The Wholesale Trade

Traditionally, the wholesaler buys in large quantities from manufacturers and sells in smaller quantities to retailers. We have seen that the function of the wholesaler is often undertaken by manufacturers who sell direct to consumers and by retailers who buy directs from manufacturers. These practices are increasing so that wholesaling as a separate activity is declining. Nevertheless, the work of storing large amounts of goods, breaking them into smaller amounts and distributing them still has to be done, even though it may not be a wholesaler as such who does it. In this chapter, however, we are mainly concerned with individual wholesalers and the service they provide.