Anything offered for sale to satisfy a customer need or want is a product. In retail the term covers physical goods from apples to appliances, and sometimes services bundled with them.

Products have tangible attributes such as size, color, and performance, and intangible ones such as brand reputation and warranty. Retailers select products that fit their target customers and positioning. Lifecycle considerations include introduction, growth, maturity, and eventual removal from the assortment.

Clear product information, reliable availability, and appropriate pricing determine whether a product succeeds on the shelf or the website. Customer feedback and sales data guide continuous refinement of the product offer. At the center of every retail transaction sits a product the customer has decided is worth paying for.

• Item or service offered for sale
• Combines tangible and intangible attributes
• Selected to match target customer needs
• Tracked through a lifecycle of sales performance