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Friday, October 17, 2014

1st Year Principles of Commerce Notes Ch# 12

Retail Trade

INTRODUCTION 

It fulfills the requirements of the final consumer by placing the goods at his disposal for final consumption. it is the link between the wholesaler and final consumers. The retailers provide an opportunity of choices to final consumers amongst the variety of product kept by the retailer. He can also buy the goods in small quantities nearest to his door in accordance with his requirements
FUNCTION OF RETAILERS 

1. the retailers supply goods at the very door of consumers. The consumer need not to go far to purchase the good because retailers are situated at very little distance. He may bring the goods with himself or he may leave them with the retailers to be delivered at his place as soon as possible.
2. the greatest advantage of retailer is the stored goods and sell them in small quantities when the consumer requires. He thus relieves the consumers from the necessity of storing goods which may of them cannot do for the lack of resources.
3. he tries to study the taste of the consumers and keeps the goods likely be in demand. He again keep wholesale merchants in touch with changing fashion and tastes and thus enables those goods to be produced which are really in demand.
4. he keeps the large variety of goods manufactured by different manufacturer with a view to enable his consumer good choice and selection.
5. if the customer is dissatisfied by the good the retailers quite willingly makes good the complain.
6. he adopts diverse methods for reaching the customers. His beautiful display and scientific advertisement are very educative.


SMALL SCALE RETAILING

1. HOUSE TO HOUSE RETAILERS:
They are those who wander house to house selling their goods. Hawker and peddlers go into street, and different parts of the city in an effect to sell their goods. These person requires little capital and need no shop.

2. PART-TIME RETAILERS:
They are not regular retailers. They only sell goods from door to door in their spare time. they sometimes deal only in the seasonal goods and as soon as the season is over they stop selling the goods.

3. ORDINARY SHOPKEEPERS:
A large volume of retail trade is conducted by ordinary shopkeepers. They may be divided into small and big according to their scale of operations. Small shopkeepers require little capital and are established in lanes , unimportant streets. Big shopkeepers commands considerable capital and make shop in the most frequent areas in the heart of the city. Shop may be general or specialized. A general shop is the one where numerous varieties of goods of every day use are sold. A specialized shop on the other hand, is specialized in the sale of certain articles only for example fountain pens, jewelers shop.
LARGE SCALE RETAILING 

Now days, as the production of goods is done on large scale , the flow of good in the market is huge and varied. The distribution is also to be done on large scale. The flow of good in market is huge and varied. The distribution is also on large scale so as to reap the higher profits avoiding competition from small organization. When retailers purchase goods on large scale they save much as they can get many advantages from the wholesalers and manufacturers. Beside they can accumulate variety of commodities and thus attract the buyers. The large scale retailers are discussed as follows;
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1. DEPARTMENTAL STORES
Such stores requires investment of huge capital and involves considerable risk. The special features of this store is that they try to sell almost every considerable commodity of commerce, almost from an apple to an airplane. The store is divided into number of departments , suitated into the same roof, each department specializing in commodities of the nature. That is why it is known as the departmental store. it is thus an combination of large number of specialized shops, under unitary control. An attempt is thus made to supply to the customer all that he requires from this very place so that he may not require to visit any other shop.

ADVANTAGES 
The advantages of running a departmental stores are as follow;
1. The central side of departmental store gives it more advantages over a small scale retail store.
2. It provides efficient service to the customers like saving of time, car parking, telephone etc.
3. Such stores often create a demand for a commodity. A customer is sometimes induced to purchase other things also when finds them nicely placed in various section of store.
4. The price in departmental stores are less than in retailers shops because of the economy of large scale buying.
5. One department advertises for the other department.

DISADVANTAGES
1. The elaborated service provided by the store tends to increase overhead expenses.
2. The location of such stores ia sway from population residential areas. It is difficult for the large scale retailers enterprises ie departmental store to take away the share of profit of the small retailers because they are located in central parts of the city and the people living in the suburbs and the other parts may not be served.

2. MULTIPLE SHOP/ CHAIN STORE
Sometimes the manufacturer himself wants to eliminate all the intermediateries and reach consumers directly. This he does by opening multiple shops. Shops are opened in various parts of big cities and in all important cities in province or country. These shops are mean to sell only those goods in which the producer or manufacturer is interested. The range of commodities kept and sold is thus very narrow. The advantages accruing as a result of specialization are those of economy in buying together with speedy and larger turn over at lower price eg BATA shoe manufacturing company whose multiple shops are spread all over the big cities of Pakistan.

