52 Key Terms Objectives Critical Thinking Web Connect Section Electronic Retailing 3.1 After completing this section, you will be able to: • Defi ne nonstore retail. • Explain the concept of e-tailing. • List the advantages and disadvantages of online shopping for a customer. off-site purchasing e-tailing m-commerce mobile app web-infl uenced sale shopping bot identity theft Internet Retailer© is a company that provides business intelligence for the electronic and online retailing market. Research this company. Explain the types of information that the company provides for retailers. How does this business reach its customers? There are several companies that compile consumer information about buying habits for both retail and e-tail businesses. How do you think businesses use this information? Do you think this information is important to consumers? Nonstore Retail Store-based businesses provide customers with a hands-on, face- to-face shopping experience. However, some customers do not require a hands-on experience. Some may not want to travel to a physical retail location to make a purchase. For these customers, there are nonstore retail options. Nonstore retail is any method of selling products or services outside of a traditional brick-and-mortar store. Many retailers offer both store-based and nonstore options to their customers. Nonstore retail businesses can take many forms: • e-tail • home-shopping television • direct mail and catalogs • direct sales • portable retailers (food trucks and street vendors) • vending machines When customers make a purchase from a nonstore retailer, it is known as off-site purchasing. Off-site purchasing is any type of sale that takes place in a location other than a brick-and-mortar store.