Alaska's Wholesale Trade Industry.

• Position: ALASKA TRENDS

Wholesale trade is a small and relatively invisible industry-it doesn't have regular contact with the public, unlike retail-but it's considered a critical cog in a well-functioning economy. Retail trade, Alaska's largest employer, depends heavily on its smaller counterpart.

On a national level, the change in sales of wholesale durable goods in considered a measure of economic well-being.

Wholesale not retail

Unlike retailers, wholesalers sell to businesses but not usually to customers. They seldom advertise or have walk-in traffic. The lack of contact with consumers is what distinguishes a wholesaler from a retailer, so large warehouse clubs like Costco aren't...