Trade Network

the network of enterprises engaged in the sale of commodities to the population and the supply of commodities to trading organizations. The wholesale trade network comprises specialized and nonspecialized warehouses, refrigerated storage facilities, supply depots, and offices. The retail network consists of stores, stalls, and enterprises of the food service industry. Here, distinctions are made between year-round and seasonal (outdoor cafés, ice-cream stands) facilities and between stationary and mobile (trucks, carts) facilities. Depending on the type of goods being marketed, the trade network is subdivided into networks of enterprises dealing in foodstuffs, items other than foodstuffs, and items of both categories.