There is a tendency to think of retailing as primarily involving the sale of
tangible (physical) goods. However, retailing also includes the sale of services.
And this is a big part of retailing! A service may be the shopper’s primary purchase
(such as a haircut) or it may be part of the shopper’s purchase of a good
(such as furniture delivery). Retailing does not have to involve a store. Mail and
phone orders, direct selling to consumers in their homes and offices, Web transactions,
and vending machine sales all fall within the scope of retailing. Retailing
does not even have to include a “retailer.” Manufacturers, importers, nonprofit
firms, and wholesalers act as retailers when they sell to final consumers.
Let us now examine various reasons for studying retailing and its special
characteristics.