The wholesale industry in the United States began approximately more than one hundred years ago. Before that time, retail stores purchased their goods directly from the manufacturers. Once or twice a year, merchants would travel to major seaports and manufacturing centers for trade jobs and purchased new products for resale. Industrial concerns usually made, or purchased locally, components for the goods that they produced while institutions were able to solve their relatively simple needs by going directly to producers. For contrast, consider today’s complex problems of supply faced by a modern hospital, electronics firm, and a retail chain. The hospital needs thousands of items ranging from specialized surgical instruments to a complete supply of drugs. The electronics firm produces many of its own parts, but finds it can much more reasonably purchase some items than to set up its own production facility. The retail chain wishes to sell the largest possible variety of products which its customers will buy.
Between these two areas, the role of the wholesale salesperson developed in relation to trader jobs. The earliest wholesalers in the United States were probably the ship chandlers of New England who assembled goods required by merchant and military ships. Ship owners found that a specialized and centralized supply source enabled them to equip vessels quickly and send them back out to sea. The need for wholesalers grew as industrialization changed U.S. manufacturing capacities, distribution problems, consumer tastes, and as more complex retail establishments replaced general stores. Individual manufactures found they could sell more reasonably through the use of a wholesaler. Purchasers of goods found it more convenient to deal with a few sources of supply rather than hundreds of organizations.
Moreover, improved transportation enabled wholesale firms to ship goods to almost any part of the country. The traveling salesperson emerged complete with illustrated product catalogs, special promotional deals, and financial support for local advertising. Competition between wholesalers helped develop more highly skilled salespeople. As a related function, the traveling sales worker often would check on the financial condition of prospective customers and might help collect delinquent accounts that they owed.
The work of wholesale salespeople in trading jobs will vary greatly depending upon the products they carry, the customers to whom they sell, and the geographical area in which they operate. Every good salesperson, however, attempts to sell goods by providing maximum service to the customers. Major wholesale houses cover a region or the entire country with a network of sales workers. Generally, these workers are responsible for an assigned geographical area. Salespersons periodically call on all regular customers in this territory and, occasionally, call on any other potential customers in an attempt to develop new business for them. In their calls, salespeople show each customer the wildest possible variety of merchandise in which he or she may be interested. Sales workers bring along samples, pictures, or specifications of available products and talk about their salability, utility, economy, and quality. Some sales workers concentrate on a few products. The electrical appliance wholesale sales worker may carry from ten to thirty items, ranging from food freezers and air-conditioners to waffle irons and portable heaters. Others, such as representatives of drug wholesalers may catalog as many as thousands of individual items.
Part of the trade employment, the wholesale sales workers may help the retailer with merchandise display, advertising plans, and provide general information on styles and trends. The sales worker knows that the successful retailer will be a better customer. When working with regular customers, the sales worker may check stock and prepare orders for items that will be needed before the next visit. Sales workers write up orders and forward them to the wholesaler’s office. As special problems develop, such as the speed with which a product may be delivered, the sales worker may telephone the office.
Sales workers also try to arrange terms of credit under which purchases are made. Some sales workers help collect for products sold. Sales workers also prepare their expense account records and reports, plan their work schedule, arrange general travel plans, and schedule appointments in advance.
To preserve his trade careers and create customer goodwill, sales workers may entertain customers at lunch or in the evening. Both wholesale sales workers and their customers attend sales conferences and trade or professional conventions to learn of new developments in their field and to make or maintain personal contacts.
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