Departmental stores are basically large, fixed establishments that deal in a wide variety of products. The following points highlight the features of a departmental store: 

1. Central locations: Department stores are generally located in central areas so as to attract a large number of customers. 

2. Defined hierarchy: The management in departmental stores follows the same hierarchy that is generally followed in any joint stock company. That is, the top management consists of a board of directors, with the managing director, the general manager and the department managers under it in that order. 

3. Absence of middlemen: Departmental stores purchase goods directly from manufacturers and sell them to customers. Thus, they eliminate the role of middlemen. 

4. Centralised purchase with decentralised sales: In a departmental store, the purchases from manufacturers are handled by a single division that follows a centralised purchase policy. On the other hand, the sales are handled by the respective sections of the departmental store, which follow a decentralised policy for sales. Differences between Departmental stores and Multiple shops