SPOKES IN THE WHEEL OF RETAILING Available to Purchase

Reviews a 1938 issue of Chain and Multiple Store, detailing the then current focus of conglomerate retailing, innovations, benefits to the customer, etc. Explores the issues of expansion and concentration, store and merchandise marketing, customer service,working conditions, environmental issues. Concludes that the basic retailing issues of 50 years ago differ very little from those of today,emphasizing, as they did, customer service, a formally undefined marketing mix, the fears of small shopkeepers, gender confrontation in the workforce and head/branch office antagonisms.