59 Key Terms Objectives Critical Thinking Web Connect Other Nonstore Retailers 3.2 After completing this section, you will be able to: • Explain how retail channels function. • Identify portable retailers. • Describe how vending machines are a form of retail. retail channel multichannel retailer home-shopping television infomercial direct mail vendor street vendor food truck vending machine E-tailing began in the 1990s. Research the fi rst companies to become offi cial e-tailers. What was the name of the company you chose and what did it sell? Is it still in business today? It is possible to shop globally without leaving your home. Make a list of 10 items that you would consider purchasing from another country. Why would you buy these items from a global retailer instead of a local retailer? Retail Channels Retail channels are all the different pathways through which goods or services can be sold. Brick-and-mortar stores, the Internet, mobile apps, catalogs, television, consultants, vendors, and direct mail are examples of retail channels. A multichannel retailer uses two or more retail channels to sell products, as shown in Figure 3-3. For example, the retailer Lands End sells products in physical stores, through catalogs, on its website, and through mobile apps. Multichannel retailing is very important to reach every potential customer. According to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 40 percent of customers prefer multichannel buying options. Multichannel customers expect to have consistent shopping experiences regardless of the retail channel they use to make a purchase. Section