A business or person that sells goods directly to consumers in small quantities. The final link in the supply chain between manufacturers and end users.
From Old French 'retaillier' meaning to cut again, from 're-' (again) and 'taillier' (to cut). Originally referred to cutting cloth into smaller pieces for individual sale, expanding to mean selling in small quantities versus wholesale.
The word 'retailer' literally means 're-cutter,' reflecting the medieval practice of buying bulk cloth and cutting it into customer-sized pieces. Modern retailers still perform this essential function of breaking down bulk goods into consumer-friendly portions, whether it's selling single apples from a crate or individual books from a publisher's shipment.
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