Who is considered a retailer?

The correct answer identifies a retailer as a business that sells products or services directly to customers. Retailers act as the intermediary between manufacturers or service providers and consumers. In this role, they provide a variety of products or services in physical stores, online platforms, or both, allowing customers to make purchases for their personal use.

This definition emphasizes the core function of retailing: facilitating the exchange of goods or services for money. Retailers play an essential role in the distribution chain, making products accessible to the general public, and often providing additional services like customer support, product information, and returns.

The other options do not capture the full essence of what defines a retailer. A business that produces goods focuses on manufacturing rather than selling, while a person assisting customers at a point of sale could be a salesperson in a retail environment but does not represent the broader category of retail businesses themselves. Lastly, an analyst researching product trends operates in a research capacity and does not engage in selling products directly to consumers, which is central to being classified as a retailer.