The spelling of the word "retailing" is not straightforward. It is pronounced /ˈriːteɪlɪŋ/, with the stress on the second syllable. The root word is "retail," which comes from the Old French word "retaillier," meaning to cut or slice. The spelling of "retail" was later changed to "retailing" by adding the suffix "-ing," which denotes the present participle form of a verb. Although the spelling of "retailing" may seem confusing, it accurately reflects the word's pronunciation and origin.
Retailing refers to the process of selling goods or services directly to consumers for their personal use or consumption. It involves the activities of buying and stocking merchandise, displaying and promoting it in attractive ways, and making it available for consumers to purchase either in physical stores or online platforms.
In retailing, businesses act as intermediaries between producers or manufacturers and end consumers. Retailers play a crucial role in the distribution channel, bridging the gap between supply and demand. They acquire products from wholesalers or manufacturers and then sell them to individual buyers or households. By doing so, retailers create convenience for consumers by offering a wide variety of products in one place, providing accessibility, and delivering a satisfying shopping experience.
Retailing encompasses various types of establishments, including department stores, supermarkets, boutique shops, discount stores, online retailers, and more. It involves activities such as pricing, merchandising, advertising, sales, customer service, inventory management, and logistics. As an important sector of the economy, retailing contributes significantly to job creation and generates substantial revenue.
The success of a retailing business depends on several factors, such as the ability to identify and understand consumer preferences, delivering desirable products, maintaining competitive pricing, providing excellent customer service, and adopting effective marketing strategies. With the increasing popularity of e-commerce, the retailing industry has experienced significant transformation, necessitating businesses to adapt to the changing consumer behavior and technological advancements in order to thrive.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "retailing" has its origins in the Middle English term "retaile", which dates back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Old French word "retaillier", meaning "to cut off, clip, pare, divide". The French word, in turn, comes from the Late Latin word "retaliare", meaning "to cut off, deduct" or "to retaliate". In the context of retail, the term "retaile" initially referred to the act of selling in small quantities or by units, as opposed to selling in bulk. Over time, it evolved into the modern term "retailing", which refers to the business of selling goods directly to consumers, typically in small quantities or individual units.