Retailing

Retailing consists of the sale of goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by post, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. . Sometimes this is done to obtain necessities such as food and clothing; sometimes it is done as a recreational activity. Shopping generally refers to the act of buying products.

Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be individuals or businesses. In commerce, a retailer buys goods or products in large quantities from manufacturers or importers, either directly or through a wholesaler, and then sells smaller quantities to the end-user. Retail establishments are often called shops or stores. Retailers are at the end of the supply chain.

Manufacturing marketers see the process of retailing as a necessary part of their overall distribution strategy. The term retailer is also applied where a service provider services the needs of a large number of individuals, such as a public utility, like electric power. Recreational shopping often involves window shopping and browsing and does not always result in a purchase.

Shops may be on residential streets, shopping streets with few or no houses or in a shopping mall. Shopping streets may be for pedestrians only. Sometimes a shopping street has a partial or full roof to protect customers from precipitation. Online retailing, a type of electronic commerce used for business-to-consumer transactions and mail order, are forms of non-shop retailing.