of the selection and organizing the procurement framework
► Buy and control the quality of national or private label products: monitor supplier contracts, measure commitments, monitor product quality, identify and manage supplier disputes (quality)
► Manage supply and optimise stocks: define the general supply policy, set up reception, storage and dispatch areas, supply platforms, receive goods
► Optimize stocks: manage goods stock movements (entries, exits, inventories), deliver shops (plan shipments, prepare shipments, ship goods, perform administrative and accounting management of warehouses)
► Operating shops: managing assets, managing people, managing goods, managing margin
► Promote sales: organise promotional operations, implement promotional programmes
► Manage the franchisee network: define the franchise policy, animate the franchise network, monitor contractual obligations
► Manage public and social relations: define the institutional and internal communication policy, manage the relationship with social partners
► ► Ensure the safety of goods/persons: define the safety and security policy, ensure the safety and security of goods and people, monitor and improve safety and security
► Manage the right level of insurance coverage: identify and cover insurable risks, place and manage insurance programmes and contracts
► Managing environmental issues such as waste recycling or risks associated with fuel distribution
