Introduction – Changing the Retail Format More and more brands and products are being launched every day. The end-to-end shopping experience is changing. Almost every step of the process, from the moment the idea for a product is conceived, until the moment it lands in the hands of a consumer will evolve in the next 10 years, and continue to do so. To more deeply explore these omni channel insights, modern and diversified distribution network connecting supply, demand and delivery that helps retailers and brands increase sales by expanding product assortments, promoting products on the channels that perform, and enabling rapid, on-time customer delivery. Emerging Retailing Format *Malls*Specialty Stores*Discount Stores*Department Stores*Departmental Stores*Multi Brand outlets*Hyper marts/Supermarkets*Convenience Stores 1. The ‘Product’ Mix – Every organization has a product mix that is made up of product lines. The variety of products that a company produces, or that a retailer stocks is known as ‘product line’. The product mix is the set of all the products offered for sale by a company. The basic components of product mix are:(i) Services (ii) Packaging (iii) Brand (iv) Product Item (v) Product line 2. The ‘Price’ Mix – Price has always been one of the most important variables in retail buying decision. It is the factor which makes or mars a retail organization. It is also the easiest and quickest element to change. The components of price mix are:(i) Organizational objectives (ii) Competition (iii) Cost and profit(iv) Credit terms (v) Discount (vi) Pricing options(vii) Fixed and variable costs (viii) Pricing options(ix) Pricing policies 3. The ‘Place’ Mix – The retailer should keep in mind the fact that his ‘product’ should be available near the place of consumption so that the consumers can easily buy it. If the brand preferred by the consumer is not easily available at a convenient location, he may buy some other brand in the same product category. Following are the components of a retail price mix:(i) Distribution channels (ii) Intermediary (iii) Distance Factor(iv) Inventory Level (v) Transportation (vi) Warehousing and Storage 4. The ‘Promotion’ Mix – After deciding upon the budget, retailer should determine the appropriate promotional mix – a combination of advertising, public relations, personal selling and sales promotion. These various promotional issues:(i) Cost of the method (ii) Its reach (iii) Degree of flexibility(iv) Credibility (v) Control over media Practices and Habitual Customs of Respondents in RetailingInnovative retail marketing and consumer’s changing lifestyle have changed their needs and choices, today’s consumers seek more updated information before they make their purchases; therefore retailer can get success by good marketing and right information. Conclusion The conclusion derived from the analysis of the collected secondary information published in various sources such as journals, official government websites, text and books related on retailing sector. Most of the organized retailers in and around the world are harping on quality, service, convenience, satisfaction and assured benefits to lure shoppers into the store. Retailers should create value for the consumer and must decide suitable vehicle to deliver desired consumer value. No doubt that retail format is one of the vehicles to deliver value proposition and also it helps to position the store in the mind of target shoppers. Probably in a growing market no one finds difficulty in pulling customer into store but that may not be sufficient to operate profitably. Retailers need to find out what matches consumer requirement and offer better than competition. Retailers certainly need to be innovative in designing the value proposition and deciding the format to deliver that to the consumer. It is not all about deciding the format but all about serving the consumer better, faster and at less cost. Retailers can use their store as an indicator of what they stand for and what value they offer. Retailers have to out think consumer in providing service and value. References 1. S.Jaideep, “Retail Scenario of India: An Overview”, http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/retailing/retail-scenario-of-india-an-overview/487342. Anasua Chakraborty, “Emerging sectors/trends in Indian retailing”, http://info.shine.com/industry/retail/7.html3. http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/2203/indian-retail-industry-its-growth-challenges-and-opportunities?page=44. Report on Indian Retail Industry, Indian Brand Equity Foundation, www.ibef.org, May 2018, pp-65. Technopak Advisors private limited, BCG, Indian Brand Equity Foundation, www.ibef.org, May 2018, pp-86. Coopers, Price water house, Technopak, Indian Brand Equity Foundation, www.ibef.org, May 2018, pp-177. Sunil Jindal, Managing Director, SRS Value Bazaar (SRS Group), www.indianretailer.com/article/whats-hot/trends/Indian-retail-industry—Challenges-and-Opportunities.a4070/8. Vidushi Handa and Navneet Grover, “Retail Sector in India: Issues and Challenges”, International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol.2, Issue – 5, May 2012, pp-2449. https://www.insightssuccess.in/challenges-retail-industry-is-facing-in-india10. https://www.ibef.org/industry/retail-india/showcase Dr. Senthil Kumar, is an Associate Professor of Finance and Business Management in Skyline University Nigeria. He has a PhD. in Business Management from Bharathiar University, India. You can join the conversation on facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on twitter @SkylineUNigeria

