SSIC Section G – Wholesale and retail trade

Companies in this section buy goods and sell them on without changing them, either to other businesses (wholesale) or to the public (retail).

Wholesale covers the resale of new and used goods to shops, to other wholesalers, and to industrial, commercial, institutional or professional buyers. It includes importers, exporters, distributors and the sales offices of manufacturers, and also agents and brokers who arrange sales for others for a fee or commission. Wholesalers often sort, grade, store, chill, repack goods into smaller lots, deliver or install them.

Retail covers the resale of goods to members of the public for their own or household use. The sale can be in shops, department stores, showrooms, pop-up stores, market stalls or automated shops, by mail order or online. The type of customer, not the quantity sold, decides if a sale is wholesale or retail. The section also includes transit trade and food and drinks sold from vending machines.

Commonly registered businesses

• General wholesalers with no main product line (46900)
• Clothing shops for men and women (47711)
• Mini-marts, convenience stores and provision shops (47102)
• Gift and souvenir shops, including stamps, coins and collectibles (47742)
• Commission agents, trade brokers and wholesale auction houses (46100)
• Car dealers and showrooms selling new and used cars (47311)