Small scale Retailers

Small scale retailers

• are usually owned by individuals
• are found in the private sector
• few legal formalities are required to establish them
• in Zimbabwe the owners need daily or monthly licences from the town council in order to operate.

Examples of small scale operators are:

Road side traders

• Are located alongside roads and popular tracks
• They display their goods on movable tables
• Sell fast moving goods like sweets, maize, tomatoes and other perishable foodstuffs
• They only need short term licences. ( Harare CDB $1 per day and $10 at Mbare Musika per day for example)

Itinerant traders ( hawkers, peddlers etc)

• These traders move from door to door selling goods on foot.
• Or on bicycles or push carts for example the ice-cream cycles.
• Products include include foodstuffs like ice-cream or cheap jewelry.

Flea markets

• sell old and used goods e.g second hand clothes(mazitye)
• sell a variety of goods
• situated in open and closed shops.
• For example Mupedzanhamo

Market stall-holders

• occupy small areas
• sell a variety of goods
• pay rentals for space occupied to the town councils

Mobile shops

• use vehicles as moving shops
• usually sell on a cash basis
• sell a variety of goods
• usually go where there is business

Independent shops

• They are owned by individuals and are located in both rural and urban areas.
• They are small stores with a single location or up to three locations often owned by an individual, a family or a two person partnership.

Go to this page to view the advantages of small scale retailers.

To access more topics go to the Commerce Notes page.