A retail store is a place of business where goods, or sometimes, services are sold, usually to the end consumer.
Retail stores can vary widely in size, appearance and type of product offered. An example of a retail store is a supermarket, offering a large selection of groceries, increasingly alongside other items such as clothing, electrical goods and homewares. A department store is another type of retail store which typically offers a wide range of different types of goods, from clothing to cosmetics to homewares. Both supermarkets and department stores will often sell their own branded goods alongside items from other suppliers.
Retail stores can be more specialist, concentrating on one product category such as clothing, or with an even narrower focus within that category, for example sportswear. These stores may sell a selection of brands, or focus on their products only.
Convenience stores are a type of retail store typically in a residential area, open for long hours and offering a limited range of goods such as grocery items.
Discount stores or factory outlet stores focus on selling goods at permanently reduced prices. Goods may be discontinued, surplus or do not meet the manufacturers quality control standards for sale through normal retail channels at full price.
Most retail stores allow the customer to make their own selection of goods from the shelves. The exception to this are catalogue stores, where the customer makes their selection from a catalogue. Their chosen goods are then located in the warehouse by a member of staff and brought to a customer collection area.
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