C3210 - Departmentalized stores

Operational Details
Department stores have different product lines arranged or displayed in separate sections, or floors in a building. In larger stores, each department may have its own cashier and service clerk. However, more recently, cashier duties have been centralized, and often there is only one cashier per floor. Service clerks sell and assist the customer in their purchases, including measuring wearing apparel and sending it out for alterations. Department stores are large volume operations that sell to the general public and employ sales clerks, stock personnel, buyers, floor managers, and administrative staff. Advertising is a means of publicizing their products, and may be purchased from newspapers, periodicals, local radio, and TV stations.

Clothing, appliances, housewares, furniture, school supplies, crafts, sporting goods, seasonal goods, electronics, automotive supplies, plumbing, heating and electrical supplies, hardware and incidental carpet and linoleum sales are some of the product lines of a department store. What separates a department store from a general store is the general store sells smaller items such as convenience foods and confectionary items, and the selection is limited. The sales person may stocks the shelves and perform cashier duties.

Department stores are similar to chain stores and cooperative stores. However, they do not sell fresh meats, dairy, fresh fruit, produce, and lumber products .

SIC Codes
000000197 - Department store