ADVANTAGES
The multiple shop system enjoys all the advantages which normally accrue to large scale enterprise namely , economies of buying in larger quantities, centralized and highly sufficient control and experts advertising of firm’s special lines. In addition to these there are the following advantages particular to multiple shops;
1. Shortages of stock at any branch may be made up by transfer from one branch to another.
2. A speedy turnover of stock is attain and be accentuated by studying sales figures to discover which of the goods are slow moving and then concentrating advertising effort on these items only.
3. As a result of speedy turnover, multiple shops are able to run their business at slightly lower cost than the other types.
4. As sales are made on cash basis , there are no bad debts and no expense of maintaining a large clerical staff.
5. The multiple stop benefits also from the fact that numerous branches can cater easily and efficiently for customers at comparatively short distance from their residence. The total number of its customers is larger than that of a single store or departmental store.
6. Each branch in itself is an advertisement for other branches and so long as the goods sold are of good quality in relation to the price, there is no limit to the number of branches that an efficient concern my control

LIMITATION
Multiple shops suffer two limitation. Firstly they have to meet heavy expenses. Much of the difference between their buying and selling prices is absorbed by high rents of big promises in busy streets, with rules proportionately higher and by provision for writing off the initial cost of new shop fronts and new equipment and by the maintenance of poorly paying branches in places where the trade is not enough. Secondly many managers and staff do not, without constant supervision, take the same interest in their duties as the proprietors would be.

3. MAIL ORDER BUSINESS

In mail order business goods are sold and delivered through the post and not across the counter. From buyers point of view, it may be describe as shopping by post. Payment is made by several methods, varying with the type of stores and customers standing. If the customer has an account, the goods are charged against it. If he is unknown the goods are supplied either on “ cash with order” basis or the goods are sent through the post office on cash on delivery basis. In later case the VPP( value payable post) system is utilized.
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ADVANTAGES
1. Expenses and expensive shop, fronts etc. Are eliminated.
2. The sales in direct touch with the buyers and therefore it is generally to know the demands of customers more easily.
3. Advertising may be more effectively carried out since the results may be checked up with fair accuracy.
4. The actual selling is reduced to routine the work being performed by low grade workers and hence cheaper labour.
The sales appeal may be designed by experts and is not dependent upon the capacity of individual salesman. The customer buys sitting at his home and therefore saves himself from botherations of different types.

DISADVANTAGES
1. The small retailer is still able to compete with mail order house in most lines and ho has “convincing appeal” in his varied shook.
2. All retail shops have the advantage of enabling customer to see and examine goods but mail order business may not provide the facility to their customer’s ordinal.
3. Heavy expenses on advertising increase the cost to the customer as compared with normal retailers.
4. Publicity through advertisement also include quality of goods; the wordings of advertisement often create confusion and also sometimes mislead the customer.
5. The sales appeal is stereotyped and may not be easily altered.
6. It is not easy to find causes of failure to affect sales nor is it easy to get the orders.

1st Year Principles of Commerce Notes Ch# 11

Finance

Introduction

It is necessary for a businessman to plan financial aspect in the early stage of starting any new business and it should not be left to chance. From the starting and to any later expansion in the firm’s business, finance plays a very important role in purchasing aspects and to meet the expenses if necessary for carrying on the business affairs. The financial needs of business are assessed by the size and the nature of work. For a large business, financial needs are high as compared to a small business. For example, the joint stock companies require large amount of funds whereas sole proprietorship and the partnership business require small amount of funds. Finance can be obtained through two major resources owners’ capital and borrowed money. The requirements of funds depend upon utilization that is how much funds will be needed for circulating and fixed capital. The capital credit obtained from any financial institution is known as borrowed money. Funds which are required to purchase any asset and to meet the expenses from the initial stages to the extension of any business is known as finance.


Kinds of Finance

Long Term Finance

Long term finance is that part of capital which is required by a business enterprise to finance its blocked or fixed assets such as land buildings, machinery and other appliances of permanent nature. In the established undertakings, it is required for extending the scale production and for the renewal and replacement of the fixed assets, or for taking the advantages of new discoveries. Thus, it is needed for considerable period of time, usually for 10 or more years and hence it involves a high cost due to higher amount of interest.

