Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Economic Census, 1997. Updated every 5 years.
Definitions: The Wholesale Trade sector (sector 42) comprises establishments engaged in wholesaling merchandise, generally without transformation, and rendering services incidental to the sale of merchandise.
The wholesale sector includes: merchant wholesalers who buy and take title to the goods they sell, manufacturers sales branches and offices who sell products manufactured domestically by their own company, and agents and brokers who collect a commission or fee for arranging the sale of merchandise owned by others.
Comparability with SIC data: This sector includes most of what was classified in Wholesale Trade under the SIC system. Excluded from this sector, however, are establishments with retail selling characteristics; these establishments are now clasified in the Retail Trade sector. Prominent examples of these are auto parts, farm supplies, and building products dealers and lumber yards.
In addition, this sector now includes prerecorded video tape wholesalers; this industry was previously classified in Services Industries under the SIC system.
Scope and Methodology:
The 1997 Economic Census measured activity during calendar year 1997. Large- and medium-size firms, including all firms known to operate more than one establishment, and a sample of small employers were sent questionnaires to be completed and returned to the Census Bureau by mail. Most very small firms were not sent a form, and data from existing administrative records of other Federal agencies were used instead.
These data exclude governmental establishments except for retail liquor stores (NAICS 44531).
These data include only establishments with paid employees.
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