Retail Workers: What is considered a Retail Business in Canada? (2024)

So, what is considered a retail business? you might want to know. A retail business, for the purpose of the Employment Standards Act (ESA), is a business that sells good or services to the public. Restaurants, grocery stores, clothing stores, corner shops, car dealerships and hair salons are all examples of such retail businesses.

Many retail workers are surprised to learn that there are certain rights in the ESA that, with some exceptions that I’ll get to shortly, only apply to retail business. Specifically, retail workers have the right to refuse to work on public holidays and to refuse work on Sundays.

Right to refuse to work on public holidays

As an employee of a retail business, you have the right to refuse to work on a public holiday. Even if you agree in writing that you will work on a public holiday, you can give your employer 48 hours notice and decline to work.

If a public holiday falls on a normal working day you are entitled to take the day off with public holiday pay. If the holiday falls on a non-working day or you are on vacation, you are entitled to an alternate day off with public holiday pay.

Right to refuse work on Sunday

For many Canadians under 40, it might be surprising to learn that until 1985 it was prohibited to make business transactions on Sunday. Sunday shopping has only been a weekend activity for 34 years.

Nevertheless, employees hired before September 4, 2001 have the right to refuse work on Sundays. However, employees hired after this date do not have this right unless it is for religious beliefs or observances.

Employers cannot make working on Sundays a condition of hire if doing this would violate the Human Rights Code. Furthermore, you cannot be terminated, intimidated or punished for exercising your ESA rights to refuse work on Sundays or public holidays.

Exceptions

As is often the case with employment law, there are exceptions to the above rights. Employees working at the following retail businesses are not entitled to refuse work on public holidays or Sundays:

  • Restaurants, cafes and other businesses where the good being sold is prepared meals
  • Hotels, resorts, camps and other businesses that rent accommodations
  • Museums, galleries, stadiums, theatres, nightclubs and other education, recreation or amusem*nt services as well as businesses on the same premises as such services that sell goods and services related to the services (i.e. a museum souvenir shop)

For legal advice and assistance with your rights as a retail worker, Call us today to book your consultation at 905-639-0999 or connect with us online by filling out a consultation request form.

Retail Workers: What is considered a Retail Business in Canada? (2024)

FAQs

What is considered a retail business? ›

What is considered retail? Retail is the sale of goods or services from a business directly to a consumer for their own use. It can include physical stores, online stores, and mobile stores. Retailers range from large department stores to small, independent businesses.

What is considered a retail establishment? ›

Retail goods can be sold through stores, kiosks, or even by mail or the Internet. Retail businesses can include grocery, drug, department and convenient stores. Service related businesses such as beauty salons and rental places are also considered retail businesses.

What is an example of a retail trade business? ›

Retail trade encompasses the department store, bookstore, and grocery store you stopped at, along with many others who sell new or used goods to the public for personal or household use. That could include new and used clothing from specialty or consignment stores and even food and beverages from the grocer.

What does retail mean in a job? ›

Retail salespersons work in stores where they sell goods, such as books, cars, clothing, cosmetics, electronics, furniture, lumber, plants, shoes, and many other types of merchandise.

What are 2 examples of retail businesses? ›

The variety and range of retail business types are ever-growing and changing, but some main examples include:
  • Department stores. Department stores usually have a wide selection of products on offer, from homeware to children's toys. ...
  • Online stores. ...
  • Convenience stores. ...
  • Supermarkets. ...
  • Speciality stores.

Is working at a gym considered retail? ›

Gyms are a perfect example of a business that's combined retail and hospitality to deliver a better customer experience.

What are 3 examples of a retail business? ›

Examples of retailers include supermarkets, department stores, specialty stores, convenience stores, and online stores.

What are the 3 basic kinds of retailing? ›

When classified based on the products marketed, there are 3 types of business:
  • Product retail: retail businesses that sell physical goods/products.
  • Service retail: retail businesses that offer services.
  • Non-store retail: selling goods to consumers using certain media such as vending machines.
Jul 25, 2022

What is the difference between retail trade and retailer? ›

Retail trade is the business activity associated with the sale of goods to the final consumer, the ultimate customer. It is the link between wholesalers or manufacturers and the customers of the product. Typically retailers sell goods in small quantities to consumers for personal use, not for resale or business use.

