Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers
Description
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of nondurable goods (except printing and writing paper; stationery and office supplies; industrial and personal service paper; drugs and druggists' sundries; apparel, piece goods, and notions; grocery and related products; farm product raw materials; chemical and allied products; petroleum and petroleum products; beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages; farm supplies; books, periodicals, and newspapers; flowers, nursery stock, and florists' supplies; tobacco and tobacco products; and paint, varnishes, wallpaper, and supplies). Illustrative Examples: Artists' supplies merchant wholesalers Pet supplies (except pet food) merchant wholesalers Burlap merchant wholesalers Statuary (except religious) merchant wholesalers Christmas trees (e.g., artificial, cut) merchant wholesalers Textile bags merchant wholesalers Industrial yarns 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. |
| 424 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods subsector sell nondurable goods to other businesses. Nondurable goods are items generally with a normal life expectancy of less than three years. Nondurable goods merchant wholesale trade establishments are engaged in wholesaling products, such as paper and paper products, chemicals and chemical products, drugs, textiles and textile products, apparel, footwear, groceries, farm products, petroleum and petroleum products, alcoholic beverages, books, magazines, newspapers, flowers and nursery stock, and tobacco products. The detailed industries within the subsector are organized in the classification structure based on the products sold. Agents and brokers primarily engaged in wholesaling nondurable goods, generally on a commission or fee basis, are classified in Subsector 425, Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers. |
| 4249 | Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of nondurable goods, such as farm supplies; books, periodicals, and newspapers; flowers; nursery stock; paints; varnishes; tobacco and tobacco products; and other miscellaneous nondurable goods, such as cut Christmas trees and pet supplies. |
| 42499 | Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 5-digit NAICS industry | See industry description for 424990. |
| 424990 | Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 6-digit U.S. detail | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of nondurable goods (except printing and writing paper; stationery and office supplies; industrial and personal service paper; drugs and druggists' sundries; apparel, piece goods, and notions; grocery and related products; farm product raw materials; chemical and allied products; petroleum and petroleum products; beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages; farm supplies; books, periodicals, and newspapers; flowers, nursery stock, and florists' supplies; tobacco and tobacco products; and paint, varnishes, wallpaper, and supplies). Illustrative Examples: Artists' supplies merchant wholesalers Pet supplies (except pet food) merchant wholesalers Burlap merchant wholesalers Statuary (except religious) merchant wholesalers Christmas trees (e.g., artificial, cut) merchant wholesalers Textile bags merchant wholesalers Industrial yarns merchant wholesalers |
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Classification References
- 01Distribution of advertising specialties--are classified in Industry 541890, Other Services Related to Advertising;
- 02Merchant wholesale distribution of farm supplies--are classified in Industry 424910, Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers;
- 03Merchant wholesale distribution of books, periodicals, and newspapers--are classified in Industry 424920, Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers;
- 04Merchant wholesale distribution of flowers, nursery stock, and florists' supplies--are classified in Industry 424930, Flower, Nursery Stock, and Florists' Supplies Merchant Wholesalers;
- 05Merchant wholesale distribution of tobacco products--are classified in Industry 424940, Tobacco Product and Electronic Cigarette Merchant Wholesalers;
- 06Merchant wholesale distribution of paints, varnishes, and similar coatings; pigments; wallpaper; and supplies--are classified in Industry 424950, Paint, Varnish, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers;
- 07Merchant wholesale distribution of bulk printing and/or writing paper--are classified in Industry 424110, Printing and Writing Paper Merchant Wholesalers;
- 08Merchant wholesale distribution of stationery, office supplies, and/or gift wrap--are classified in Industry 424120, Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers;
- 09Merchant wholesale distribution of kraft wrapping and other coarse paper, paperboard, converted paper (except stationery and office supplies), and related disposable plastics products--are classified in Industry 424130, Industrial and Personal Service Paper Merchant Wholesalers;
- 10Merchant wholesale distribution of biological and medical products; botanical drugs and herbs; and pharmaceutical products intended for internal and external consumption--are classified in Industry 424210, Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers;
- 11Merchant wholesale distribution of piece goods, yard goods, notions, hair accessories, footwear, and clothing and clothing accessories--are classified in Industry Group 4243, Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers;
- 12Merchant wholesale distribution of meat, poultry, seafood, confectioneries, fruits and vegetables; and other groceries and related products--are classified in Industry Group 4244, Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers;
- 13Merchant wholesale distribution of grains, field beans, livestock, and other farm product raw materials--are classified in Industry Group 4245, Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers;
- 14Merchant wholesale distribution of chemicals; plastics materials and basic forms and shapes; and allied products--are classified in Industry Group 4246, Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers;
- 15Merchant wholesale distribution of petroleum and petroleum products--are classified in Industry Group 4247, Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers;
- 16Merchant wholesale distribution of beer, ale, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages--are classified in Industry Group 4248, Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers;
- 17Merchant wholesale distribution of pet foods--are classified in Industry 424490, Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers;
- 18Merchant wholesale distribution of religious statuary--are classified in Industry 423490, Other Professional Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers;
- 19Merchant wholesale distribution of knitting yarns (except industrial)--are classified in Industry 424310, Piece Goods, Notions, and Other Dry Goods Merchant Wholesalers; and
- 20Growing Christmas trees--are classified in U.S. Industry 111421, Nursery and Tree Production.
Index Items
Aquarium fish and supplies merchant wholesalers
Art goods merchant wholesalers
Artificial Christmas trees merchant wholesalers
Artists' supplies merchant wholesalers
Awnings, canvas, merchant wholesalers
Backpacks, textile, merchant wholesalers
Bags, textile, merchant wholesalers
Bait, live, merchant wholesalers
Baskets merchant wholesalers
Brushes, artists', merchant wholesalers
Burlap merchant wholesalers
Candles merchant wholesalers
Canvas products merchant wholesalers
Cats merchant wholesalers
Chamois, leather, merchant wholesalers
Charcoal merchant wholesalers
Christmas ornaments merchant wholesalers
Christmas trees (e.g., artificial, cut) merchant wholesalers
Cigarette lighters merchant wholesalers
Clothes hangers merchant wholesalers
Cotton (except raw) merchant wholesalers
Crude rubber merchant wholesalers
Curios merchant wholesalers
Dogs merchant wholesalers
Dressed furs and skins merchant wholesalers
Felt merchant wholesalers
Fish, tropical, merchant wholesalers
Foam rubber merchant wholesalers
Furs, dressed, merchant wholesalers
General merchandise, nondurable goods, merchant wholesalers
Greases, inedible animal and vegetable, merchant wholesalers
Hairbrushes merchant wholesalers
Hairpieces (e.g., toupees, wigs, wiglets) merchant wholesalers
Handles (e.g., broom, mop, paint) merchant wholesalers
Ice (except dry ice) merchant wholesalers
Jewelry boxes merchant wholesalers
Leather cut stock (except boot, shoe) merchant wholesalers
Leather goods (except belting, footwear, handbags, gloves, luggage) merchant wholesalers
Lighters, cigar and cigarette, merchant wholesalers
Live bait merchant wholesalers
Matches and match books merchant wholesalers
Music, sheet, merchant wholesalers
Novelties merchant wholesalers
Oils, inedible, animal or vegetable, merchant wholesalers
Oilseed cake and meal merchant wholesalers
Paints, artist's, merchant wholesalers
Pet supplies (except pet food) merchant wholesalers
Pets merchant wholesalers
Piece goods, burlap and felt, merchant wholesalers
Plant food merchant wholesalers
Plastics foam products (except disposable and packaging) merchant wholesalers
Pottery, novelty, merchant wholesalers
Pre-paid calling card distribution, merchant wholesalers
Rennets merchant wholesalers
Rubber, crude, merchant wholesalers
Sawdust merchant wholesalers
Sheet music merchant wholesalers
Ship chandler merchant wholesalers
Skins, dressed, merchant wholesalers
Smokers' supplies merchant wholesalers
Sponges merchant wholesalers
Statuary (except religious) merchant wholesalers
Tents (except camping) merchant wholesalers
Textile bags merchant wholesalers
Toupees merchant wholesalers
Tropical fish merchant wholesalers
Vegetable cake and meal merchant wholesalers
Vegetable oils (except cooking) merchant wholesalers
Wigs merchant wholesalers
Wood carvings merchant wholesalers
Wood pulp merchant wholesalers
Worms merchant wholesalers
Yarns, industrial, merchant wholesalers
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External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 424990.
National Association of Wholesale Grocers
Trade association representing grocers and foodservice distributors within the nondurable goods wholesaling sector.
NAICS Definition - United States Census Bureau
Official government page providing detailed classification definitions for Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers.
Thomasnet Company Directory
Industry directory containing supply chain profiles and manufacturers related to wholesale nondurable goods distribution.
