Analysis
NAICS 423990 is the 2022 national industry for other miscellaneous durable goods merchant wholesalers, part of 42399 (Other Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers). Census lists 45 example activities under it in the official index.
Census lists 12 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 4231, 4232, 4233 and 4234. 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.
County Business Patterns counts 10,111 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 85,467 people at an average annual payroll of $70,791 per employee (54th percentile of national industries). 66% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include ammunition (except sporting) merchant wholesalers, audio and video tapes and disks, prerecorded, merchant…, billboards merchant wholesalers and briefcases merchant wholesalers, among 45 in all.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 8% and employment rose 3%. 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.
For example, merchant wholesale distribution of automobiles and other motor vehicles, motor vehicle supplies, tires, and new and used parts are classified in 4231 (Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers) instead.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of durable goods (except motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and supplies; furniture and home furnishings; lumber and other construction materials; professional and commercial equipment and supplies; metals and minerals (except petroleum); electrical goods; hardware, and plumbing and heating equipment and supplies; machinery, equipment, and supplies; sporting and recreational goods and supplies; toy and hobby goods and supplies; recyclable materials; and jewelry, watches, precious stones, and precious metals).
Illustrative Examples:
Firearms (except sporting) merchant wholesalers Musical instruments merchant wholesalers Luggage merchant wholesalers Monuments and grave markers merchant wholesalers Prerecorded compact discs (CDs) and digital video discs (DVDs) merchant wholesalers Timber and timber products (except lumber) merchant wholesalers Personal safety devices and supplies (e.g., eye shields, face shields, nonelectric respirators) merchant wholesalers Signs (except electrical) merchant wholesalers
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Merchant wholesale distribution of automobiles and other motor vehicles, motor vehicle supplies, tires, and new and used parts | 4231 Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of furniture and home furnishings | 4232 Furniture and Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of lumber, plywood, millwork, wood panels, brick, stone, roofing, siding, and other nonelectrical construction materials | 4233 Lumber and Other Construction Materials Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of photographic, office, computer and computer peripheral, medical, dental, hospital, ophthalmic, and other commercial and professional equipment and supplies | 4234 Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of coal and other minerals and ores and semi-finished metal products | 4235 Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of household appliances and electrical goods | 4236 Household Appliances and Electrical and Electronic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of hardware; and plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration equipment and supplies | 4237 Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of construction, mining, farm, garden, industrial, service establishment, and transportation machinery, equipment, and supplies | 4238 Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of sporting goods and accessories; billiard and pool supplies; sporting firearms and ammunition; and/or marine pleasure craft, equipment, and supplies | 423910 Sporting and Recreational Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of toys, fireworks, playing cards, hobby goods and supplies and/or related goods | 423920 Toy and Hobby Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of automotive, industrial, and other recyclable materials | 423930 Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of jewelry, precious and semiprecious stones, precious metals and metal flatware, costume jewelry, watches, clocks, silverware, and/or jewelers' findings | 423940 Jewelry, Watch, Precious Stone, and Precious Metal Merchant Wholesalers |
Index entries (45)
- Ammunition (except sporting) merchant wholesalers
- Audio and video tapes and disks, prerecorded, merchant wholesalers
- Billboards merchant wholesalers
- Briefcases merchant wholesalers
- Bulletproof vests merchant wholesalers
- Cassettes, prerecorded audio and video, merchant wholesalers
- Coin- or card-operated game machines merchant wholesalers
- Compact discs (CDs), prerecorded, merchant wholesalers
- Digital video discs (DVDs), prerecorded, merchant wholesalers
- Extinguishers, fire, merchant wholesalers
- Fire extinguisher sales combined with rental and/or service, merchant wholesalers
- Fire extinguishers merchant wholesalers
- Firearms (except sporting) merchant wholesalers
- Firewood merchant wholesalers
- Forest products (except lumber) merchant wholesalers
- Games, coin- or card-operated, merchant wholesalers
- Gas lighting fixtures merchant wholesalers
- General merchandise, durable goods, merchant wholesalers
- Guns (except sporting) merchant wholesalers
- Instruments, musical, merchant wholesalers
- Lighting equipment, gas, merchant wholesalers
- Logs merchant wholesalers
- Luggage merchant wholesalers
- Mailboxes merchant wholesalers
- Monuments and grave markers merchant wholesalers
- Musical instrument accessories and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Musical instruments merchant wholesalers
- Musical recordings (e.g., compact discs, records, tapes) merchant wholesalers
- Ordnance and accessories merchant wholesalers
- Personal safety devices and supplies (e.g., eye shields, face shields, nonelectric respirators) merchant wholesalers
- Phonograph records merchant wholesalers
- Prerecorded audio and video tapes and discs merchant wholesalers
- Pulpwood merchant wholesalers
- Railroad ties, wood, merchant wholesalers
- Roundwood merchant wholesalers
- Safety deposit boxes merchant wholesalers
- Signs (except electrical) merchant wholesalers
- Suitcases merchant wholesalers
- Synthetic or artificial turf merchant wholesalers
- Tapes, prerecorded, audio or video, merchant wholesalers