Overview

A retailer is a merchant or occasionally an agent or a business enterprise, whose main business is selling directly to ultimate consumers for non-business use. He performs many marketing activities such as buying, selling, grading, risk-trading, and developing information about cusotmer's wants. Aretailer may sell infrequently to industrial users, but these are wholesale transactions, not retail sales. If over one half of the amount of volume of business comes from sales to ultimate consumers, i.e. sales at retail, he is classified as a retailer. Retailing occurs in all marketing channels for consumer products.The retailer is an intermediary in the marketing channel because he is both marketer and customer, who sells to the last man to consume. He is a specialist who maintains contact with the consumer and the producer; and is an important connecting link in a complex mechanism of marketing. Though producers may sell directly to consumers, such method of distributing goods to ultimate users is inconvenient, expensive and time consuming as compared to the job performed by a specialist in the line. Therefore, frequently the manufacturers depend on the retailers to sell their products to the ultimate consumers. The retailer, who is able to provide appropriate amenities without an excessive advance in prices of goods is rewarded by larger or more loyal patronage.All middlemen basically serve as purchasing agents for their customers and as sales specialists for their suppliers. To carry out those roles, retailers perform many activities, including anticipating customer's wants, developing assortments of products, acquiring market information and financing.It is relatively easy to become a retailer. No large investment in production equipment is required, merchandise can often be purchased on credit and store space can be leased with no 'down payment' or a simple website can be set up at relatively little cost. Considering these factors, perhaps it's not surprising that there are just over a 6 million retail outlets operating across the Indian cities from north to south and from east to west. This large number of outlets, many of which are trying to serve and satisfy the same market segments, results in fierce competition and better values for shoppers.To enter retailing is easy; to fail is even easier! To survive in retailing, a firm must do a satisfactory job in its primary role - catering to consumers. Rama Subramaniam the former head - retail segment Spensors described a successful retailer as a merchant who sells goods that won't come back to customers who will. Of course, a retail firm also must fulfill its other role - serving producers and wholesalers. This dual role is both the justification for retailing and the key to success in retailing.

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