Firms in the merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods sector sell nondurable goods to other businesses. Nondurable goods are items that generally have a normal life expectancy of less than 3 years.

Establishments in this sector of wholesale trade are engaged in wholesaling nondurable goods, such as paper and paper products, chemicals and chemical products, drugs, textiles and textile products, apparel, footwear, groceries, farm products, petroleum and petroleum products, alcoholic beverages, books, magazines, newspapers, flowers and nursery stock, and tobacco products.