Hard goods are tangible products that are literally hard to the touch. This is a retail industry term as opposed to an economics term. Hard goods are contrasted with soft goods such as clothing. The following are common examples of hard goods.

Appliances	Books
Consumer Electronics	Cookware
Fixtures	Furniture
Heating & Cooling	Housewares
Jewelry	Mobile Devices
Musical Instruments	Sporting Goods
Tools	Toys

Hard Goods vs Soft Goods

Hard goods are literally hard things such as a bed. Soft goods are literally soft things such as clothing. Both categories can be consumer goods or business goods.

Hard Goods vs Durable Goods

Durable goods are consumer goods that are expected to last more than 3 years without a decline in functionality. Generally speaking, hard goods are more durable than soft goods. However, some hard goods aren't durable such as a thermometer with a built in battery that only lasts a year. Conversely, some soft goods such as carpets are viewed as durable goods.

Hard Goods vs Fast Moving Consumer Goods

Hard goods are used over time and aren't consumable. This can be contrasted with fast moving consumer goods that are consumed with use such that they are often regularly repurchased. For example, a printer is a hard good and paper is a fast moving consumer good.

Hard Goods vs Intangible Goods

Another defining characteristic of hard goods is that they are tangible such that they have a physical presence. This can be contrasted with services and digital goods that are mostly intangible. For example, a book is a hard good but an ebook is a digital good.

Summary

Hard good is a category used in the retail industry to describe goods that are physically hard to the touch. These are often but not always durable. Consumable goods that are hard to the touch are generally placed in another category known as fast moving consumer goods.

Notes

Hard goods are generally easy to merchandise and handle in inventory. Soft goods are more difficult to manage and are considered a specialized type of retail. For example, clothing that needs to be carefully folded or hung such that it is difficult to merchandise, stock and restock.

Overview: Hard Goods
Type	Consumer Products
Definition	Tangible products that are hard to the touch and not consumable.
Also Known As	Hardlines
Opposite Of	Soft Goods Softlines
Related Concepts	Consumer Products » Retail Industry » Soft Goods » Consumer Goods » Business Goods » Fast Moving Consumer Goods »