Itinerant Retailers:
The retailers who do not have a fixed place of business to operate from are called itinerant retailers. They have to move from one place to another along with their goods in search of consumers.
Characteristics of itinerant retailers.
1. They are small traders having limited resources.
2. They generally deal with consumer products of daily use.
3. They emphasize on providing greater customer services.
4. They do not have any fixed place to operate from.
Types of itinerant retailers
1. Peddlers and hawkers:
They can the products on a bicycle, a hand cart, a cycle-rickshaw or on their heads, and move from place to place to sell their products at the doorstep of the customers. They generally deal with non-standardised and low- value products such as toys, vegetables, fruits, etc.
2. Market traders:
They are the small retailer who open their shops at different places and sell the goods on fixed days such as every Saturday or Tuesday. These trader deals in a single line of goods such as toys, ready-made garment crockery, etc.
3. Street traders:
These traders display their articles on busy streets, bus stand, railway stations, etc. They sell low priced articles like pens, books, magazines, handkerchiefs, etc. They do not change their place of business frequently.
4. Cheap jacks:
They are small retailers who have independent shops of a temporary nature in a business locality. They keep on changing their business from one locality to another but not very frequently. They deal with consumer items such as repair of watches, shoes, buckets, etc.
2. Fixed Shop Retailers:
Retailers who maintain permanent establishment to sell their goods are called fixed shop retailers. Following are the main characteristics of fixed shop retailers:
1. They have greater resources and operate on a relatively large scale.
2. They deal in durable as well as nondurable goods.
3. They provide greater services to the customers such as home delivery, repairs, credit facilities, etc
Types of Fixed Shop Retailers
The fixed-shop retailers can be classified into two. They are:
(a) Small shop-keepers
(b) Large retailers
