Another important aspect of the micro-environment is the retail infrastructure,
particularly in terms of the number, size and type of stores. This may include a wide
range of modern distribution outlets, such as department stores, hypermarkets,
superstores or supermarkets as well as traditional outlets, such as Mom and Pop
shops, roadside stalls, itinerant retailers and bazaars. Countries such as China have
been through and are continuing to undergo dramatic changes in the structure and size
of their retail infrastructures (Wang and Jones, 2002). The relative importance of
different types of stores is likely to have an important impact on consumption, and
particularly product and brand choice and package size, as well as the price paid by the
consumer. The range of products and brands carried by traditional retailers is likely to
be considerably smaller than that available in organized retail outlets, thus restricting
brand choice, and resulting in focus on major global brands or alternatively on
low-priced local brands. The price paid for a global or major brand is often higher,
given limited scale efficiencies and high operating costs. At the same time, if
consumers are in the habit of shopping at a particular store, they may rely on the
advice of the retailer, particularly in the case of new products and brands. Consumers
shopping in organized retailing, on the other hand, are more likely to be influenced by
store layout and promotions as well as media advertising. Again, this suggests that