Performance Evaluation of Parfois Retailing Stores

This study describes a method for the assessment of retail store performance using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The method is applied to the Portuguese company, Parfois, operating in retail fashion accessories, where we analyze the efficiency of 63 stores operating in Portugal. Firstly, we present a literature review on the subject, followed by a description of the company and the DEA method applied to the Parfois stores. Then, some of the factors potentially affecting the efficiency of Parfois stores are also analyzed, and the implications of using this method are discussed. The main intention of the study is to show how DEA can be used as a support tool to the management of Parfois stores at a national level and to help the company, through the identification of areas of potential growth, to define objectives, to increase its performance and achieve excellence.