The sale and distribution of goods to users other than end consumers. Wholesaling involves selling merchandise to retailers, wholesalers and merchants, or to industrial, commercial and institutional users. A wholesaler can act as a middleman, brokering deals between these businesses. Wholesaling often occurs when large quantities of merchandise are reassembled, sorted, then repackage, and distribute in smaller lots.
Wholesaler
Buying goods in large quantities from the manufacturer and selling them in small quantities to the retailer to cater the needs of the consumer is termed as wholesale trade. The person who undertakes such a trade is known as wholesaler. The wholesaler acts as an intermediary between the producer and the retailer. He is known as the first intermediary in the channel of distribution. The wholesaler distributes business works amongst the members of the staff in such a way that the whole enterprise may work as a complete unit. The distribution of work should be done in such a manner as to yield maximum efficiency at minimum troubles.
Services
The wholesaler renders a number of services to trade, industries and commerce. The services rendered by the wholesaler may be classified as: • Service to Manufacturer. • Service to Retailer. • Service to Consumer. • General Services.
To Producers 1. The wholesaler provides valuable information to the producers regarding the needs and the requirement of the consumer. 1. As the wholesaler takes the responsibility of collecting order from retailers, he relieves the producers from this task and thereby encourage producers to concentrate on production. 2. The wholesaler provides finance to the producers at the time of need. 3. The wholesaler helps the producers in determining the quality and quantity of goods to be produced as he is in direct contact with the retailers. 4. The producers are helped to maintain steady prices for the