Existing comment:
Peddlers:
Peddlers were constantly on the move, offering a range of merchandise to Virginians who were not served by nearby stores. Some carried their goods in a backpack, while the peddlers with more extensive inventories used a horse and card. Business was often conducted on court day at county courthouses, and peddlers had to pay a license fee to the clerk of each county visited. Sometimes, shopkeepers in towns sent peddlers into the countryside as store representatives, but peddlers often underreported how much they had been paid for the items they sold. Others simply absconded with the consigned merchandise. It was difficult for merchants to establish long-distance trade until better transportation and communication networks were in place.
Wholesale:
Wholesale merchants obtain goods from manufacturers and sell them to retailers rather than directly to individual consumers. During the 1800s, the network of commerce extended beyond localities as consumers increasingly made purchases from retailers close to home who, in turn, obtained their goods from distant wholesalers. As the century progressed, wholesalers in urban areas began to specialize, dividing goods into separate departments. Virginia merchants developed tied with northern firms, especially those in New York that dominated the import trade. A problem of dealing with remote sources of goods was the uncertainty consumers experienced about the quality of the products. To deal with the problem, wholesale firms assigned managers to branch offices in different regions, put a trademark on their products, and assumed responsibility for what they sold. |