| Merchanting is defined in the Balance of Payments Manual as the purchase of a good by a
resident (of the compiling economy) from a nonresident and the subsequent resale of the good to
another nonresident, without the good entering the merchant’s economy. The SNA does not cover
the topic. The existing definition of merchanting may capture activity that is part of the
production process in an increasingly globalized and inter-connected world, which is not the
intent behind the definition of merchanting activity. Therefore, there is a need for a clear and
precise definition of merchanting; arising out of this there needs to be clear guidance on whether
merchanting (when redefined) should be recorded on a net or a gross basis and under goods or
services. |
