Retailing consists of the sale of goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store or kiosk, or by post, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retail establishments are often called shops or stores. Retailers are at the end of the supply chain. Retail comes from the French word retailer which refers to "cutting off, clip and divide" in terms of tailoring (1365).

Retail companies spend nearly $20 billion on energy each year A 10 percent reduction in energy costs for the average full-line discount retailer can boost net profit margins by as much as 1. Retail is one industry we all have a part in-after all, it is the sale of products to individual consumers (as opposed to businesses). Retail goods are traditionally divided into durable goods, such as furniture and large appliances, which are expected to last at least 5 years, and nondurable goods, which include food, clothing, and other categories far too numerous to mention but which eventually form the bulk of the stuff you see on makeshift tables at garage sales. Manufacturing marketers see the process of retailing as a necessary part of their overall distribution strategy.

Online retailing, also known as e-commerce is the latest form of non-shop retailing (cf. The pricing technique used by most retailers is cost-plus pricing. This involves adding a mark-up amount (or percentage) to the retailers cost. Another common technique is suggested retail pricing. In Western countries, retail prices are often called psychological prices or odd prices. Alternatively, there can be price discrimination for a variety of reasons, where the retailer charges higher prices to some customers and lower prices to others. The retailer may conclude this due to the customer's wealth, carelessness, lack of knowledge, or eagerness to buy.

The nation's largest retailers spend millions every year on in-store marketing programs that correspond to season and promotional changes. As products change, so will a retail landscape. There are three major types of retailing. This type of retail is common for small expensive items (e. A third form of retail is virtual retail, where products are ordered via mail, telephone or online without having been examined physically but instead in a catalogue, on television or on a website. Sometimes this kind of retailing replicates existing retail types such as online shops or virtual marketplaces such as Amazon.

Buildings for retail have changed considerably over time. In the 1920s the first supermarket opened in the United States, heralding in a new era of retail: self-service. The mall has had a considerable impact on the retail structure and urban development in the United States. In addition to the enclosed malls, there are also strip malls which are 'outside' malls (in Britain they are called retail parks. The term retailer is also applied where a service provider services the needs of a large number of individuals, such as with telephone or electric power.