Wholesaling is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services.

According to the United Nations Statistics Division, "wholesale" is the resale (sale without transformation) of new and used goods to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional or professional users, or to other wholesalers, or involves acting as an agent or broker in buying merchandise for, or selling merchandise to, such persons or companies. Wholesalers frequently physically assemble, sort and grade goods in large lots, break bulk, repack and redistribute in smaller lots.

The Role of Middlemen

Many online auction websites such as eBay are now providing wholesalers through a wholesale list, generally, the lists that require a fee to view, may not be updated frequently, the data may be old, and the companies listed may no longer be in business.

Another form of online middleman is B2B trade companies like Global Sources. These cater mainly to big businesses who are importing large quantities of goods from foreign countries. They also have sister sites that serve smaller orders for small businesses, like Global Sources Direct.

In addressing the concerns of listed companies' legitimacy and dependability, such B2B portals may inspect suppliers at their actual premises before they list suppliers. The "verified suppliers" system of Global Sources is one such example.

Alternatively, these companies may also branch out of cyberspace and organize their own Sourcing Fairs, where thousands of buyers and suppliers can meet face-to-face. Two examples are Cantonfair and China Sourcing Fairs

See also

• Distribution (business)
• Retail
• Supply chain
• Supply network