Final answer:
Retailers mainly engage in promotion when negotiating with consumers, using strategies like money-back guarantees to encourage sales and instill confidence in the quality of their products. This is especially relevant in situations where customers cannot see the products firsthand, like online shopping.
Step-by-step explanation:
Retailers are key players in the distribution channel and are essential for several activities involved in moving products from producers to consumers. Among these activities, one crucial task they perform is promotion, which includes negotiating with consumers. This involves efforts such as advertising, display, and providing detailed information to customers.
Retailers may also offer incentives like a money-back guarantee, serving as a promise of quality to stimulate sales. This strategy is particularly important when customers cannot physically inspect products before purchase, such as with online shopping or mail-order catalogs.
It mitigates the risk for the consumer and encourages them to make a purchase even if they are unsure about keeping the item. While other aspects such as risk-taking, delivery, and manufacturing are also part of the broader market system, specifically in the context of negotiation with consumers, promotion is the primary responsibility of retailers.
Consequently, production decisions remain significant for a firm's behavior and can include choices to expand or reduce production, set prices, open or close facilities, and manage employment levels, or to start or stop selling particular products.