Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers Revenue Benchmarks
The average stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers business in the United States generates $10.3M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,562 stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers businesses in the U.S., employing 60,442 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $62K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers Business Actually Do?
Stationery and Office Supplies 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
$10.3M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$435K
per year
Total Businesses
2,562
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$410K
small business avg
Labor Cost
12.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$62K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.8
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers Charge?
Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers: Wholesalers earn a spread of 5–20% between what they pay manufacturers and what they charge retailers. The specifics vary within the stationery and office supplies 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 stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a stationery and office supplies 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 stationery and office supplies 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 | $6.7M | Cost of inventory bought from manufacturers for resale to retailers or businesses. |
Wages & benefits | $12 | $1.2M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $861K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $345K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $7 | $689K | Warehouse operating costs, freight, insurance, POS/ERP systems. |
Net profit | $4 | $410K | 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
4.69%
openings/year
Closure Rate
7.82%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-1.64%
annual
Businesses Closed
384
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
4 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers business do?
- Stationery and Office Supplies 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 stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers charge?
- Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers: Wholesalers earn a spread of 5–20% between what they pay manufacturers and what they charge retailers. The specifics vary within the stationery and office supplies 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 stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers make per year?
- The average stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers business generates $10.3M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $410K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,562 stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 60,442 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers business?
- Startup costs for a stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers industry?
- The average employee in the stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers industry earns $62K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -1.6%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 4.7% and 7.8% respectively.
Approximately 67% of stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 384 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers industry earns $62,231/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 3,399 establishments employing 40,207 people, the typical business has about 12 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The stationery and office supplies merchant wholesalers industry has declined 45% since 2000 (from 9,575 to 5,253 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers revenue with other industries: