Retailer Definition

Shop.org defines a retailer as a company whose core business is to sell consumer goods directly to the end consumer via storefront, catalog, television, or online. (Chain restaurants are included in this definition.) The company must own the merchandise it sells. Companies primarily engaged in the sale of goods or services to businesses (whether at wholesale or retail) are not considered retailers.

If any of the following statements apply, Shop.org defines your company as a non-retailer:

1. Your company has not yet launched, there are no stores, you do not have a website, and there is no way to verify your retailer status.
2. Your company does not sell merchandise to consumers. 
3. Your company manufactures consumer goods that can only be purchased through third-party distribution partners (excluding franchisees); there is no way for a consumer to purchase directly from your company. 
4. Your company primarily sells business-to-business or wholesale. While an individual consumer could purchase a product from you directly, most of your customers are businesses. Example: A company that sells cash registers primarily sells them to businesses. 
5. Your company runs a website, provides an ecommerce platform, and/or processes transactions on behalf of a retailer as a third-party. Example: ABC Company runs the website for XYZ Retailer but its staff is employed by ABC Company. ABC is the vendor and XYZ is the Retailer.
6. Your company aggregates and sells/auctions merchandise that is owned by other companies and/or you provide a service by which retailers’ products are promoted and sold through your website.
7. The messaging on your parent company’s website primarily discusses things such as “solutions,” “services,” “apps,” “partners,” and/or “clients” and gives no indication of, or links to, any subsidiary retail companies.
8. Your company’s primary purpose is to produce, manage, promote, or distribute “apps” (mobile applications) to do such things as:
   a) help consumers locate "deals" on merchandise not owned by your company;
   b) locate retail companies in a geographic region,
   c:) generate coupons or discount codes for a company not your own,
   d:) allow consumers to bid on products not owned by your company.

Questions?
If you have questions about your retailer/non-retailer status, please contact shop.org membership at membership@shop.org or (202) 626-8113 before you register. Shop.org makes every effort to quickly notify non-retailers who register for retailer passes by accident. However, Shop.org reserves the right to cancel or charge non-retailers the non-retailer rate if they have incorrectly registered as a retailer.

Retailers join Shop.org now and receive one FREE pass to the Annual Summit 2012 for your company. Additional passes are available at the rates listed above.

You may also attend as a non-member, then join within 45 days of the event, and we'll apply one person's entire registration fee (up to $1,425) to your Shop.org membership dues (One credit per company). To maximize savings, join Shop.org prior to the event. Your company will receive a free pass to this event, but as well as our other three large events.

For more membership information, view our member benefits page.

Networking @ the Summit

The Shop.org Promise
We are so confident that retailers attending Shop.org events will acquire valuable strategies and tactics to improve their online and multichannel retail business. If not, let us know and we'll refund your registration fee.

Questions?
Contact us with questions or help with registration.

Sponsor/Exhibitor Information
Contact Tami Sakell, Sr. Director, Exhibit & Sponsorship Sales at  202.661.3044.