North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Canada 2022 Version 1.0
41 - Wholesale trade
This sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in wholesaling merchandise, generally without transformation, and rendering services incidental to the sale of merchandise.
The wholesaling process is an intermediate step in the distribution of goods. Many wholesalers are organized to sell merchandise in large quantities to retailers, and business and institutional clients. However, some wholesalers, in particular those that supply non-consumer capital goods, sell merchandise in single units to final users.
Sales of capital goods or durable non-consumer goods used in the production of goods and services, such as farm machinery and equipment, heavy duty trucks, and industrial machinery, are always included in wholesale trade.
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 are either vendor-initiated or client initiated, generally based on previous sales, and typically exhibit strong ties between sellers and buyers.
This sector comprises two main types of wholesalers: merchant wholesalers that sell goods on own account and wholesale electronic markets, agents, and brokers that arrange sales and purchases for others generally for a commission or fee.
Merchants wholesalers
Merchant wholesalers buy and sell merchandise on their own account, that is, they take title to the goods they sell. They generally operate from warehouse or office locations and they may ship from their own inventory or arrange for the shipment of goods directly from the supplier to the client. In addition to the sale of goods, they may provide, or arrange for the provision of, logistics, marketing and support services, such as packaging and labelling, inventory management, shipping, handling of warranty claims, in-store or co-op promotions, and product training.
Merchants wholesalers are known by a variety of trade designations depending on their relationship with suppliers or customers, or the distribution method they employ. Examples include wholesale merchants, wholesale distributors, drop shippers, rack-jobbers, import-export merchants, and banner wholesalers.
Included as merchant wholesalers are sales branches or offices (but not retail stores) maintained by manufacturing, refining, or mining enterprises apart from their plants or mines for the purpose of marketing their products.
Merchant wholesalers also include units that completely outsource the transformation process but do not own the input materials. These units are in fact buying the completed good from the producer with the intention to resell it. These units may design the goods being manufactured, and may have some say in the manufacturing process. On the other hand, units that completely outsource the transformation process but own the inputs are classified to the manufacturing sector.
The first eight subsectors of wholesale trade comprise merchant wholesalers. The grouping of these establishments into industry groups and industries is based on the merchandise line or lines supplied by the wholesaler.
Business-to business electronic markets, and agents and brokers
Business-to business electronic markets, and wholesale trade agents and brokers arrange for the purchase or sale of goods owned by others, generally for a commission or fee. They are known as business-to-business (B2B) electronic markets, wholesale trade agents and brokers, commission merchants, import-export agents and brokers, auction companies, and manufacturer's representatives. These establishments operate from offices and generally do not own or handle the goods they sell.
414 - Personal and household goods merchant wholesalersCAN
This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in wholesaling textiles, clothing, footwear, home entertainment equipment, household appliances, home furnishings, personal articles, pharmaceuticals, toiletries, cosmetics and sundries.
4142 - Home entertainment equipment and household appliance merchant wholesalersCAN
This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in wholesaling home entertainment equipment and household electrical and electronic appliances and parts.
41422 - Household appliance merchant wholesalers
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in wholesaling large and small, new, electric, household appliances
414220 - Household appliance merchant wholesalersCAN
This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in wholesaling large and small, new, electric, household appliances.
Illustrative example(s)
- domestic electric refrigerators merchant wholesalers
- domestic electric sewing machines merchant wholesalers
- domestic electric stoves merchant wholesalers
- domestic electric washing machines merchant wholesalers
- electric beauty care appliances merchant wholesalers
- electric kitchen appliances (e.g., toasters, kettles, ironers) merchant wholesalers
- electric personal care appliances (e.g., hair dryers, razors, toothbrushes) merchant wholesalers
- household electric appliances merchant wholesalers
- household microwave ovens merchant wholesalers
- household vacuum cleaners merchant wholesalers
- window-type electric air-conditioners merchant wholesalers
Exclusion(s)
- wholesaling gas appliances (See 416120 Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers)
- wholesaling restaurant and hotel equipment (See 417920 Service establishment machinery, equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers)
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