retail
retail — noun
1. the business of selling goods directly to individual customers, rather than to o
the business of selling goods directly to individual customers, rather than to other businesses — typically from shops, market stalls, or online platforms
Devika found a winter coat on a new retail website and ordered it in her size.
online retail — shopping via a website
Beatrix found a job in retail after finishing her business degree.
work in retail — job in the sector
Caleb works in retail at the electronics store, restocking shelves every morning before the doors open.
Many small towns have seen a decline in retail as big chains open nearby.
Aarav invested his savings in a retail business that sells kitchen tools.
- wholesale
sale of goods in bulk to businesses rather than to individual customers
文法句型
retail + is/represents/accounts for
用法筆記
Retail as a noun is uncountable — you cannot say 'a retail' or 'retails'. Refer to 'a retail store', 'a retail business', or 'the retail sector' instead.
常見錯誤
retail — verb
1. to sell goods directly to individual customers through a shop, website, market,
to sell goods directly to individual customers through a shop, website, market, or other direct channel
The company retails its handmade soaps through a small shop in Taipei.
retail + product + through + channel/location
Yumi's family retails fresh vegetables at the local farmers' market every Saturday.
Premium organic coffee is retailed by a growing number of independent cafés.
Most electronics brands do not retail directly to consumers, preferring distributors.
Diego decided to retail his ceramic bowls through an online marketplace instead of a shop.
- sell
more general; retail specifically means sell to the end customer
- market
focuses on promotion and bringing products to buyers
- distribute
broader — includes moving goods through any channel, not just to consumers
- wholesale
to sell in bulk to businesses rather than to individual customers
文法句型
retail + noun phrase
be retailed + preposition + place
用法筆記
This verb is most common in business contexts. The passive construction ('is retailed by/through') is frequently used in product descriptions and market reports.
常見錯誤
2. (of an item for sale) to have a stated selling cost that customers pay when buyi
(of an item for sale) to have a stated selling cost that customers pay when buying it, as marked by the seller
The new smartphone retails at nine hundred dollars in most stores.
retail at + price
These handmade leather bags retail for around two thousand dollars each.
retail for + price — alternative preposition
That imported olive oil retails at nearly twice the price of local brands.
Jabari found the same camera retailed for fifty dollars less on another site.
This edition of the novel retails at a lower price than the hardcover version.
文法句型
retail + at + price
retail + for + amount
retails + for/at
用法筆記
This sense is intransitive — the subject is always the product being sold, and the price follows 'at' or 'for'. British English prefers 'retail at'; American English uses both 'retail at' and 'retail for'.
常見錯誤
retail — adverb
1. in a way that involves selling goods directly to individual customers rather tha
in a way that involves selling goods directly to individual customers rather than to businesses, typically in small quantities
The furniture is available retail at several department stores across the city.
available retail — sold directly to the public
Greta prefers to buy her coffee beans retail from a local roastery rather than wholesale.
Lan bought the chef's knife retail at the kitchen supply shop for forty dollars.
The ceramic mugs from Imani's pottery studio sell wholesale to cafés and retail to visitors at craft fairs.
Hao sold his paintings retail at weekend art fairs for a better price.
- directly to consumers
explanatory phrase rather than a single-word synonym
- at retail price
specific to pricing angle rather than channel
- wholesale
the opposite sales model — selling in bulk to businesses
文法句型
buy + noun phrase + retail
sell + noun phrase + retail
用法筆記
The adverb is used after verbs like 'buy', 'sell', 'purchase', 'available' and is frequently contrasted with 'wholesale'. It does not take a hyphen when used as an adverb.
常見錯誤
retail — adjective
1. describing a business, activity, or location involved in selling goods directly
describing a business, activity, or location involved in selling goods directly to individual customers — for example, a shop, a price label, or the overall sector
The old cinema was turned into a large retail space with ten different shops.
retail space — a physical area for shops
Ari checked the retail price online before going to the store to see the product.
retail price — the price customers pay in a shop
Abigail manages a retail chain that sells sportswear across the whole region.
Retail sales usually increase sharply during the weeks before Lunar New Year.
Bilal took a position as a retail assistant at a large electronics store.
- wholesale
as in 'wholesale price' or 'wholesale business' — opposite sales model
文法句型
retail + noun
用法筆記
The adjective always goes before a noun. Common compounds include 'retail store', 'retail price', 'retail chain', 'retail sector', 'retail outlet'. These are so frequent that they function almost as fixed terms.