SOURCES OF LONG TERM FINANCE:

The following are the various sources of obtaining long term finance.

1. SHARES:

The initial capital is obtained by a new concern by floating shares. Shares represent equal portion into which the capital of a company is divided. Shares may be issued directly by the company or through the under writers. Selling of shares is the most important method of securing fixed capital and the contributors are the general public.


2. BONDS AND DEBENTURES:

To raise sufficient capital and to draw the attraction of those people who don’t find interest in investment, debentures are issued b y a company. Debenture is a promissory note for the repayment of money borrowed and the payment of interest at fixed rates. The contributor is again the general public.


3. GOVERNMENT LOANS:

The state aid in the form of guarantee of dividend of new companies, taking of securities, plays a definite role in the financing of industries. In our country, industrial-finance Corporation was established to give long term loans.


4. FINANCING INSTITUTIONS:

In Pakistan there are the following institutions from which different industries can take their finance for long periods:

A- PICIC:

This corporation aims at stimulating promotion of new industries, the expansion of the existing ones and the furnishing of the technical know-how as to increase production.

B- IDBP:

This bank was setup to provide credit and other facilities for the development of industries. Other institutions are NDFC, BEL, investment trusts, insurance companies and commercial banks.


5. PUBLIC DEPOSITS:

An enterprise can raise finance by the acceptance of deposits from the public directly for fixed terms and at fixed rate of interest. This method is however, dangerous and has declined in importance in recent years.


6. PLOUGHING BANK OF EARNINGS:

This is very easy method of financing and is available to only Established enterprises.re-investment of a part of the profits is an ideal means of financing, expansion and improvements.


Short Term Finance

A common problem of every business is financing day –to –day operations. Normally business finances these items out of the receipts from sales, but some times the firms financing is needed. It is required for pour hasting raw materials, additional inventory etc. for meeting purposes’ .it is required for short period ,generally foe one year .it is needs because of the fact that the stock is to kept ready before it is actually consumed.

Sources of Short Term Finance

The main sources of obtaining short–term loans are as following:


1. Commercial Banks

Finances are acquired from banks by means of loans, discounts overdrafts etc. they provide short term finance in the shape of discounting bills, granting loans and accepting bills on behalf of their customers.


2. Commercial Credit Houses

These institutions provide short term finance against mortgage of property or promissory notes.


3.Proprietor‘s Personals Funds

This is an important source of financing a small business. The proprietors themselves supply the capital of the business from their own pockets. But in large scale undertakings, this source is insufficient.


4. Borrowings from Friends and Relatives

Sometimes business is also finance by taking loans from friends and relatives. Finance from this source is very limited and uncertain.


5. Public Deposits

Some units accept deposits from the public from short period on attractive rates of interest and utilize the funds for their currents financial requirements.


6. Indigenous Bankers

There are large number of money lenders i.e. Mahajan, Sahukar, Shroff in the country who provide considerable sums for the business, though at a high rate of interest.


7. Land Mortgagment

The financial institutions give loans on short–terms to he business man or industrialists on the security of land and bearable.


Foreign Exchange Banks

These banks also provide short term funds. They mainly provide finance to the foreign business undertaking of their nationality.


9. Unsecured Loans

This type of financing includes:

A) Promissory Notes:

They are the legal instruments used in advancing banks loans. It is the major source of the short–term finance.

b) Commercial Drafts:

A draft is an instruments made by one person ordering the second person to pay a sun of money to a specified individual on sight or at a future date. Secured loans: There are times when short term financing may be accompanied by collaterals, which gives the lender the right to seize certain property if the borrower does not replay the loan.


10. Secured Loans

There are times when short term financing may be accompanied by collaterals, which gives the lender the right to seize certain property if the borrower does not repay the load.

1st Year Principles of Commerce Notes Ch# 10

Filing

Introduction

A system of arranging o r preserving documents received and copies of letters issued in a proper way is known as filing system. Such a preservation of all the letters and documents enables the businessman to have ready reference as and when needed. Business concerned, big or small, carry correspondence wit a number of customers or clients. Such correspondence forms a permanents record of what has happened between the businessman and the customer. Reference of the previous correspondence is to be made for carrying any business activity and also forming new policies to make a business a successful one. There fore a copy of incoming and outgoing letters is to be preserved and arranged in a systematic way so that they may be easily available with out any lose of time. This whole process is known as Filling.


