On a regular basis, I use various services such as mobile services, banking services, health care (doctor treatment), and recreational services like restaurants. These services differ from goods in several distinct ways.

The first characteristic is Intangibility. Services cannot be touched or seen physically; for example, a doctor's treatment is intangible, unlike tangible medicine. Secondly, services exhibit Inconsistency. Since there is no standard tangible product, services vary as different customers have different demands and expectations, such as in mobile services.

Another distinct feature is Inseparability. Services are simultaneously produced and consumed. For instance, eating ice-cream in a restaurant happens at the same time as the service delivery, unlike buying it from a store. Additionally, services cannot be stored, meaning they have no Inventory. One cannot keep the experience of a train journey in stock like a ticket.

Finally, services require Involvement of the customer during delivery. Customers participate in the process and can get services modified to their requirements, such as in self-service food joints. Thus, services are an activity or process, not a physical object.