<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> Retail is the process of selling consumer goods or services to customers through multiple channels of distribution to earn a profit . Retailers satisfy demand identified through a supply chain . The term "retailer" is typically applied where a service provider fills the small orders of a large number of individuals, who are end - users, rather than large orders of a small number of wholesale, corporate or government clientele . Shopping generally refers to the act of buying products . Sometimes this is done to obtain final goods, including necessities such as food and clothing; sometimes it takes place as a recreational activity . Recreational shopping often involves window shopping and browsing: it does not always result in a purchase . </P> <P> Retail markets and shops have a very ancient history, dating back to antiquity . Some of the earliest retailers were itinerant peddlers . Over the centuries, retail shops were transformed from little more than "rude booths" to the sophisticated shopping malls of the modern era . </P>

Who does a retail company sell products to