International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management: Scopus, Metrics & Submission Guide

Key takeaways

• Publisher: Emerald Publishing; official abbreviation: IJRDM.
• Core field: retailing, distribution and related business-management research with strategic significance.
• Scopus: listed by Emerald; supplied Scopus Source ID 144921.
• 2025 metrics shown by Emerald: CiteScore 11.9, Impact Factor 5.5, five-year Impact Factor 5.9.
• Review: editor screening followed, where suitable, by at least two independent referees under double-anonymous peer review.
• Typical article length: 6,000–8,000 words; structured abstract up to 250 words; up to 12 keywords.
• Open access: optional gold OA after acceptance plus green self-archiving; current gold APC must be checked with Emerald.
• Reported acceptance rate: 12.9% for submissions received 1 April 2024–31 March 2025; this is not an individual acceptance probability.

Journal information at a glance

The table separates verified journal facts from values that should be checked live in Scopus or the publisher system.

Methodology and source approach

This profile was prepared from the official Emerald journal page and author guidelines, the supplied journal source record, the journal's Scopus source link, and publisher-linked ethics and submission information. The journal page is treated as the primary authority for current author requirements and publisher-reported metrics.

Aims, scope and the research questions that fit IJRDM

IJRDM's official positioning is centred on retailing and distribution issues with strategic significance worldwide. Emerald describes the journal as connecting production and the consumer and enabling retail personnel to study operational practice in other organisations and compare methodologies. That makes the journal more than a general marketing outlet: the contribution should usually illuminate how retail systems, channels, operations, formats or customer-facing distribution work and why the result matters to the field.

Recent items highlighted by Emerald reinforce this interpretation. Topics include phygital services in retail banking, omnichannel recommendation consistency, consumer trust in e-commerce, sustainable fashion retail spaces, smart retail technologies and digital omnichannel integration. These examples do not define a closed topic list, but they show that contemporary technology, channel design, consumer experience and sustainability can fit when the retail/distribution contribution is explicit.

How to judge topic fit before submission

Read several recent papers that are methodologically close to yours, not only papers with similar keywords. Ask whether the journal routinely publishes your type of evidence—survey, experiment, qualitative work, conceptual development, case-based analysis, review or mixed methods—and whether your discussion speaks to retail/distribution scholarship rather than simply using retail data. If the match remains uncertain, Emerald explicitly advises authors to email the editor with the paper title and structured abstract for a suitability view.

Scopus indexing and 2025 journal metrics

Emerald currently lists Scopus among the journal's ranking services and displays Scopus-derived CiteScore information. The supplied journal record gives Scopus Source ID 144921. For researchers whose PhD, promotion or funding rules require Scopus status, the safest practice is to check that source ID in the live Scopus interface at the time of submission and again if your institution assesses publication eligibility later.

A citation metric is useful context, not a substitute for fit. A strong metric cannot make an out-of-scope manuscript suitable, and a current quartile—once verified—should be interpreted in its specific category and reporting year rather than treated as a permanent journal label.

Article types and manuscript requirements

The journal's author guidelines are unusually specific on submission preparation. Articles should normally be 6,000–8,000 words, including the structured abstract, references, text in tables, figures and appendices; Emerald also notes a standard 280-word space allowance for each table, figure or image.

What a journal-aligned manuscript should make clear

Beyond formatting, the paper needs a visible research contribution. A strong IJRDM manuscript should tell the editor early what retail or distribution problem is being addressed, what gap exists in the relevant literature, why the method can answer the question, and what the findings change for theory, managerial practice or both. A generic “implications for managers” paragraph added at the end is less persuasive than a contribution that is built into the research question and discussion.

Submission process and peer review

Submissions are made by the corresponding author through the journal's ScholarOne system. Emerald explicitly states that manuscripts should be submitted directly by the authors through the official system, not by email or through a third-party proxy.

