Wholesaling is a part of marketing system. It provides channels

of distribution which help to bring goods to the market. Generally, indirect channels are used to market manufactured consumer goods. It could be from the manufacturer to the wholesaler, from the retailer to the consumer or through more complicated channels. A direct channel moves goods from the manufacturer or producer to the consumer.

Wholesaling is often a field of small business, but there is a growing chain movement in the western countries. About a quarter of wholesaling units account for the one-third of total sales.

Two-third of the wholesaling middlemen are merchant wholesalers who require the goods as ownership they deal in. There are also agent middlemen who negotiate purchases or sales or both. They don't take title to the goods they deal in. Sometimes they take possession though. These agents don't earn salaries. They receive commissions. This is a percentage of the value of the goods they sell.

Wholesalers simplify the process of distribution. For example, the average supermarket stocks 5,000 items in groceries alone, a retail druggist can have more than 6,000 items. As a wholesaler handles a large assortment of items from numerous manufacturers he reduces the problem of both manufacturer and retailer. The store keeper does not have to deal directly with thousands of different people. He usually has a well-stocked store and deals with only a few wholesalers.

Exercise 1. Give the English for:

оптова торгівля, забезпечувати систему збуту, непряма система збуту, оптовий посередник, роздрібний торговець, система об’єднання, оптове підприємство, придбати товар у власність, отримувати процент від продажу, управляти, загальний продаж, посередник.

Exercise 2. Put the necessary word in the sentence:

wholesalers, require ownership, retailer, stock, channels, assortment, receive the  commissions, middleman.