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merchant

A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as industry, commerce, and trade have existed. In 16th-century Europe, two different terms for merchants emerged: meerseniers referred to local traders (such as bakers and grocers) and koopman (Dutch: koopman) referred to merchants who operated on a global stage, importing and exporting goods over vast distances and offering added-value services such as credit and finance.
The status of the merchant has varied during different periods of history and among different societies. In modern times, the term merchant has occasionally been used to refer to a businessperson or someone undertaking activities (commercial or industrial) for the purpose of generating profit, cash flow, sales, and revenue using a combination of human, financial, intellectual and physical capital with a view to fueling economic development and growth.

Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated in ancient Babylonia and Assyria, China, Egypt, Greece, India, Persia, Phoenicia, and Rome. During the European medieval period, a rapid expansion in trade and commerce led to the rise of a wealthy and powerful merchant class. The European age of discovery opened up new trading routes and gave European consumers access to a much broader range of goods. From the 1600s, goods began to travel much further distances as they found their way into geographically dispersed market-places. Following the opening of Asia to European trade and the discovery of the New World, merchants imported goods over very long distances: calico cloth from India, porcelain, silk and tea from China, spices from India and South-East Asia and tobacco, sugar, rum and coffee from the New World. By the eighteenth century, a new type of manufacturer-merchant had started to emerge and modern business practices were becoming evident.

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Recent contents Top users
  1. W

    Just been accused of being a rip-off merchant.

    Emergency call. Leak coming through ceiling. 40 gallon CWSC sitting on chipboard buckling so bad it probably had minutes left before it came through their ceiling. Didn't discuss price, just set about draining it pronto through taps and through syphoning via hose into buckets. Cut cold in, add...
  2. J

    Opening a plumbers merchant, need addvice please

    Hi All, Looking to open a plumber merchant very soon and I can't seem to find companys that will supply me stock, where do I go and who do I speak to, please can someone advice me, your help will be very much appreciated, Thanks Jas
  3. cr0ft

    A new idea for a plumbers merchant, I think.

    Hi folks, I'm purposefully not mentioning my website here as I don't want to be done for advertising but I would like some honest feedback on this idea. I've run a plumbing company of my own for a few years now and one thing that has always annoyed me is that I get the same prices at...
  4. W

    How universal are tap revivers?

    Valve on hot side of bath taps (which could only be replaced as a whole by removing bath) doesn't open and close properly. Removed and played with - something mechanical not working properly anymore. The valve looks pretty standard. This sort: Would standard bath tap revivers almost...
  5. O

    New gas/oil spares merchant in worcester !!!!! Orillo bathrooms now open for business

    Based across three sites in Worcester, Evesham and Malvern; Orillo provides all products concerning water in your house - from a beautiful new bathroom suite, to parts to fix a central heating boiler. Open to both the public and trade customers, the Orillo name has been well-known since 1978 as...
    • ORILLOSPAREWORC
    • Thread
    • bathroom bathrooms business gas merchant oil spares worcester
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  6. B

    single lever tap

    have a Nabis single lever tap in my bathroom hand basin but it is getting very difficult to move it either to hot and cold or up and down. I took the small screw cover off which is in the tap pillar but could not see a screw there to remove - I was then going to take the top of the tap off to...
    • beepalm
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    • Replies: 7
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  7. G

    10mm reducer on rad valve to plastic pipe

    I need to fit a new radiator with trv onto plastic 10mm pipe the trv comes with a 15mm-10mm reducer. Are these any good when going to plastic rather than copper
    • gates1979
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    • Replies: 11
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  8. M

    advice please - Altech 130-5 pump replacement

    Hi, helping a friend out..he's got an Altech 130-5 central heating pump - it's stopped working. I was going to do a like for like replacement for him but can't seem to find them. Are they no longer available, changed brand name?? Can you please suggest a suitable alternative? He's probably...
    • mchandler
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    • Replies: 3
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  9. H

    Honeywell 3 port valve Problems!!

