Hardlines refer to a store department or product line primarily consisting of general merchandise such as hardware, housewares, automotive supplies, electronics, sporting goods, health and beauty aids, appliances, barbecue items, batteries, brooms, cookware, cutlery, furniture, garden supplies, photography film or supplies and toys.
Numerous retailers fall into the hardlines category. Among them is big-box merchant Best Buy, which sells a large selection of consumer electronics, computers, appliances, and mobile products and services; Bed Bath & Beyond , which sells domestic home-living merchandise; Pier 1 Imports, which offers a range of imported, decorative home furnishings and related accessories; and Tiffany & Co., best known for its fine jewelry and gift items. Other retailers in the Hardlines industry include PetSmart, a retailer of pet supplies, food, and services (i.e., boarding, grooming, and veterinary services), and videogame seller GameStop.