Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
Description
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of home furnishings and/or housewares. Illustrative Examples: Carpet merchant wholesalers Floor coverings (except wood flooring) merchant wholesalers Glassware, household-type, merchant wholesalers Chinaware, household-type, merchant wholesalers Lamps (i.e., lighting fixtures) merchant wholesalers Household-type cooking utensils merchant wholesalers Curtains merchant wholesalers Draperies merchant wholesalers Linens (e.g., bath, bed, table) merchant wholesalers Window shades and blinds merchant wholesalers
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | Wholesale Trade 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Wholesale Trade sector comprises establishments engaged in wholesaling merchandise, generally without transformation, and rendering services incidental to the sale of merchandise. The merchandise described in this sector includes the outputs of agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and certain information industries, such as publishing. The wholesaling process is an intermediate step in the distribution of merchandise. Wholesalers are organized to sell or arrange the purchase or sale of (a) goods for resale (i.e., goods sold to other wholesalers or retailers), (b) capital or durable nonconsumer goods, and (c) raw and intermediate materials and supplies used in production. Wholesalers sell merchandise to other businesses and normally operate from a warehouse or office. These warehouses and offices are characterized by having little or no display of merchandise. In addition, neither the design nor the location of the premises is intended to solicit walk-in traffic. Wholesalers do not normally use advertising directed to the general public. Customers are generally reached initially via telephone, in-person marketing, or by specialized advertising that may include Internet and other electronic means. Follow-up orders are either vendor-initiated or client-initiated, generally based on previous sales, and typically exhibit strong ties between sellers and buyers. In fact, transactions are often conducted between wholesalers and clients that have long-standing business relationships. This sector comprises two main types of wholesalers: merchant wholesalers that sell goods on their own account and agents and brokers that arrange sales and purchases for others generally for a commission or fee. (1) Establishments that sell goods on their own account are known as wholesale merchants, distributors, jobbers, drop shippers, and import/export merchants. Also included as wholesale merchants are sales offices and sales branches (but not retail stores) maintained by manufacturing, refining, or mining enterprises apart from their plants or mines for the purpose of marketing their products, and group purchasing organizations primarily purchasing and selling goods on their own account. Merchant wholesale establishments typically maintain their own warehouse, where they receive and handle goods for their customers. Goods are generally sold without transformation, but may include integral functions, such as sorting, packaging, labeling, and other marketing services. (2) Establishments arranging for the purchase or sale of goods owned by others or purchasing goods, generally on a commission basis are known as business-to-business electronic markets, agents and brokers, commission merchants, import/export agents and brokers, auction companies, group purchasing organizations (acting as agents), and manufacturers' representatives. These establishments operate from offices and generally do not own or handle the goods they sell. Some wholesale establishments may be connected with a single manufacturer and promote and sell the particular manufacturer's products to a wide range of other wholesalers or retailers. Other wholesalers may be connected to a retail chain, or limited number of retail chains, and only provide a variety of products needed by that particular retail operation(s). These wholesalers may obtain the products from a wide range of manufacturers. Still other wholesalers may not take title to the goods, but act as agents and brokers for a commission. Although, in general, wholesaling normally denotes sales in large volumes, durable nonconsumer goods may be sold in single units. Sales of capital or durable nonconsumer goods used in the production of goods and services, such as farm machinery, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, and industrial machinery, are always included in wholesale trade. |
| 423 | Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods subsector sell capital or durable goods to other businesses. Merchant wholesalers generally take title to the goods that they sell; in other words, they buy and sell goods on their own account. Durable goods are new or used items generally with a normal life expectancy of three years or more. Durable goods merchant wholesale trade establishments are engaged in wholesaling products, such as motor vehicles, furniture, construction materials, machinery and equipment (including household-type appliances), metals and minerals (except petroleum), sporting goods, toys and hobby goods, recyclable materials, and parts. Agents and brokers primarily engaged in wholesaling durable goods, generally on a commission or fee basis, are classified in Subsector 425, Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers. |
| 4232 | Furniture and Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of furniture (except hospital beds, medical furniture, and drafting tables), home furnishings, and/or housewares. |
| 42322 | Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers 5-digit NAICS industry | See industry description for 423220. |
| 423220 | Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers 6-digit U.S. detail | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of home furnishings and/or housewares. Illustrative Examples: Carpet merchant wholesalers Floor coverings (except wood flooring) merchant wholesalers Glassware, household-type, merchant wholesalers Chinaware, household-type, merchant wholesalers Lamps (i.e., lighting fixtures) merchant wholesalers Household-type cooking utensils merchant wholesalers Curtains merchant wholesalers Draperies merchant wholesalers Linens (e.g., bath, bed, table) merchant wholesalers Window shades and blinds merchant wholesalers |
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Classification References
- 01Merchant wholesale distribution of wood flooring--are classified in Industry 423310, Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers;
- 02Merchant wholesale distribution of household-type gas and electric appliances (except water heaters and heating stoves (i.e., noncooking))--are classified in Industry 423620, Household Appliances, Electric Housewares, and Consumer Electronics Merchant Wholesalers;
- 03Merchant wholesale distribution of precious metal flatware--are classified in Industry 423940, Jewelry, Watch, Precious Stone, and Precious Metal Merchant Wholesalers; and
- 04Merchant wholesale distribution of disposable paper and plastics tableware and containers--are classified in Industry 424130, Industrial and Personal Service Paper Merchant Wholesalers.
Index Items
Antique home furnishings merchant wholesalers
Antique houseware merchant wholesalers
Bathroom accessories merchant wholesalers
Blankets (except electric) merchant wholesalers
Blinds and shades, window, merchant wholesalers
Brooms and brushes, household-type, merchant wholesalers
Carpet merchant wholesalers
Ceramic wall (except structural) and floor tile merchant wholesalers
Chinaware, household-type, merchant wholesalers
Closet accessories merchant wholesalers
Containers, household (except paper and disposable plastics), merchant wholesalers
Cooking utensils, household-type, merchant wholesalers
Cups, plastics (except disposable), merchant wholesalers
Curtains merchant wholesalers
Dishes, household-type (except disposable plastics, paper), merchant wholesalers
Draperies merchant wholesalers
Fireplaces, prefabricated (except gas), merchant wholesalers
Flatware (except plated, precious) merchant wholesalers
Floor coverings merchant wholesalers
Frames and pictures merchant wholesalers
Furniture coverings and protectors merchant wholesalers
Glassware, household-type, merchant wholesalers
Hollowware (except precious metal) merchant wholesalers
Home furnishings merchant wholesalers
Housewares (except electric) merchant wholesalers
Ironing boards merchant wholesalers
Kitchen utensils, household-type, merchant wholesalers
Lamps (i.e., lighting fixtures) merchant wholesalers
Linens (e.g., bath, bed, table) merchant wholesalers
Mirrors (except automotive) merchant wholesalers
Mops, household, merchant wholesalers
Napkins (except paper) merchant wholesalers
Rugs merchant wholesalers
Slipcovers merchant wholesalers
Tableware (except disposable, plated, precious) merchant wholesalers
Towels and washcloths merchant wholesalers
Window shades and blinds merchant wholesalers
How Item Can Help
The Transportation Management System optimizes freight routes and reduces shipping costs while providing track-and-trace capabilities essential for coordinating large furniture shipments to various locations.
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 423220.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce NAICS Guide
Official U.S. government and industry reference page defining the scope of Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers.
Wholesale Club of America
Primary trade association representing major home furniture wholesalers in the United States and Canada.
Home Furnishing Wholesalers Directory
Directory listing major companies currently operating under NAICS 423220 across the United States.
