Retail Services 2015 HSC exam pack (archive)
2015 Retail Services HSC exam paper
Marking guidelines
Marking guidelines are developed with the exam paper and are used by markers to guide their marking of a student's response. The table shows the criteria with each mark or mark range.
Sample answers may also be developed and included in the guidelines to make sure questions assess a student's knowledge and skills, and guide the Supervisor of Marking on the expected nature and scope of a student's response. They are not intended to be exemplary or even complete answers or responses.
Marking feedback
Select from the sections below to view feedback from HSC markers about how students performed in this year’s exam.
Use the feedback to guide preparation for future exams. Feedback includes an overview of the qualities of better responses. Feedback may not be provided for every question.
Feedback on written exam
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- identifying the importance for a retailer of maintaining an accurate roster (Q16a)
- explaining a range of potential consequences for a retailer if it does not provide adequate staffing during busy trading hours (Q16c)
- identifying features of telephone etiquette (Q17b)
- identifying what should be checked when stock is received (Q18a)
- outlining the purpose of store evacuation procedures, safety data sheets (SDS) and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (Q19)
- understanding up-selling techniques (Q20).
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- explaining the difference between part-time and casual employment (Q16b)
- providing an explanation of features rather than a simple description or identification (Q17b, Q18b)
- describing top-down selling (Q20)
- supporting answers with relevant retail examples when required
- using retail industry terminology correctly.
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- identifying technologies used in retail services industries.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- identifying emerging technologies in retail services industries
- discussing positive and/or negative effects of emerging technologies on work practices and service delivery
- using retail industry terminology correctly
- supporting answers with relevant workplace examples.
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- identifying principles of display (Q22a)
- outlining strategies that can be used to select stock, monitor stock and perform housekeeping in order to maintain merchandise displays (Q22b, Q23b)
- explaining procedures for maintaining confidentiality in a community pharmacy (Q24b).
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- supporting answers with relevant workplace examples specific to the retail industry area of study
- understanding how stock should be selected to maintain merchandise displays in a food retail environment (Q23b)
- describing how non-scheduled products are grouped in a community pharmacy (Q24a)
- identifying procedures that can be used to maintain accuracy in the delivery of customer service in a community pharmacy (Q24b).
HSC exam resources
Search for more HSC standards materials and exam packs.
Retail Services syllabus
Find out more about the Retail Services syllabus.
Request accessible format of this publication.