Definitions Of Specialty Merchandise

As part of our campaign to ditch the term "General Merchandise" we decided to look up the meaning of one the proposed alternatives - "Specialty Merchandise" or "Specialty Shopping."

From Business Dictionary

Definition of Specialty Store

“A small retail outlet that focuses on selling a particular product range and associated items. Most specialty store business operators will maintain considerable depth in the type of product that they specialize in selling, usually at premium prices, in addition to providing higher service quality and expert guidance to shoppers.”

 The Free Dictionary

Noun

1

Specialty Store - a store that sells only one kind of merchandise

 Merriam Webster Dictionary

Definition of specialty shop: a shop that sells one type of thing.

study.com - Educational Website.

“Specialty stores are retail businesses that focus on specific product categories, such as office supplies, men's or women's clothing, or carpet. It isn't the product they sell that determines if a company is a specialty store, but rather the breadth of their product offering. If a company could be considered an expert in a certain type of good, it is a specialty store.”

So what categories would fit these definitions at QVM? – socks, T-shirts, Australian souvenirs, silver jewellery, leather jackets, phone covers, ladies fashion, sports shoes, coats, sunglasses, gift and occasion cards, outdoor wear, luggage, fabric, leather belts, and so on.

We think there is a good case for describing the Upper market as “Specialty Merchandise”, “Specialty Shopping” or “Specialty Precinct” and the traders as “Specialty Merchandise Traders”, or just “Specialty Traders”. See previous posts below for lots of trader comment on this subject.

Have Your Say – click here.

COMMENTS:
10/12/2017 16:26:26      Specialty merchandise      "Using the term specialty merchandise excludes traders who are service based.  Specialty traders or specialty shopping would be more appropriate."
Good Point - Thank you. - Ed