UPMSP Vocational Retail Trading key terms

The business activity of selling goods or services directly to the final consumer for personal or household use, rather than for resale or further production.

A person or business that buys goods from manufacturers, wholesalers or distributors and sells them in small quantities to end customers.

A trader who purchases goods in bulk and resells them to retailers or other businesses, normally not selling to the final household consumer.

The person who actually uses or consumes a product or service, who may or may not be the same person who paid for it.

A person who buys goods or services from a particular shop or business, forming the source of its sales and repeat business.

The chain of businesses and steps through which a product passes from producer to final buyer, such as producer, wholesaler, retailer and consumer.

The particular type of retail outlet defined by its size, product range, pricing approach and style of service, such as a kirana store, supermarket or mall shop.

A large self-service store selling a wide range of food, groceries and household items, organised in aisles with checkout counters at the exit.

A large retail outlet divided into separate sections or departments, each offering a distinct category such as clothing, cosmetics, electronics or home goods.

A diagram that shows exactly where each product should be placed on shelves and fixtures, guiding staff to keep displays consistent and well stocked.

The planned arrangement of products, signs, lighting and props in a store to attract attention, guide shoppers and encourage purchases.

A deliberate presentation of goods, often in windows, end caps or feature areas, designed to draw the eye and stimulate interest in the products shown.

A promotional stand, shelf talker or counter unit placed near the checkout or selling point to prompt impulse buying of small, low-priced items.

An unplanned buying decision made on the spot, usually triggered by attractive display, easy access or a tempting price at the counter.

The total stock of goods held by a shop for sale, counted in units or value and tracked to avoid shortages or excess.

A unique code identifying one specific product variant, such as a particular size, colour or pack, used for tracking stock and pricing.

The number of times a shop sells and replaces its average stock during a period, showing how quickly goods move off the shelves.

Goods that have not sold for a long period and remain unsold on shelves, tying up money and space that could be used better.

A reduction in the selling price of goods, often applied to clear slow-moving or seasonal stock and recover some of its cost.

A printed pattern of parallel lines and spaces encoding product information, read by a scanner at the checkout to identify the item and its price.

The place and system where a sale is completed, including the counter, cash register or billing software that records items and takes payment.

A printed or electronic receipt given to the customer showing the items bought, quantities, prices and total amount paid.

A tax document issued on a sale that shows the goods or services supplied, the taxable value and the applicable Goods and Services Tax amount.

The careful process of receiving, counting, storing and reconciling cash during a shift, including opening float, change and end-of-day tally.

A locked tray or compartment at the billing counter that holds cash for making change and is opened only by the authorised billing operator.

The loss of stock or cash caused by theft, shoplifting, damage, error or fraud, measured as the gap between recorded and actual inventory.

Persuading a customer to buy a higher-priced or upgraded version of what they intended, often by explaining extra features or benefits.

Suggesting related or complementary products to a customer, such as recommending a phone case after a phone purchase, to increase the total sale.

The assistance and care a shop gives before, during and after a purchase, including greeting, advice, complaint handling and follow-up.

A customer's tendency to keep returning to the same shop and recommending it to others, built through good service, value and trust.

Paying full attention to a speaker, noting both words and feelings, and confirming understanding by summarising or asking clarifying questions.

Information given by customers or colleagues about how well something worked, used to improve products, service and store processes.

A transfer of money made electronically through mobile wallets, UPI, cards or net banking instead of physical cash at the counter.

Buying and selling of goods or services over the internet, using websites, apps and online payment systems for ordering and delivery.

A retail approach that links physical stores, websites and apps so customers can browse, buy, collect or return goods through any channel.

Clothing and gear such as gloves, aprons, masks or safety shoes worn to protect a worker from injury or contamination at the workplace.

Practices that keep the body, hands, clothing and surroundings clean to prevent contamination and illness, especially around food and customer areas.

Precautions and actions that prevent fires and protect people, including keeping extinguishers ready, knowing escape routes and avoiding blocked exits.

Measures taken to prevent accidents and injury at work, such as safe stacking, clean floors, proper lifting and clear emergency exits.

The process of spotting an opportunity, organising resources and taking calculated risk to start and run a business venture of one's own.

A written document describing a venture's product, target market, operations, costs and expected income, used to guide and fund the business.