Men's and Boys' Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers Revenue Benchmarks
The average men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers business in the United States generates $9.3M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,950 men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers businesses in the U.S., employing 48,624 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Men's and Boys' Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers Business Actually Do?
Men's and Boys' Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers: Businesses that buy goods in bulk from manufacturers and resell them to retailers or other businesses.
Who buys: Retailers, manufacturers, institutional buyers.
Sector-level description — a more specific write-up is available for high-traffic industries.
Average Revenue
$9.3M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$566K
per year
Total Businesses
2,950
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$373K
small business avg
Labor Cost
12.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.9
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Men's and Boys' Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers Charge?
Men's and Boys' Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers: Wholesalers earn a spread of 5–20% between what they pay manufacturers and what they charge retailers. The specifics vary within the men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers category — the ranges below are typical for the sector.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Commodity wholesale (food, chemicals) | 3–8% gross margin |
Specialty wholesale (electronics, medical) | 12–25% gross margin |
Distribution fee (3PL) | 3–7% of goods handled |
Sector-typical ranges — individual services within this industry may fall higher or lower.
Complete men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $66 | $6.1M | Cost of inventory bought from manufacturers for resale to retailers or businesses. |
Wages & benefits | $12 | $1.1M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $783K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $313K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $7 | $627K | Warehouse operating costs, freight, insurance, POS/ERP systems. |
Net profit | $4 | $373K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
8.14%
openings/year
Closure Rate
10.06%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-0.18%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,068
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Men's and Boys' Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
5 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers business do?
- Men's and Boys' Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers: Businesses that buy goods in bulk from manufacturers and resell them to retailers or other businesses. Retailers, manufacturers, institutional buyers.
- How much do men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers charge?
- Men's and Boys' Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers: Wholesalers earn a spread of 5–20% between what they pay manufacturers and what they charge retailers. The specifics vary within the men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers category — the ranges below are typical for the sector. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers make per year?
- The average men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers business generates $9.3M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $373K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,950 men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 48,624 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers business?
- Startup costs for a men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -0.2%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 8.1% and 10.1% respectively.
Approximately 59% of men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 1,068 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The men's and boys' clothing and furnishings merchant wholesalers industry has declined 16% since 2000 (from 13,458 to 11,274 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Men's and Boys' Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers revenue with other industries: