Final answer:
The correct answer is E. The Internet, as it enables companies like Amazon and L.L. Bean to offer convenient purchasing options and efficient delivery services while maintaining low operational costs and overcoming traditional retail challenges.
Step-by-step explanation:
The retail channel that both helps retailers save a sale if an item is out of stock and allows retailers to overcome resource constraints by freeing up sales associates is E. The Internet. This channel has revolutionized the way companies like Amazon conduct business, offering convenient purchasing and prompt delivery by mail. Amazon, for example, holds its inventory in huge warehouses in low-rent locations around the world, which are highly computerized and efficiently managed to keep costs low. Similarly, L.L. Bean primarily uses mail orders and its website to conduct sales, overcoming the problem of imperfect information with a money-back guarantee and a reputation for quality. Through these methods, both companies demonstrate significant advantages in economies of scale.