Direct selling:

This is a scenario in which a sales person goes from door to door or from office to office and meets the customer directly to close a sale. A very good example is that of vacuum cleaners, wherein a representative goes to the homes of a customer at their convenience and demonstrates the utility of his products so that the customer can make a purchase decision based on the performance of the vacuum cleaner.

Direct Marketing

This is a scenario in which instead of directly visiting the customer, product information is supplied through other sources. These include sending mails, providing information over the telephone(also called as Telemarketing) and other media.

Television shopping

Today, television has become more popular means of selling products. Various channels have teleshopping programs through which marketeers demonstrate the usability of the products. The customer can then order the product through e-mail, Internet or the telephone.

Cataloguing

In this a booklet enlisting all the products on offer is sent to the customer. Based on the information provided, the customer can then make his buying decision and order it via the telephone, email the Internet.

Net marketing

This is the latest trend in marketing. Here the products are detailed on the website of the retailer and the customer can order it right way with the help of a few mouse clicks. The other electronic tool that is used is the email facility. E-Mailers are sent to prospective customers by providing the details of the products. This medium is also used to provide information about new products to existing customers.

In India, retailing has caught up in a big way. Today one finds the presence of huge retail stores like Crossroads, Shoppers Stop etc who are doing well. It has a bright future and looks all set to grow. Currently it is an urban phenomena, present in the metropolises like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore etc. However this trend is moving into the smaller towns and these present the market of the future.