1. Recheck the journal aims and scope against the title, abstract, contribution and methods.
2. Prepare the manuscript to the official length, abstract, keyword, reference, table and figure requirements.
3. Remove author-identifying material from the review manuscript; upload acknowledgements or biographies separately where relevant.
4. Create or use the appropriate ScholarOne account, add author details and ORCID information, and upload required files.
5. After submission, retain the manuscript number from the confirmation email and use it in future correspondence.
6. The editor screens the submission for scope and manuscript quality before deciding whether it proceeds to peer review.
7. If sent to review, at least two independent referees assess the paper under the journal's double-anonymous model.
8. The editor can accept, request minor or major revisions, or decline the manuscript; Emerald may also offer a transfer to another suitable journal.

What the published timeline data means

Emerald reports seven days to first decision for submissions between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 and 35 days from acceptance to publication based on the previous 12 months, last updated April 2025. The publisher also states a general goal of informing authors of a first decision within 60 days. These measures describe past journal performance and process goals; they are not promises for a specific manuscript, and revision cycles can extend the total journey substantially.

The reported 12.9% acceptance rate covers submissions between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025. It indicates selectivity but does not mean a well-prepared paper has a 12.9% “chance.” Scope fit, research contribution, methodological quality, clarity, ethics and reviewer/editor judgement all matter.

Open access, publication fees and research ethics

IJRDM follows Emerald's hybrid open-access model. Authors may choose gold open access after acceptance, in which case an article processing charge applies and the version of record is published under a CC BY 4.0 licence. Emerald also provides a green open-access/self-archiving route for the accepted manuscript. The journal page does not state a fixed APC amount in the guidance reviewed here; it directs authors to the current APC price list or the editorial system, so the fee should be reconfirmed immediately before choosing gold OA.

For ethics, Emerald says submissions must be original, not simultaneously under consideration elsewhere, and compliant with copyright and conflict-of-interest requirements. The publisher follows COPE guidance and provides its own research and publishing ethics policies. Human-participant work should address applicable ethical approval and informed consent. Authors must also secure permissions for third-party material before publication.

Generative AI policy deserves special attention

Emerald's current author guidance distinguishes between generating new submission content and editing an author's own original work. It states that generative-AI copywriting of new submission material is not permitted, while copy-editing an author's original text for structure, clarity, language and grammar can be permitted subject to Emerald's overarching principles, accountability and transparency requirements. Large language models cannot be credited as authors. Researchers using any AI-assisted workflow should read the publisher's current policy before submission because these rules can evolve.

Is IJRDM a good fit for your manuscript?

A manuscript is more likely to be a credible candidate when the retail or distribution contribution is central, the research question has strategic relevance, and the evidence supports a clear advance over existing literature. Use the following questions as a practical decision screen rather than a prediction of acceptance.

Publication-readiness checklist before you submit

After submission: what authors can expect

The first stage is editorial screening. A paper can be declined or returned before external review if it falls outside the aims and scope or if manuscript quality is too low. If the editor sees potential fit, at least two independent referees review the anonymised manuscript. A revision request should be treated as a structured scholarly dialogue: respond point-by-point, identify every substantive change, explain respectfully when a suggestion is not adopted, and make sure the revised manuscript and response letter agree with each other.

If the journal declines a paper, Emerald may offer a manuscript transfer service to another participating journal. A transfer can save re-entry of some information and may carry reviewer reports, but it does not guarantee publication in the receiving journal.

How Contentxprtz can support publication readiness

Contentxprtz can support researchers who have already produced their own scholarly work and want help preparing it more clearly for journal evaluation. Depending on the manuscript, this may include academic editing, language polishing, structural review, abstract and title refinement, reference and citation consistency, journal-format checks, cover-letter editing and reviewer-response editing.

Support should remain ethical and author-led. It should not create data, fabricate citations, misrepresent authorship, write undisclosed research as the author's original work, or promise an editorial outcome. The journal alone controls screening, peer review, acceptance and publication.