Analysis
NAICS 424990 is the 2022 national industry for other miscellaneous nondurable goods merchant wholesalers, part of 42499 (Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers). Census lists 73 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 10,571 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 77,792 people at an average annual payroll of $63,483 per employee (40th percentile of national industries). 69% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.
Census lists 12 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 541890, 424910, 424920 and 424930. 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.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include aquarium fish and supplies merchant wholesalers, art goods merchant wholesalers, artificial Christmas trees merchant wholesalers and artists' supplies merchant wholesalers, among 73 in all.
For example, distribution of advertising specialties are classified in 541890 (Other Services Related to Advertising) instead.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 4% and employment fell 1%. 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.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of nondurable goods (except printing and writing paper; stationery and office supplies; industrial and personal service paper; drugs and druggists' sundries; apparel, piece goods, and notions; grocery and related products; farm product raw materials; chemical and allied products; petroleum and petroleum products; beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages; farm supplies; books, periodicals, and newspapers; flowers, nursery stock, and florists' supplies; tobacco and tobacco products; and paint, varnishes, wallpaper, and supplies).
Illustrative Examples:
Artists' supplies merchant wholesalers Pet supplies (except pet food) merchant wholesalers Burlap merchant wholesalers Statuary (except religious) merchant wholesalers Christmas trees (e.g., artificial, cut) merchant wholesalers Textile bags merchant wholesalers Industrial yarns merchant wholesalers
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Distribution of advertising specialties | 541890 Other Services Related to Advertising |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of farm supplies | 424910 Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of books, periodicals, and newspapers | 424920 Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of flowers, nursery stock, and florists' supplies | 424930 Flower, Nursery Stock, and Florists' Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of tobacco products | 424940 Tobacco Product and Electronic Cigarette Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of paints, varnishes, and similar coatings; pigments; wallpaper; and supplies | 424950 Paint, Varnish, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of bulk printing and/or writing paper | 424110 Printing and Writing Paper Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of stationery, office supplies, and/or gift wrap | 424120 Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of kraft wrapping and other coarse paper, paperboard, converted paper (except stationery and office supplies), and related disposable plastics products | 424130 Industrial and Personal Service Paper Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of biological and medical products; botanical drugs and herbs; and pharmaceutical products intended for internal and external consumption | 424210 Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of piece goods, yard goods, notions, hair accessories, footwear, and clothing and clothing accessories | 4243 Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers |
| Merchant wholesale distribution of meat, poultry, seafood, confectioneries, fruits and vegetables; and other groceries and related products | 4244 Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers |
Index entries (73)
- Aquarium fish and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Art goods merchant wholesalers
- Artificial Christmas trees merchant wholesalers
- Artists' supplies merchant wholesalers
- Awnings, canvas, merchant wholesalers
- Backpacks, textile, merchant wholesalers
- Bags, textile, merchant wholesalers
- Bait, live, merchant wholesalers
- Baskets merchant wholesalers
- Brushes, artists', merchant wholesalers
- Burlap merchant wholesalers
- Candles merchant wholesalers
- Canvas products merchant wholesalers
- Cats merchant wholesalers
- Chamois, leather, merchant wholesalers
- Charcoal merchant wholesalers
- Christmas ornaments merchant wholesalers
- Christmas trees (e.g., artificial, cut) merchant wholesalers
- Cigarette lighters merchant wholesalers
- Clothes hangers merchant wholesalers
- Cotton (except raw) merchant wholesalers
- Crude rubber merchant wholesalers
- Curios merchant wholesalers
- Dogs merchant wholesalers
- Dressed furs and skins merchant wholesalers
- Felt merchant wholesalers
- Fish, tropical, merchant wholesalers
- Foam rubber merchant wholesalers
- Furs, dressed, merchant wholesalers
- General merchandise, nondurable goods, merchant wholesalers
- Greases, inedible animal and vegetable, merchant wholesalers
- Hairbrushes merchant wholesalers
- Hairpieces (e.g., toupees, wigs, wiglets) merchant wholesalers
- Handles (e.g., broom, mop, paint) merchant wholesalers
- Ice (except dry ice) merchant wholesalers
- Jewelry boxes merchant wholesalers
- Leather cut stock (except boot, shoe) merchant wholesalers
- Leather goods (except belting, footwear, handbags, gloves, luggage) merchant wholesalers
- Lighters, cigar and cigarette, merchant wholesalers
- Live bait merchant wholesalers