The regulation of retailing – lessons for developing countries

Retail transitions in Southeast Asia

“…In Thailand, foreign operators initially had had to work in partnership with local operators such as CP and Central Retail (Cheevapruk and Walsh 2012) which resulted in an increased familiarity with Thai business and culture (Feeny, Vongpatanasin, and Soonsatham 1996;Fels 2010), although as of today they can own 100% of a subsidiary as long as they meet minimum capital requirements as stipulated under the 1999 Alien Business Operations Act (Tosonboon 2003). In the Philippines, under the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, foreign retailers are required to search for local partners with land equity or access, and as such are able to enter the market only through undertaking joint ventures or franchising (Digal 2001;).…”

Relationship Marketing and Micro-Retailer Brand in Traditional Markets

“…However, traditional sector retailers, including micro-retailers, are still numerous even in Bangkok (Nirathron, 2005b;Walsh, 2010). Fels (2009) says modern retailing controls only about 45% of retail volume in Thailand. We look at fruit juice micro-retailers who operate market stalls in traditional markets in Bangkok, which is a good context in which to look at these issues.…”

“…In Thailand, for example, more than 100,000 small traditional shops have been forced to shut over the past decade (Fels, 2009). Further, policy decisions about micro-retailing are often made without any real understanding of the role such micro-retailers play (Reid, Fram, & Chi, 2010).…”

“…The context is urban Bangkok, which is particularly well suited for looking at how retail patronage evolves among middle-class consumers in a developing country. Thailand is a middleincome developing country, where modern retailing has been expanding rapidly (Fels, 2009;Reardon & Hopkins, 2006;Shannon, 2009). However, traditional sector retailers, including micro-retailers, are still numerous even in Bangkok (Nirathron, 2005b;Walsh, 2010).…”

Effects of Increasing the Power of Retail Chains on Competitive Position of Producers

“…Especially in regard to potential limitations and constraints in the vertical dimensions of the channel and jeopardizing the survival of other players in marketing channels, primarily of producers and small and medium-sized retailers, higher prices for consumers, and making barriers for entering the retail market and alike. But, regardless of this, it is doubtless that the dominant attitudes in the works of modern authors are that although there is concern, whatever the problems concerning the concentration of buying power, retailers need to be monitored as long as they compete fairly for market share and pass resulting benefits on to consumers [10]. Also, when this is not the case, then with adequate anti-monopolistic policy and credible and effective anti-monopolistic institutions, one could eliminate those imperfections and deviations on the market which threatens to highly jeopardize its efficiency [17].…”