[EdwinB]

What Is Retail?
Retail involves the sale of merchandise from a single point of purchase directly to a customer who intends to use that product. The single point of purchase could be a brick-and-mortar retail store, an internet shopping website, or a catalog.

Retailing is all about attracting consumers through product displays and marketing. Inventory must be kept, shelves health supply store must be kept full, and payments have to be collected. Retailers are more than places to purchase merchandise, however—they provide manufacturers an outlet so that they can focus on creating their products.