In the retail trade, goods are sold directly to consumers. This contrasts with wholesaling, which is the sale of goods to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from a manufacturer and sells them in smaller quantities to consumers. This distinction is important, because it allows a retailer to control the cost and profit margin of his business Rarbgweb.
The retail trade is a highly competitive industry. Many fledgling establishments do not survive for more than a few years due to fierce competition for customers. In response, many retailers have blurred their product lines. Drugstores, for example, stock food, liquor, office supplies, and even automotive supplies. This proliferation of merchandise has made it more difficult for retailers to maintain a strong presence in the marketplace Muctau.
In addition to selling goods to consumers, establishments in the retail trade often perform processing incidental to selling. Restaurants and meat markets cut meat, while chain stores have warehouses. In some cases, processing is necessary for the products to be sold, which is why they are classified as auxiliary establishments. The retail trade is the last step in the supply chain Newshunttimes.
Unlike in previous booms, this one may last much longer than others. Indeed, many Wall Street veterans think that this new retail investment trend will be more sustainable roobytalk.com. Several changes since the dotcom bubble have affected the retail trade, including free trading of fractions of shares, faster connection speeds, cheaper access to leverage, and the rise of social media uplikes.org.