What are the retail services? ›

Retail Services means those communications services furnished by a telecommunications service provider directly to end-user customers. For an alternative operator services company, the terms and conditions of its retail services are addressed in an approved intrastate tariff.

Is coffee shop a retail business? ›

Coffee Shop and Bar

This type of retail business will increase your customer base as you'll appeal to both the coffee shop crowd and when that begins to taper off, you're appealing to the night-time crowd.

What is my job title if I work in retail? ›

Sales associates

Sales associates are also responsible for maintaining your store's clean and organized appearance, setting up product displays, restocking items, and checking out customers (if you don't also have a cashier).

What is your occupation if you work in retail? ›

Sales Associate

The job of a sales associate is, of course, to sell the store's products! A great sales associate will go the extra mile to maintain excellent customer service and build trust between the store and the customer.

What is the job title for someone who does everything? ›

Generalist — this title is often used in HR (e.g., HR Generalist) and means someone who does a bit of everything in their HR Department. Person of Many Skills — Kagoagh Resort and Fishing Lodge uses this simple inclusive title.

What is small retail business? ›

A retail business is the sale of items and services in small quantities to customers in-store or online. Grocery, clothing, and drug stores are examples of retail.

Are there different types of retail? ›

The four primary types of retailer formats are department stores, supermarkets, specialty stores, and online retailers. Department stores: These are large stores that sell a wide variety of merchandise. Department stores typically have several departments, each selling a different type of product.

What is the biggest retail business? ›

Walmart Inc

Is Mcdonalds a retail or service? ›

McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with over 38,000 locations in over 100 countries. Approximately 93% Of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners.

Is Chick Fil A considered retail? ›

So, regardless what retail sector it operates in, it runs a first-class retail operation. Chick-fil-A has lessons to teach every other retailer in how to be successful in retail, too.

Is Walmart considered retail? ›

As one of the world's largest brick-and-mortar retailers, we are also one of the fastest growing and most dynamic e-commerce organizations.

What is the difference between retail and business? ›

A retail business generates income by selling goods to its customers, whereas a service business produces income by providing services to their customers. The following table shows the differences between retail businesses from a service business. Example: Selling price of merchandise inventory.

Is Costco a retail store? ›

Costco Wholesale is a multi-billion dollar global retailer with warehouse club operations in eight countries.

What are three types of non retail businesses? ›

The three main types of non-store retailing are: direct selling, distance selling and online selling.

How do you categorize retail? ›

Retail Categories. There are four common ways that retailers can be classified: number of outlets, margin versus turnover, location and size.

What type of retailer is Walmart? ›

Walmart Inc. ( /ˈwɔːlmɑːrt/; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States, headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas.

What are the four major types of retail organization? ›

The major types of retail organizations are corporate chains, voluntary chains and retailer cooperatives, consumer cooperatives, franchise organizations, and merchandising

What are the top retail categories? ›

Overview of top categories
  • Apparel and accessories. This category bundles clothing, shoes, and other apparel accessories. ...
  • Consumer electronics. ...
  • Books, movies, music, and games. ...
  • Health, personal care, and beauty. ...
  • Food and beverage. ...
  • Auto and parts. ...
  • Furniture and decor.

What are the 3 most important things in retailing? ›

The four Ps - Product, Price, Place, Promotion - are the basic foundations of a successful retail business.
  • Product. You need products that your customers want to buy, and a product range that will satisfy your customers' needs and desires. ...
  • Price. ...
  • Place. ...
  • Promotion.

What are five of the largest categories of retail market? ›

The big five: an introduction to the main branches of the retail...
  • Food and beverages. ...
  • Specialty retailing. ...
  • Work, home, and lifestyle. ...
  • General retail. ...
  • Wholesale and logistics.

Is a clothing brand a retail trade? ›

The clothing and clothing accessories stores subsector is part of the retail trade sector.

