Analysis
NAICS 423690 is the 2022 national industry for other electronic parts and equipment merchant wholesalers, part of 42369 (Other Electronic Parts and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers). Census lists 66 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 10,076 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 255,269 people at an average annual payroll of $163,673 per employee (99th percentile of national industries). 51% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 14% and employment rose 0%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include amplifiers, audio (except household-type), merchant…, antennas merchant wholesalers, audiotapes, blank, merchant wholesalers and automatic call distributors merchant wholesalers, among 66 in all.
Census lists 3 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 423620, 423430 and 423610. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
For example, merchant wholesale distribution of household-type gas and electric appliances (except water heaters and heating stoves (i.e., noncooking)), room air-conditioners, clothes dryers, and/or household-type audio or video… are classified in 423620 (Household Appliances, Electric Housewares, and Consumer Electronics Merchant Wholesalers) instead.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of electronic parts and equipment (except electrical apparatus and equipment, wiring supplies, and construction materials; electrical and electronic appliances; and television sets and radios).
Illustrative Examples:
Blank compact discs (CDs) merchant wholesalers Blank digital video discs (DVDs) merchant wholesalers Broadcasting equipment merchant wholesalers Cellular telephones merchant wholesalers Communications equipment merchant wholesalers Modems and routers merchant wholesalers Radar equipment merchant wholesalers Teleconferencing equipment merchant wholesalers Unloaded computer boards merchant wholesalers
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Merchant wholesale distribution of household-type gas and electric appliances (except water heaters and heating stoves (i.e., noncooking)), room air-conditioners, clothes dryers, and/or household-type audio or video equipment | 423620 Household Appliances, Electric Housewares, and Consumer Electronics Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of computers, computer peripheral equipment, and loaded computer boards | 423430 Computer and Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of electrical construction materials, wiring supplies, electric light fixtures, light bulbs, and/or electrical power equipment for generation, transmission, distribution, or control of electric energy | 423610 Electrical Apparatus and Equipment, Wiring Supplies, and Related Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
Index entries (66)
- Amplifiers, audio (except household-type), merchant wholesalers
- Antennas merchant wholesalers
- Audiotapes, blank, merchant wholesalers
- Automatic call distributors merchant wholesalers
- Bipolar transistors merchant wholesalers
- Blank CDs and DVDs merchant wholesalers
- Blank diskettes merchant wholesalers
- Blank tapes, audio and video, merchant wholesalers
- Broadcasting equipment merchant wholesalers
- Capacitors, electronic, merchant wholesalers
- Carbon monoxide detectors, electronic, merchant wholesalers
- Cellular telephones merchant wholesalers
- Circuit boards merchant wholesalers
- Circuits, integrated, merchant wholesalers
- Citizens' band (CB) radios merchant wholesalers
- Coils, electronic, merchant wholesalers
- Communications equipment merchant wholesalers
- Computer boards, unloaded, merchant wholesalers
- Computer chips merchant wholesalers
- Condensers, electronic, merchant wholesalers
- Connectors, electronic, merchant wholesalers
- Diodes merchant wholesalers
- Diskettes, blank, merchant wholesalers
- Electronic aircraft instruments merchant wholesalers
- Electronic communications equipment merchant wholesalers
- Electronic parts (e.g., condensers, connectors, switches) merchant wholesalers
- Electronic sound equipment (except household-type and automotive) merchant wholesalers
- Electronic tubes (e.g., industrial, receiving, transmitting) merchant wholesalers
- Facsimile machines merchant wholesalers
- Integrated circuits merchant wholesalers
- Klystron tubes merchant wholesalers
- Liquid crystal displays merchant wholesalers
- Magnetic bubble memories merchant wholesalers
- Magnetic tapes, cassettes, and disks, blank, merchant wholesalers
- Modems merchant wholesalers
- Natural gas detectors, electronic, merchant wholesalers
- Navigational instruments, electronic (e.g., radar, sonar), merchant wholesalers
- Printed circuit boards merchant wholesalers
- Public address systems and equipment merchant wholesalers
- Radar equipment merchant wholesalers