A person buys a shirt, wears it, and eventually discards it. In economic terms that person is a consumer. Consumers are the end users of goods and services produced by the economy.

Retailers study consumer needs, preferences, and budgets in order to stock the right products at the right prices. Demographics, lifestyle, and occasional impulse all influence what consumers choose. Protection laws regulate safety, labeling, and fair dealing so that consumers can buy with reasonable confidence.

The term is broader than “customer.” A customer has a relationship with a specific seller; a consumer simply uses goods. In practice the two overlap heavily in retail settings. Understanding consumers as decision-makers with limited time and attention shapes everything from packaging to store layout.

• Individual who uses goods and services
• Focus of retail merchandising and marketing
• Protected by safety and fairness regulations
• Distinct from but related to the role of customer