Agent
A wholesaler who represents buyers or sellers on a relatively permanent basis, performs only a few functions, and does not take title to goods.

Broker
A wholesaler who does not take title to goods and whose function is to bring buyers and sellers together and assist in negotiation.

Category killer
Giant specialty store that carries a very deep assortment of a particular line and is staffed by knowledgeable employees. (475)

Chain stores
Two or more outlets that are owned and controlled in common, have central buying and merchandising, and sell similar lines of merchandise. (477)

Convenience store
A small store located near a residential area that is open long hours, seven days a week and carries a limited line of high-turnover convenience goods. (475)

Department store
A retail organization that carries a wide variety of product lines–typically clothing, home furnishings, and household goods; each line is operated as a separate department managed by specialist buyers or merchandisers. (474)

Discount store
A retail institution that sells standard merchandise at lower prices by accepting lower margins and selling at higher volume. (476)

Factory outlet
Off-price retailing operation that is owned and operated by a manufacturer and that normally carries the manufacturer's surplus, discontinued, or irregular goods. (476)

Independent off-price retailer
Off-price retailer that is either owned and run by entrepreneurs or is division of larger retail corporation. (476)

Merchant wholesaler
Independently owned business that takes title to the merchandise it handles.

Manufacturers' sales branches and offices
Wholesaling by sellers or buyers themselves rather than through independent wholesalers. (493)

Off-price retailer
Retailer that buys at below wholesale prices and sells at less than retail. Examples are factory outlets, independents, and warehouse clubs.

Retailing
All activities involved in selling goods and services directly to consumers for their personal, nonbusiness use.

Retailer
A business whose sales come primarily from retailing. (472)

Service retailers
Retailers that sell services rather than products. (476)

Shopping centre
A group of retail businesses planned, developed, owned, and managed as a unit. (485)

Specialty store
A retail store that carries a narrow product line with a deep assortment within that line. (474)

Supermarket
Large, low-cost, low-margin, high-volume, self-service store that carries a wide variety of food, laundry, and household products. (474)

Superstore
A store much larger than a regular supermarket that carries a large assortment of routinely purchased food and nonfood items and offers services such as dry cleaning, post offices, photo finishing, check cashing, bill paying, lunch counters, car care, and pet care.

Voluntary chain
A wholesale-sponsored group of independent retailers that engages in group buying and common merchandising. (477)

Warehouse club
Off-price retailer that sells a limited selection of brand name grocery items, appliances, clothing, and a hodgepodge of other goods at deep discounts to members who pay annual membership fees. (477)

Wheel of retailing concept
A concept of retailing that states that new types of retailers usually begin as low-margin, low-price, low-status operations but later evolve into higher-priced, higher-service operations, eventually becoming like the conventional retailers they replaced (486)