    Problem is I can only get heating, when tank stat is calling for hot water. I've got a Baxi Solo, with Drayton controller, and Honeywell room and tank stats, and a Honeywell mid position 3 port valve. Thought the valve may be sticking, so removed the head, and the valve with pliers moves freely...
    • haydencookdonna
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    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  10. S

    Aerators -18mm f.thread

    Am in Spain and need to replace a dozen or so aerators on basin taps - chrome, 18mm female thread - anybody know where I can get them, preferably on-line? (The hotel I need them for has promised a free two-night stay to whoever comes up with a solution as the taps are all otherwise perfect!)
  11. M

    Old radiator fittings.

    Somebody wants me to change some thermostatic valves on old radiators. They have old thermostatic valves already but the fittings are not standard. The pipes are 15mm but the valves are much bigger, the tail in to the radiator is a few mill bigger with a bigger nut to the valve, the valve is...
    • MickBrown
    • Thread
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    • Replies: 18
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  12. B

    i have hit 2000 posts

    and i did not know until i glanced at the stats it was only like yesterday i hit 1000,will have to talk to the wife more,still a long way off 12 fingers puddle LOL:cool:roll on 3000,when will my endless driberling stop:confused:
  13. G

    Cold Radiator

    Hi We have a Ferroli Combi around 10 years old. Recently just 1 radiator downstairs (front room) has stopped working, although it gets tepid intermittently, so far we have tried: Bleeding it, no air in there... Taking off the (old) TVR - the pin seemed OK it was moving up and down but...
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    • Replies: 13
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  14. R

    4 the last time

    right thats it, i have had enough. went into plumb center today after correcting a bodged up cowboy builder job for a customer of mine who left them £10k out of pocket with incompleted works and a declined b.c pass. i was called a week later by building control to rectify a couple or so snags...
    • REDSAW
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    • Replies: 9
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  15. S

    Radiators not heating up

    I have a house in islington where the radiators on the lowest level are not heating up. It is a 3 level house with the boiler being on the lowest floor. the rads on the other floors heat up quickly and get to a decent temp. the boiler is about 25 years old and the pump is about ten years old. I...
    • steve G
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    • Replies: 2
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  16. melmos

    overflow fitting leaking

    Can anyone advise on best way to stop a washbasin leaking where the overflow adapter sits, the part marked. Should I use plumbers mait between the overflow fitting and the plastic nut as when plug is pulled water is leaking from nut
    • melmos
    • Thread
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    • Replies: 11
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  17. M

    Soil Boss Connection - Push Fit or Solvent??

    Looking for help. Using Floplast fittings. I have to make two connections to my soil pipe; one is a 50mm pipe under the floorboards, the other is 32mm within easy accessible carcassing. I see Floplast do a rubber bung thingy for stuffing into the Boss's 50mm socket. Also a solvent weld...
    • marshr02
    • Thread
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    • Replies: 6
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  18. G

    Why do Pikeys steal copper pipes?

    Every time I have a skip in the drive, five in the morning till about seven vans with our travelling friends do the rounds and have a rummage through. Anything metal especially copper is taken. They've even taken the grate in the drain. Anyone know what do they do with the metal?
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    • Replies: 30
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  19. M

    ariston euro combi 27mffi overheat lockout

    went to view a ariston combi 27mffi last week keeps going to over heat lockout it was for a friend and i only had 5 minutes to have a look - i opened up the nearest rad and it was fine for a few days - i said the pump may be on the way out but as i say i only had 5 mins to check it out. he has...
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    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
  20. S

    Best Push Button Siphon

    Recently fitted concealed wc with push button syphon. The push button mechanism is rubbish. Its wire operated and the quick flush doesn't work. Also you have to press REALLY hard to make it flush. Its smooth when cistern empty but v stiff when full. The merchant is happy to swap out the...
    • smudger
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    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
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