Commerce
Commerce is the exchange of goods, services or commodities on a
large scale. Commerce is the
fundamental action that takes place in every transaction involving money and/or trade.
It is the basic component of the business and financial world. Commerce refers to the exchange of goods, services or
something of value, between businesses or entities. Exchange of or for or , usually on a large enough to require from place to place or across city, state, or national
boundaries.
In most countries, commerce is regulated; the extent of the
regulation is a reflection of monetary policy, fiscal policy and
political conditions.
Commerce
includes two types of activities, viz., (i) trade and (ii) auxiliaries to
trade. Buying and selling of goods is termed as trade. But there are a lot of
activities that are required to facilitate the purchase and sale of goods.
These are called services or auxiliaries to trade and include transport,
banking, insurance, communication, advertisement, packaging and warehousing. Commerce,
therefore, includes both, buying and selling of goods i.e., trade, as well as,
auxiliaries, such as transport, banking, etc.
Commerce
provides the necessary link between producers and consumers. It embraces all those activities, which are
necessary for maintaining a free flow of goods and services. Thus, all
activities involving the removal of hindrances in the process of exchange are
included in commerce. The hindrances may be in respect of persons, place, time,
risk, finance, etc. The hindrance of persons is removed by trade, thereby, making
goods available to consumers from the possession or ownership producers. Transport
removes the hindrances of place by moving goods from the place of production to
the markets for sale. Storage and warehousing activities remove the hindrance
of time by facilitating holding of stocks of goods to be sold as and when
required. Goods held in stock, as well as, goods in course of transport are
subject to a risk of loss or damage due to theft, fire, accidents, etc.
Protection against these risks is provided by insurance of goods. Capital
required to undertake the above activities is provided by banking and financing
institutions. Advertising makes it possible for producers and traders to inform
consumers about the goods and services available in the market. Hence, commerce
is said to consist of activities of removing the hindrances of persons, place,
time, risk, finance and information in the process of exchange of goods and
services.
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