What is wholesale trade? Discuss the role of wholesalers in a market.
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Solution
Instructions:
Explain the meaning of wholesale trade.
Explain the role and functions of the wholesaler.
Solution:
Wholesale trade refers to buying goods from manufacturers or their agents and selling them to the retailer in relatively smaller quantities.
Those who are engaged in wholesale trade are called wholesalers.
They buy the goods directly in bulk, which are further supplied to the retailers.
They generally deal in one item and are not directly linked to the customer.
Functions of wholesaler:
Buying and assembling goods: Every wholesaler buys the commodity of his trade at a cheap rate and makes it available to the retailer as and when required.
Hold adequate stock: Every wholesaler store the goods on a large scale, thereby helping the producer as well as the retailer.
Transportation: The wholesaler helps in the transportation of goods from the place of production to the place of retailer.
Financing: The wholesalers provide credit facilities to the retailers and sometimes even give advance payment to the manufacturers.
Selling and promoting: A wholesaler sometimes undertakes activities like advertising, personal selling and promotion to increase the demand of goods.
Risk bearing: The wholesalers have to bear the risk of loss which may be caused by natural calamities, change in demand, price fluctuations, and holding of large stock.
Marketing information: Wholesalers keep themselves informed of the changing trends of the market and act as a two-way channel between producers and retailers.
Grading and packing: Wholesalers perform packing functions like sorting, grading, and labelling the products.