Is retailing and selling the same? ›

Retail means to sell goods to the public, typically in small quantities, for consumption. Selling is the exchange of goods or services for money.

Is food a retail trade? ›

The food and beverage stores subsector is part of the retail trade sector.

What's another word for retail? ›

synonyms for retail

On this page you'll find 20 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to retail, such as: peddle, barter, dispense, distribute, hawk, and market.

What are the 7 retail sectors? ›

The retail sectors are prominently divided into Food, Clothing & Textiles, Consumer Durables, Footwear, Jewelry, Books-Music-Gift Articles, and Fuel.

What is independent retail? ›

An independent retailer is a business that sells goods made by other companies, and is privately owned by one or more people.

Is a retail store a business? ›

A retail business buys products or services from a manufacturer or wholesaler and sells them to consumers. Simple enough, but the industry is vast — it covers everything from food and apparel to home decor and auto.

Is fast food a retail or service? ›

The Restaurant and Food Retail industry includes chain and franchised restaurants which encompasses all fast food, eateries and full-service locals, in addition to all retail supermarkets and grocery stores. The food retail industry contains any business that sells food to consumers for preparation and consumption.

Is Starbucks a retail store? ›

Bring your personal taste and handcrafted style to your role in Starbucks retail. We designed our Dress Code to reflect the professionalism of our partners, the commitment to making every moment right and the inclusive welcome at the heart of our brand.

What is a fancy name for a retail worker? ›

They are sometimes called sales clerks, retail clerks, or salespeople. There are more than 4.6 million retail salespersons employed in the United States.

How do you say you work in retail on a resume? ›

Here are four steps for how to describe retail experience on a resume:
  1. List previous jobs you've held. ...
  2. Emphasize your retail skills. ...
  3. Discuss experience in your summary. ...
  4. Highlight educational credentials.
Mar 16, 2023

Should I put my retail job on my resume? ›

It is best to focus your resume on experiences that are most relevant to the type of job you are applying for. If you don't have much relevant experience, you can include some retail and fast food experience, but make sure to highlight the skills you gained that are relevant to the job you want.

Is cashier a job title? ›

A Cashier is a retail professional who scans items to ensure prices and quantities are correct, assists those who need help or advice on products, and handles returns and exchanges when necessary.

How do I answer what is my occupation? ›

If you have an occupation - it refers to the 'field' or 'type' of work you perform. People will normally ask, "What's your occupation/profession?" You'd respond, "I'm an accountant." or "I'm a surgeon."

What do you call a person who can do many jobs? ›

Multitalented.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/multitalented. Accessed 11 Jun. 2023. Copy Citation.

What is the job title of an employee? ›

What is a job title? A job title is the name of the position you hold at your company, typically associated with a specific set of tasks and responsibilities. It often denotes a person's level of seniority within a company or department. A job title also gives insight into what an employee contributes to a company.

Is Amazon considered retail? ›

As of 2023, it is the world's largest online retailer and marketplace, smart speaker provider, cloud computing service through AWS, live-streaming service through Twitch, and Internet company as measured by revenue and market share.

What is an example of a retail worker? ›

Retail Workers are employed by stores and perform a variety of duties: greeting and advising customers, stocking shelves, keeping the premises clean, handling transactions, solving complaints, and reporting to supervisors.

What are the 4 types of retailers? ›

The four primary types of retailer formats are department stores, supermarkets, specialty stores, and online retailers. Department stores: These are large stores that sell a wide variety of merchandise.

Is Costco a wholesaler or retailer? ›

Costco Wholesale is a multi-billion dollar global retailer with warehouse club operations in eight countries.

Who is the number 1 retailer in the world? ›

Walmart Inc

Is warehouse part of retail? ›

Retail warehouses serve vital functions in the retail supply chain, from storage to packaging and delivering goods to consumers.

Is Target considered retail? ›

Target is a general merchandise retailer with stores in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

Is Home Depot considered a retail store? ›

Today, The Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement retailer with approximately 500,000 orange-blooded associates and more than 2,300 stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

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