What is retail?
In the context of resale, retail refers to a store model in which the business purchases new goods from a manufacturer or wholesaler and sells them to customers at a marked-up price. The store owns the inventory outright and keeps 100% of the sale revenue.
Retail is distinct from consignment, where the store sells goods on behalf of a third party and splits the proceeds, and from buy outright, which involves purchasing used or secondhand goods from individual sellers rather than wholesale sources.
Within Resalepedia, retail is most relevant as a component of hybrid resale — some resale stores supplement their secondhand inventory with a curated selection of new goods. A clothing consignment store might carry new accessories or locally made products alongside its consigned items. The retail portion of the store operates on traditional margin: the store buys at wholesale cost and sells at a higher price, keeping the difference.