nonstore

Nonstore refers to retail activities conducted outside traditional brick-and-mortar stores. It encompasses channels that do not require a physical storefront, including e-commerce websites, online marketplaces, mail-order catalogs, direct-to-consumer sales via the internet, telemarketing, direct selling, and vending machines. It also includes newer forms such as interactive television shopping, mobile apps, and social commerce.

The term is used in marketing and retail management to distinguish nonstore channels from conventional store-based retail. Nonstore shopping has roots in mail-order catalogs of the 19th and 20th centuries and expanded with television shopping in the late 20th century, then accelerated with the rise of the internet, broadband, and mobile devices.

Forms and channels commonly considered nonstore retailing include:

- E-commerce websites and online marketplaces

- Catalog shopping and mail-order services

- Direct selling and home parties

- Telemarketing and direct-response television shopping

- Vending machines

- Mobile apps and social commerce

Advantages of nonstore retailing include 24/7 availability, the potential for global reach, scalable operations, data-driven personalization, and lower variable costs relative to many physical locations. Challenges include higher fulfillment and logistics costs, managing returns, ensuring security and trust, providing tactile or experiential elements, and potential channel conflict with physical stores.

In modern retail, nonstore channels are often integrated with physical stores in an omnichannel strategy to provide a seamless customer experience across touchpoints. See also e-commerce, direct selling, and omnichannel retail.