Retail

Individual and institutional customers as opposed to dealers and brokers. The New York Times Financial Glossary

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▪ I. retail re‧tail ¹ [ˈriːteɪl] noun [uncountable] COMMERCE

1. the sale of goods to customers for their own use, rather than to shops etc:

• His experience in retail includes managing a number of shopping centres in New Zealand.

• The Potato Marketing Board determines the size range of potatoes which can be offered for retail.

— compare wholesale¹

2. retail trade/​market/​business etc the selling of goods or services to members of the public, or companies involved in this:

• Anyone working in the retail trade will often have to deal with customers who want to exchange or return goods.

3. retail shop/​outlet/​store etc a shop etc that is open to members of the public:

• These large retail outlets stock a wide range of goods.

4. retail banking/​brokerage banking or investment services available to members of the public, rather than to businesses or companies

5. retail customer/​consumer etc an individual customer etc, rather than a business or company:

• The scheme relates to all new cars sold to retail customers.

  [m0] ▪ II. retail retail ³ adverb COMMERCE

if something is sold retail, it is sold to members of the public, usually in a shop:

• We only deal with wholesalers - we don't sell any of our goods retail.

  [m0] ▪ III. retail retail ² verb COMMERCE

1. [intransitive] to be sold to the public, usually in shops, for a particular price:

retail for/​at

• The doll will retail for about £36.

2. [transitive] to sell goods in small quantities to members of the public, usually in a shop:

• The product is not being retailed through the right kind of outlets.

— retailing noun [uncountable] :

• The losses reflect the company's continuing problems in retailing.

• a weak period for the retailing sector

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Ⅰ.

retail UK US /ˈriːteɪl/ noun [U] COMMERCE

► the activity of selling goods to the public in stores, on the internet, etc., rather than selling to stores, other businesses, etc.: »

She has worked in retail her entire adult life.

»

Organic food is one of the largest growth areas in food in the UK in retail.

»

Food retail is extremely competitive.

● a retail chain/outlet/store — Cf. a retail store

● the retail market/sector/trade — Cf. the retail trade

● a retail buyer/consumer/customer — Cf. a retail customer

→ Compare WHOLESALE(Cf. ↑wholesale) adjective

Ⅱ.

retail UK US /ˈriːteɪl/ adjective COMMERCE

► connected with the activity of selling goods to the public, rather than selling to stores, etc.: »

retail demand/operations/profits

»

The company needs to focus on its core retail business.

→ Compare WHOLESALE(Cf. ↑wholesale) adjective

Ⅲ.

retail UK US /ˈriːteɪl/ verb COMMERCE

► [T] to sell goods to the public in stores, on the internet, etc.: »

They have a proven record in retailing clothes and shoes.

● retail at/for sth — Cf. retail for sth

Ⅳ.

retail UK US /ˈriːteɪl/ adverb COMMERCE

► if something is sold retail, it is sold to the public in stores, on the internet, etc., rather than to stores, other businesses, etc.: buy/sell retail »

It's much cheaper to buy wholesale than retail.

→ Compare WHOLESALE(Cf. ↑wholesale) adverb