Essentials of A Good Filing System

For an efficient filling system it is necessary to have the following qualities:


1. Simplicity

The filling system should be quite easy and simple so that every one in the office and use it with out any technical knowledge. It would be so simple that even an inexperienced employee can use it.


2.Safety

The preservation of the letters is the foremost object of filling system. The letter should be kept in a lock or other device to prevent unauthorized persons to approach the correspondence


3. Elasticity

With the development of business some times it becomes necessary to alter the filling system. Therefore it is essential that filling system should be elastic


4.Minimum space

The space occupied by a filling system should be as small as possible


5.Cheapness and Economy

To avoid any financial pressure the system of filling should be cheap and economical in proportion to the size of business.


6.Rapidity of Reference

Filling of letters should be easy in order to trace the required letter with out any loss of time


7.Suitability

Again the system of filling must suit the requirements of the business in connection with which it is used.The requirements of each business house vary according to the nature and extent of its business and the actual system of filling best suited to it varies accordingly.


8.Rapidity of Filling

The system should be such that the papers could be filled rapidly with out any loss o time


9.Accessibility

The records should be kept in a place and in a manner easily accessible to all. otherwise there is bound to be a waste of time in making references.

Various Systems of Filling Letters

I. Wire Filling

2. Pigeon Hole Filling System

3. Flat or Horizontal Filling System

4. Vertical or Upright Filling System


I. Wire Filling

In this system of filling a hard and thick steel wire is used. The wire is fixed on a small round wooden base and has a sharp point. in this thick wire all the letters are pushed and the wire is hung. it is usually used in small business houses.


II.Pigeon Hole Filling System


This system requires a wooden almirah containing 24 compartments like pigeon holes. There is usually a shutter in the front of the almirah to protect the letters. each compartment is labeled with one letter of alphabet. the last compartment bears the label of X,Y and Z. this is very old system of filling letters.


III. Flat or Horizontal Filling System


In this system in an iron almirah, the card board files are flatly, or horizontally kept in a number of holes duly alpha bated . this is a very popular and scientific system of filling letters. this system is a great advancement over pigeon hole system. It is known as flat filling system because of the fact that the letters filled under it are kept in a flat position files are specially designed for use in this system and their different makes are available in the market. The available files can be grouped into the following classes


1.The Cardboard File

It is a primitive form of filling. under this system either the cardboard covers or drawers of specially made cabinets are used, as files .the letters are put upon the cardboard and fastened with the help of a clip.


2.The Box File

This is also not in much use. Here wooden boxes are used as files .the letters are kept flat inside the box in an alphabetic or numerical order. It is used in very small business houses .


3.The Arch Files

This is the most popular form of flat files. A businessman generally keeps a number of flat files according to the volume of correspondence and the system and the system of classification he adopts. If the volume is small , one file may be sufficient ,but if it is large one file may be used for containing the correspondence of a single individual and there will be as many files as correspondents . the letters are arranged date wise. these files may be kept just like books or hung on the walls, or they may be kept in shape of drawers fitted in a cabinet.


4.The Shannon Files

The Shannon file is the best known system of flat filling .this form consists of a filling cabinet containing many compartments in accordance with the requirements of the business .each drawers contains index sheets below which the letters are filled.


SPECIAL FEATURES OF A HORIZONTAL FILLING SYSTEM

Whatever the make of the flat files, they possess the following special features which should be carefully noted

1. The files keep the letters in a flat position and contain a device for fastening the letter s

2. Each file consist of alphabetical index cards which are made of loose stiff sheets .

3. The letter are placed date wise, with the latest letter date on the top.

4 All the letters contained in the file are carefully fattened together.

5 The file may be hang on the wall , or kept in the shape of the drawer in a cabinet or made to stand like a book.

6 When a file is full , the letter are removed to be transferred in binding cases.


ADVANTAGES OF HORIZONTAL FILLING SYSTEM:

1 The letter filed cannot get out of order or cannot be misplaced or lost as they are fixed on the arches.

2 If at any time , the letter of a particular correspondent is to be removed , it can be done without disturbing the order of other letters.

3 A file drawer may be dropped accidently, but there is no fear of mixing the letters.

DISADVANTAGES OF A HORIZONTAL FILLING SYSTEM :

1 Since the letters are fastened together , inconvenience is felt filling or taking out a letter.

2 The relative slowness is getting access to the letters as they have to be re-shuffled and turned forward and backward to find the required letter is inconvenient.

