A furniture maker has delivered a dining set to the end consumer rather than to the furniture store. The furniture maker is practicing __________.

The situation describes a furniture maker delivering a dining set directly to the end consumer, which aligns with the concept of drop shipping. In drop shipping, the retailer does not keep goods in stock but instead transfers customer orders and shipment details to either the manufacturer or a wholesaler, who then ships the goods directly to the customer. This model allows for reduced inventory costs and can streamline the supply chain by shifting the responsibility of logistics to the supplier.

In this case, since the furniture maker is delivering directly to the consumer rather than going through a physical retail store, it exemplifies the characteristics of drop shipping quite well. The convenience of eliminating the middleman is a key aspect of this method, enabling faster delivery to customers and offering a competitive edge in the fulfillment process.