What is a tertiary trading area also known as?

A tertiary trading area is commonly referred to as a fringe trading area. This concept pertains to the geographical area that represents the outermost zone of a retail market's reach, where customer draw and retail activity occur less intensely than in primary and secondary trading areas. The fringe trading area often includes customers who may live further away and have more diverse shopping options available to them.

This designation highlights the concept of consumer behavior in retail, particularly in terms of how far customers are willing to travel to do their shopping. Understanding the tertiary or fringe trading area is crucial for retailers in terms of location strategy, marketing efforts, and inventory management, as it identifies potential customers who may contribute to sales despite being located outside the more densely populated or highly trafficked zones.

The other options do not accurately capture the definition or characteristics of a tertiary trading area. For instance, a neighborhood trading area typically refers to areas that are closer to residential zones, while small business sectors and major retail clusters denote different categorizations of retail environments that do not align with the fringe concept.