A retail sale is defined as a sale of tangible personal property for any purpose other than resale in the regular course of business. (G. An asset sale transaction involves the sale of some or all of the assets used in a business from a selling company to a buyer.An asset sale is the purchase of individual assets and liabilities, whereas a stock sale is the purchase of the owner's shares of a corporation. The sale of assets from the seller to the buyer is a casual and isolated sale within the meaning of MGL c. Section 51: Sale or transfer of corporate assets; procedure. An asset sale occurs when a bank or other type of firm sells its receivables to another party. In an asset sale, the new owner purchases the business's physical assets. The seller retains all rights to the legal entity.