Domestic Experience of Introducing Progressive Trade Methods in the Second Half of the 1960s - early 1970s. (on the Example of Organizing Self-Service Stores in the Kursk Region)

Relevance. Insufficient coverage of the problems of trade services for the population of the USSR in the Soviet period necessitates addressing this topic in a historical retrospective in order to identify the achievements and miscalculations that must be taken into account in modern conditions. The article presents an analysis of the development problems of one of the progressive methods of trade for its time, focused on the organization of self-service stores. Their introduction was most actively carried out in 1965-1975, in conditions when the purchasing power of the population was growing, which led to the appearance of queues in stores. It became obvious that in order to unload trade enterprises and improve the quality of service to citizens, it was necessary to use modern methods of trade, which gave more freedom to the buyer when choosing goods. Proceeding from this, it should be noted that with a systematic study of the problem of trade services, the relevance of the development of a self-service store chain does not raise doubts.
The purpose this work is to study the main factors that influenced the efficiency of self-service stores functioning in the territorial framework of one of the typical regions of the RSFSR.
The objective research - to analyze the quality of measures taken by the state in solving the problem of expanding and developing a network of self-service stores.
Methodology. The article is based on the principles of historicism, scientific objectivity and consistency. All this presupposes an objective analysis of the studied archival documents.
Results. The article reflects the actual situation in the development of a chain of self-service stores in the Kursk region in 1965-1975, which influenced the commercial services of the population as a whole. Information about the most obvious problems affecting trade is presented. Expanding the network of self-service stores was one of the important conditions in solving the problem under consideration.
Conclusions. As a result, the situation with the expansion of the retail chain of self-service stores in the Kursk region during 1965-1975. was controversial. The number of self-service shops was extremely small, and the existing ones did not have enough goods. The measures applied by the state were not enough, which could not have a positive effect on the situation. In general, this state of affairs negatively affected the quality of trade services for the residents of the region.

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