Bureau of Labor Statistics
Wholesale Trade: NAICS 42On This PageAbout the Wholesale Trade sectorThe wholesale trade sector is part of the trade, transportation, and utilities supersector. 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. North American Industry Classification System The wholesale trade sector consists of these subsectors:
Workforce StatisticsThis section provides information relating to employment and unemployment in wholesale trade. While most data are obtained from employer or establishment surveys, information on industry unemployment comes from a national survey of households. The following tables present an overview of the industry including the number of jobs, the unemployment rate of those previously employed in the industry, job openings and labor turnover, union membership and representation, gross job gains and losses, mass layoffs, data for occupations common to the industry, and projections of occupational employment change. Employment, Unemployment, Layoffs, and Openings, Hires, and Separations
(Source: Current Employment Statistics, Current Population Survey, Mass Layoff Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey) Union Membership and Representation
(Source: Current Population Survey) Dynamic Changes in Employment
(Source: Business Employment Dynamics) Extended Mass Layoffs
(Source: Mass Layoff Statistics) Employment by Occupation
(Source: Occupational Employment Statistics) ProjectionsFor projected (future) employment estimates, see the National Employment Matrix, which includes employment estimates by industry and occupation for wholesale trade. (Source: Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections) Earnings and HoursThis section presents data on employee earnings and weekly hours. The latest industry averages of hourly earnings and weekly hours for production or nonsupervisory employees, as well as weekly earnings by union membership status, are shown. In addition, recent hourly and annual earnings are shown for occupations commonly found in wholesale trade. This section also contains information on the average cost of benefits paid by employers, as well as recent rates of change in wages and total compensation. Earnings and Hours of Production Workers
(Source: Current Employment Statistics) Union Membership and Representation
(Source: Current Population Survey) Earnings by Occupation
(Source: Occupational Employment Statistics) Employer Compensation Costs
(Source: Compensation Cost Trends)
(Source: Compensation Cost Trends) Work-related Fatalities, Injuries, and IllnessesThis section presents data for the industry on the number of workplace fatalities and the rates of workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in wholesale trade. An injury or illness is considered to be work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing condition.
(Source: Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities) PricesThis section provides industry-specific pricing information. The producer price index measures the percentage change in prices that domestic producers receive for goods and services. The prices included in the producer price index are from the first commercial transaction.
(Source: Producer Price Indexes) Workplace TrendsThis section presents data on the number of establishments and the number of establishments experiencing job gains or job losses in wholesale trade. Also included in this section is information on productivity, presented as the rate of change in output per hour of workers in the industry. Establishments
(Source: Business Employment Dynamics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages) Productivity
(Source: Productivity and Costs) Other BLS ResourcesThe Editor's DeskSee industry studies in the subject matter index of The Editor's Desk (Current Edition). Career Guide to IndustriesSee wholesale trade in the Career Guide to Industries.
Data extracted on: October 08, 2008 |
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