iii Introduction In today’s competitive workplace, investigating multiple career options is more challenging than ever. In Retailing and E-tailing, you will explore career opportunities in the traditional brick-and-mortar retail industry, as well as the online retail business of e-tailing. One of the goals of this text is to help you understand that retailing and e-tailing share common objectives. Both businesses meet consumer needs and wants. Both businesses play a defi ning role in the economy. The difference is the method in which each business provides their services. To highlight this difference, two chapters of this text are dedicated to creating an e-tail site. This information will allow you to compare and contrast a brick- and-mortar business to one that is online. Retailing and E-tailing provides multiple college and career activities to prepare you for life after graduation. Also, the DECA Coach activity at the end of each chapter guides you in preparing for DECA competitive events and your future career. A Math Skills Handbook is provided as a quick reference for basic math functions. The QR codes in each chapter link you directly to the Retailing and E-tailing companion website for access to study tools, such as quizzes and e-fl ash cards. In addition, the G-W Learning mobile site makes it easy for you to study on the go! About the Authors Mickey Kosloski has been directly involved with marketing education for 16 years. Following 17 years in sales and business ownership, he began his career as a marketing education high school teacher. During this time, he developed an Internet Marketing curriculum for the City of Chesapeake, Virginia—only the second such curriculum in the nation. Mr. Kosloski became the DECA state advisor for Virginia. He served several years as the Southern Region Council Chair and received the International Outstanding Service Award from DECA, Inc. He is currently employed at Old Dominion University as an assistant professor, and is the program leader for both marketing education and business and industry training. He has consulted on several projects for organizations such as DECA, Inc., MBA Research, and Opportunity, Inc. Mr. Kosloski earned a BS degree in marketing education, an MS in career and technical education, and a PhD in education with a concentration in career and technical education. Sharon R. Davis is a senior lecturer at Old Dominion University with an extensive background in marketing education and retail merchandising. She began her teaching career in marketing education where her students received numerous awards at the district, state, and national DECA conferences. She served as the Collegiate DECA state advisor for Virginia and has developed merchandising curriculum for fashion marketing programs through private industry grants. Ms. Davis has a broad range of entrepreneurial experience with businesses that include wholesale, retail, transportation, distribution, and restaurants. She currently serves as the program leader for fashion merchandising at Old Dominion. She earned her bachelor degree in marketing and business education and an MS Ed in secondary education with a concentration in marketing education.