In this 21st century, effective collaboration is no longer an option for libraries but certainly a necessity. The world around libraries is changing rapidly (Pinfield, Cox, & Rutter, 2017) Nowadays, universities are facing financial cutbacks, pressures for accountability, and changing nature of the library users which always lead to increasing client expectations particularly around the student experience (Hickman, 2017). Rapidly changing technologies, in areas such as social media and mobile technologies, are impacting on how, where, and when students and faculty access library services. More fundamentally, the services university libraries have traditionally provided can be seen as under threat. As such, libraries must join hands to connect together to provide all the necessary information for their users as postulated by Rangathan. Collaboration by libraries can help to avoid duplication of effort and provide efficiency savings, streamline work processes and free up time for more value added activities. It can also increase the profile, visibility, credibility, and influence of the library and library staff internally and externally. On occasions, library staff learn new skills and behaviors during collaboration work and these can subsequently be applied to the individual’s work in his/her own department or institution. From a user perspective, internal collaboration by the library can help to provide a more joined up service delivery, with a single user interface to different services or a reduction in the number of times data input is required. Involvement by users in the collaborative process can help to identify new and enhanced services that are relevant to users’ needs and more user friendly, with university staff and students often becoming more familiar with library services through involvement in the process. External collaboration in particular can help to provide a wider range of services than the partners could provide individually. Library collaboration can accomplish one or more of the below mutually beneficial objectives1. Cooperate in the exchange of information relating to the activities in the current trend of librarianship;2. Library Users of each Institution can visit the other to participate in Library Tour, Excursions and other activities to promote international friendship and cooperation between the two parties.3. Provide Reference Services through email, online chat, or telephone and if possibleanswer within 24 hours of receipt.4. Exchange of scholarly published articles from printed and electronic materials.5. Collaborate in organizing local or international conference6. Invitation to attend any conferences hosted by either institution.7. Conduct cultural projects, a mutually agreed in writing between the parties prior to commencement of the activity Challenges of Collaboration Atkinson (2018) in his own classical thinking enumerated some challenges which he noted that for a collaboration to be successful there will be a number of barriers and constraints to overcome. There can be significant differences in culture and working practice between the participants. Achieving the necessary cultural change can take time. Some staff may be resistant to change and not see the benefits of collaboration, there can be a real or perceived loss of professional or institutional identity, and staff may be uncomfortable or uncertain working outside their normal professional boundaries and comfort zones and feel isolated from their normal working colleagues. Staff involved in the collaboration may not have sufficient autonomy in allocating their time and effort, and, if they retain some of their normal responsibilities, there may be competing priorities. He further identified that, at a department or institution level, there may be difficulties associated with participants having different strategic goals, structures and priorities, with consequent difficulties in establishing a common approach or specification acceptable to all. It can be difficult to maintain the balance between protecting the policies and priorities of the participants while leveraging the opportunities that come from shared approaches. For example, there may be a need to give up local control of systems and services. Without this, there may be limits to the opportunities for effective collaboration and implementation of new initiatives. In Skyline University Nigeria, we believed that no any library can stand on its own. As such, we strived to link up with all the academic libraries in our midst and beyond so as to create a viable library collaboration. Sequel to this, Skyline University Nigeria Library has signed an MOU with Yusuf Maitama Sule University Library, Kano, Federal University Dutse Library, Jigawa State and recently Sule Lamido University Library, Kafin Hausa, Jigawa State. The purpose of the MOU is to establish friendship, cooperation in research, culture and to support quality library services for both the two parties. References Atkinson, J. (Ed.) (2018). Collaboration and the academic library: Internal and external, local and regional, national and international. Oxford: Chandos Publishing [CrossRef]Hickman, B. (2017). University libraries need to start putting the student first. Guardian Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2017/aug/03/university-libraries-need-to-start-putting-the-student-firstParsons, R. (2016). SCONUL shared services: A toolkit for library collaboration. London: SCONUL Retrieved from: https://www.sconul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/1611%20Toolkit_for_Library_Collaboration.pdfPinfield, S., Cox, A. M., & Rutter, S. (2017). Mapping the future of academic libraries: A report for SCONUL. London: SCONUL Retrieved from: https://sconul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/SCONUL%20Report%20Mapping%20the%20Future%20of%20Academic%20Libraries.pdfSkyline University Nigeria (2018) MOU Draft of Skyline University Nigeria Library.Universities UK (2015). Efficiency, effectiveness and value for money. London: Universities UK [CrossRef] Retrieved from: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2015/efficiency-effectiveness-value-for-money.pdf Mr. Musa Mohammed, is the Assistant Librarian, Skyline University Nigeria. He has his MSc Information Management from Leeddeckett University, UK.  You can join the conversation on facebook @SkylineUniversityNG and on twitter @SkylineUNigeria