3 It is absolutely necessary to punch the papers , which makes the system time consuming.

4 Trouble is involved in re –organizing the cabinet to maintain an increasing volume of correspondence.


IV. VERTICAL OR UPRIGHT FILLING SYSTEM

A still further advancement the art of filling letters is the vertical filling system . It is the most leading method of filling suited to a large concern having innumerable correspondence . The system is called vertical because the letters are kept in a vertical position . It requires a cabinet with deep drawers , folders and guide cards . In this system the letters remain unfastened.


WORKING OF THE VERTICAL SYSTEM:

The following are the things which are needed for the proper maintenance of the vertical filling system.


1.FILLING CABINET:

This cabinet contains drawers which are made of wood or steel . The requirement of drawer depends upon the volume of correspondence and nature of the business. Cabinets with locks also provide safety.


2. FOLDER:

A folder is made of strong paper and is folded in the middle so that the letters can be easily arranged in it. They are usually placed date wise. On the projection edge of the folder is written the correspondent’s name, subject etc.


3. GUIDE CARDS:

Small groups are made in each drawer by sheets having in a tab. These tabs are marked alphabetically, geographically or numerically. The folder are kept behind them according to the mark on the tab.


4. ARRANGEMENT OF THE FOLDERS IN THE DRAWERS:

The folders containing the correspondence are arranged in the drawers either alphabetically, geographically or numerically. The most common is the numerical arrangement , but sometimes alphabetical arrangement is also preferred thus they may be arranged in the following order:-

a. NUMERICAL ARRANGEMENT:

Each folder is giving a certain number which is put down on the raised portion of its back. If a folder holds the letter of the single correspondents then all the papers will also carry the same number as that of the folder. If a folder contains documents related to more than one correspondents then the decimal system will be applied e.g if the folder carries a no. 53 then the correspondents will be numbered as 53-1, 53-2 etc. folders are bearing numbers like 10, 20, 50 and so on inserted in the proper places so that they indicate the position of the various folder of different numbers.

b. ALPHABETICAL ARRANGEMENT:

In this folder contains the name of the correspondents on the raised back portion and not the number. Each guide card indicate the initial letters of the correspondents e.g. the letters to and from Mubarak Ali, Mahmud Ahmed etc will be placed together and their position will be indicate by the guide card bearing the letter ‘M’. The folders are arranged one after the another according to the first vowel occurring in the correspondents name. t he advantage of this system is that it does not need a separate index but it posses the disadvantage of causing conclusion between the customers bearing same names.

c. GEOGRAPHICAL ARRANGEMENT:

This is merely a variation of either the alphabetical or numerical systems adopted geographically to meet the requirements of a particular business. One may allot each drawer for correspondence in each province, and guide cards may be put indicating each town. Traders having flourishing foreign trade and big merchants usually adopt this arrangements.

d. SUBJECT ARRANGEMENT:

Where the subjects are of more importance than the name of correspondents it is useful to file all papers behind alphabetically arranged subjects guides using tabbed folders for sub- divisions of the subject or individual correspondents.


5. ABSENT OR OUT GUIDES: These are cards with ruled columns. When a folder is removed for reference the filing clerk puts an out guide in its place and enters in the ruled columns the particulars of the folder removed.


ADVANTAGES OF THE VERTICAL FILING SYSTEM:


1. SPEED OF LOCATION: Speed of location is possible as the system combines admirably with the visible system of indexing. They can be traced out quickly without must effort.

2. CONVENIENCE AND CHEAPNESS: The vertical filing system has the advantages of handling a large volume of correspondence more conveniently and cheaply.

3. EASY REMOVAL OF DOCUMENTS: Access to the folders and to the documents is simple and that is why the removal of documents is easy.

4. FLEXIBILITY: This system is more adaptable in increasing the correspondence.

5. TIME SAVER: The papers need not be punched under this system, therefore it is a time in this respect.

6. NO FEAR OF MIXING: Since the correspondence of one individual is quite separate from others, therefore there is no fear of mixing up of the correspondence.


DISADVANTAGES OF VERTICAL FILING SYSTEM:

1. DANGER OF LOSING: Since the letter are left lose in the vertical system therefore, there is danger of losing them.

2. INSECURITY: This system has no security and in case a letter is dropped, it upsets the whole order.

3. LARGE SPACE: This system requires a large space as compared to the flat files.