Final answer:
Ashley Furniture is categorized as a Furniture retailer, focusing specifically on home furnishings, which differs from broader spectrum stores like department stores or discount retailers.
Step-by-step explanation:
D. Furniture retailer. This classification more specifically identifies its focus on selling home furnishings and separates it from broader category retailers such as department stores or discount stores.
Department stores historically represented a major shift in consumer behavior, moving from small family-run shops to large-scale, fixed priced outlets offering a wide variety of goods. Unlike department stores, which sell a range of different product genres, furniture retailers like Ashley Furniture specialize in selling furniture and closely related items, thereby offering a more focused shopping experience.
Specialist stores often provide deeper product knowledge, an extensive selection within a particular product category, and sometimes higher-quality items than generalist stores like department stores or discount retailers.