the selling of goods to consumers; usually in small quantities and not for resale
"The store owner decided to focus on retail sales since her customers mostly bought single items for their own use."
The sale of goods directly to the consumer, encompassing the storefronts, mail-order, websites, etc., and the corporate mechanisms, branding, advertising, etc. that support them.
"The new retail strategy focuses on blending online convenience with immersive in-store experiences to better connect with local consumers."
In plain English: Retail is the business of selling goods directly to customers for their personal use.
sell on the retail market
"The store decided to stop selling directly to consumers and instead focus exclusively on wholesale partnerships."
To sell at retail, or in small quantities directly to customers.
"The store manager decided to lower prices on clearance items to encourage shoppers to buy more goods at retail rather than waiting for a bulk sale."
In plain English: To retail something means to sell goods directly to customers for their personal use rather than to other businesses.
"The big supermarket decided to retail its own brand of organic apples directly to customers."
Of or relating to the (actual or figurative) sale of goods or services directly to individuals.
"The company decided to shift its focus from wholesale manufacturing to retail, opening stores where customers could buy products directly."
In plain English: Retail describes goods that are bought directly by regular people for their own use instead of being sold to other businesses.
"The store sells groceries at retail prices to regular customers."
Usage: Use retail as an adjective before nouns like prices, therapy, or space to describe anything related to selling products directly to consumers rather than in bulk. This distinguishes it from wholesale contexts where goods are sold for resale by other businesses.
Direct to consumers, in retail quantities, or at retail prices.
"The store decided to cut out middlemen and sell their goods directly to consumers at retail prices."
"The price you pay at retail is usually higher than the wholesale cost."
The word retail comes from the Old French verb retaillier, which originally meant to cut or divide into smaller pieces. This sense of cutting goods up for sale eventually traveled into English as a term for selling directly to consumers in small quantities rather than in bulk.